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Keyboard input monitor tool - 'keeylogger'

Index

  1. Github Repository
  2. Main Documentation
  3. License

Overview

This is a lightweight keylogger script that captures and logs typed text in a formatted manner. Instead of logging raw key events, it captures actual readable text that the user types, making it easy to review what was typed.

What This Script Does

  • Captures typed text: Records characters as they are typed
  • Handles special keys: Properly handles Space, Enter, and Backspace keys
  • Removes formatting noise: Ignores modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt, etc.)
  • Line-based logging: Logs each line of text when Enter is pressed
  • Graceful exit: Press ESC to stop the logger and save any remaining text
  • Timestamp logging: Each logged entry includes a timestamp

Features

Feature Behavior
Regular typing (a-z, 0-9, symbols) Captured as-is
Space key Adds a space to the buffer
Enter key Logs the complete line and starts fresh
Backspace key Removes the last character (simulates real deletion)
ESC key Stops the logger gracefully
Other special keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt) Ignored (not logged)

Output File

The script logs all captured text to kiLikho.txt in the same directory. Each entry includes a timestamp.

Example Log Output

2026-03-04 14:23:45,123: Hello World
2026-03-04 14:23:52,456: This is a test
2026-03-04 14:24:10,789: Python keylogger demo

Installation

Prerequisites

You need Python 3.6+ and the pynput library.

Windows

  1. Install Python (if not already installed):

  2. Install pynput library:

    pip install pynput

  3. Verify installation:

    python -c "import pynput; print('pynput installed successfully')"

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

  1. Install Python and pip:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

  2. Install required dependencies (for keyboard monitoring):

    sudo apt install python3-tk python3-dev

  3. Install pynput library:

    pip3 install pynput

  4. Grant keyboard monitoring permissions (required for listening to keyboard events):

    sudo usermod -a -G input $USER

    Then log out and log back in for changes to take effect.

Linux (Fedora/RHEL)

  1. Install Python and pip:

    sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip

  2. Install required dependencies:

    sudo dnf install python3-devel libxcb-devel libxkbcommon-devel

  3. Install pynput:

    pip3 install pynput

  4. Grant keyboard monitoring permissions:

    sudo usermod -a -G input $USER

How to Run

Windows

Option 1: Command Prompt

python keeyLogger.py

Option 2: PowerShell

python keeyLogger.py

Option 3: Using Python virtual environment

# Activate virtual environment (if you have one)
.\myenv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

# Run the script
python keeyLogger.py

Linux

Option 1: Terminal

python3 keeyLogger.py

Option 2: Using Python virtual environment

# Activate virtual environment (if you have one)
source myenv/bin/activate

# Run the script
python3 keeyLogger.py

Option 3: Run as background process

nohup python3 keeyLogger.py &

Option 4: Run with sudo (if permissions issue occurs)

sudo python3 keeyLogger.py

Usage Example

Step-by-step Guide

  1. Open terminal/command prompt in the script directory

  2. Run the script:
    • Windows: python keeyLogger.py
    • Linux: python3 keeyLogger.py

  3. The script is now active and listening to keyboard input

  4. Start typing - your text will be captured:
    • Type: “Hello World” and press Enter → Logged
    • Type: “Testing 123” and press Enter → Logged
    • If you make mistakes, Backspace works correctly

  5. To stop the script: Press the ESC key

  6. Check the log file: Open kiLikho.txt to view captured text

Sample Session

> python keeyLogger.py
# Script is running, listening for keystrokes...

# You type: "Hello World" [ENTER]
# You type: "My name is John" [ENTER]
# You type: "Python is fun!" [ENTER]
# Press ESC to stop

> cat kiLikho.txt
2026-03-04 14:23:45,123: Hello World
2026-03-04 14:23:52,456: My name is John
2026-03-04 14:24:10,789: Python is fun!

Important Notes

⚠️ Legal & Ethical Considerations:

  • This script captures keyboard input system-wide
  • Use only on your own devices or with explicit permission
  • Unauthorized keylogging is illegal in most jurisdictions
  • Always comply with local laws and regulations

Troubleshooting

Issue: “pynput not found” error

Solution: Install pynput

# Windows
pip install pynput

# Linux
pip3 install pynput

Issue: Permission denied on Linux

Solution: Add user to input group

sudo usermod -a -G input $USER
# Log out and log back in

Issue: Script doesn’t capture keyboard input

Causes:

  • Press ESC to stop and restart
  • Check if another application is consuming keyboard events
  • Try running with elevated privileges (sudo on Linux)

Issue: Unicode/Special characters not captured

Solution: This is a limitation of pynput’s char attribute. The script captures what key.char returns, which may vary by keyboard layout.

Contact & Support

For issues or questions, refer to:

Version: 1.0
Last Updated: March 4, 2026
Compatibility: Python 3.6+, Windows, Linux, macOS (with pynput)

Copyright © 2026 Mahidul Haque. This post is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. You may read, learn, and share links to this post for non‑commercial, educational purposes, as long as you give appropriate attribution. You may not copy, reproduce, adapt, distribute, or use this work commercially without explicit permission.