What is a Left-Hand Device?
A left-hand device (sometimes called a shortcut controller, macro controller, or shortcut pad) is a compact input device designed to sit under your non-dominant hand while your other hand operates a mouse or pen tablet. It provides programmable buttons, dials, and knobs that you assign to frequently used keyboard shortcuts, macros, and tool switches — eliminating the need to reach across a full keyboard in the middle of a creative task.
Left-hand devices are popular among digital illustrators, video editors, 3D artists, music producers, live streamers, and even office workers whose daily routines involve repetitive shortcut sequences. By consolidating common actions into a single, ergonomically positioned controller, they remove micro-interruptions from your workflow and keep you in a state of flow.
In-Depth
Types of Left-Hand Devices
Left-hand devices fall into three broad categories, each with a distinct design philosophy:
Keypad / button-matrix type — Resembles a small section of a keyboard, with rows of programmable keys arranged in a grid. The Elgato Stream Deck series is the best-known example, featuring LCD-screen buttons that display custom icons for each assigned function. Other entries include the Razer Stream Controller and various 9-key or 12-key macro keypads.
Dial / knob type — Built around one or more rotary encoders for smooth, analog-style control. Turning a dial to adjust brush size, scrub a video timeline, zoom a canvas, or fine-tune a parameter feels more natural than tapping a key repeatedly. TourBox Elite and Monogram Creative Console (formerly Palette) are leading examples.
Gaming-keypad type — Devices like the Razer Tartarus V2, originally designed for gaming with a thumb joystick and 20+ keys, are widely adopted by digital artists and editors who appreciate the high key count and built-in ergonomic hand rest. The joystick can be mapped to canvas panning or timeline scrolling.
Creative Workflow Examples
The real value of a left-hand device becomes clear when you see how it fits into specific workflows:
Digital illustration — When drawing on a pen tablet, common shortcuts include Ctrl+Z (undo), B (brush), E (eraser), brush-size up/down, color picker, layer navigation, and canvas rotation. Assigning these to a left-hand device means your pen hand never leaves the tablet surface, and your eyes never leave the canvas.
Video editing — Editors in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro map timeline scrubbing to a dial, and cut/paste/transition/marker operations to buttons. The dial provides frame-accurate control that a keyboard shortcut cannot match, and the workflow speed improvement is measurable.
Live streaming — The Stream Deck is purpose-built for this: LCD buttons show scene previews, toggle mic mute, trigger sound effects, switch camera angles, and display streaming stats — all at a glance and a single press.
Music production — Producers use dials for mixer faders, pan pots, and plugin parameters, and buttons for transport controls (play, stop, record, loop).
Office and Productivity Use
Left-hand devices are not limited to creative fields. Programmers map build commands, code-snippet insertion, and terminal shortcuts. Office workers assign Excel macros, email templates, meeting-join links, and app-switching sequences. Customer-support agents create one-touch buttons for canned responses and ticket-status changes. Any repetitive keyboard action is a candidate for automation through a left-hand device, and the productivity gains compound over weeks and months.
Software and Profile Switching
Most left-hand devices come with companion software that manages key assignments. A critical feature is profile switching — the ability to load a different set of bindings automatically when you switch applications. Your Stream Deck might show Photoshop tools when Photoshop is in the foreground and OBS controls when OBS is active. This effectively multiplies the number of available shortcuts without adding physical buttons or requiring manual switching.
Community-shared profiles are another advantage. Many device manufacturers host profile libraries where users share their configurations for popular applications — Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Blender, OBS, and dozens more. Downloading a well-designed community profile gives you a head start, and you can customize it to match your personal workflow from there.
How to Choose
1. Identify Your Primary Workflow
Illustrators and designers benefit most from dials (for brush size, canvas rotation, opacity) — TourBox excels here. Streamers and video editors prefer visual LCD buttons with dynamic labels — the Stream Deck series is purpose-built for this. Gamers-turned-creators may find a Razer Tartarus familiar and versatile. Match the device’s input methods to the type of actions you repeat most.
2. Evaluate Button Count and Customization Depth
More buttons accommodate more shortcuts, but too many buttons with no clear labeling can be overwhelming. LCD-screen buttons (Stream Deck) solve the labeling problem visually. Profile-switching and folder/page navigation effectively multiply the available shortcuts without adding physical controls. Ensure the companion software supports your applications and operating system.
3. Consider Connectivity and Ergonomics
Bluetooth wireless models keep your desk setup cable-free. Wired models offer zero-latency reliability and never need charging. Size and hand-rest comfort matter for multi-hour sessions, so if at all possible, try the device in person before buying. A device that is uncomfortable after 30 minutes will eventually be abandoned in a drawer.
The Bottom Line
A left-hand device puts your most-used shortcuts literally at your fingertips, removing the friction of reaching for a keyboard in the middle of a creative or productive flow. Choose the type that matches your primary application — dials for illustration and editing, LCD buttons for streaming and visual workflows, multi-key pads for general productivity — and make sure the software supports automatic profile switching for your apps. The time savings are modest per action but compound dramatically across a full workday, and most users wonder within a week how they ever worked without one.