// ITS FOSS — LINUX & OPEN SOURCE
Keychron Built Open Source Firmware for Gaming Mice, and Linux Users Stand to Gain the Most
Keychron has introduced ZGM, short for Zephyr Gaming Mouse, an open source firmware project built for gaming mice.
It is built on Zephyr RTOS, the same real-time operating system that already powers ZMK for keyboards. In its announcement, Keychron portrayed the launch as a philosophy rather than a marketing angle, stating, "Open source isn't marketing for us. It's the default."
Keyboards have QMK. They have ZMK. Mice have… nothing. 🔒Every gaming mouse on the market runs firmware you can't read, can't audit, can't change.So we built it ourselves.ZGM — Zephyr Gaming Mouse. Open-source firmware for gaming mice, coming Q1 2027. The G6 HE will run… pic.twitter.com/naSdDXeMBh
The firmware is set to debut alongside the Keychron G6 HE, with a launch window sometime between January and March 2027.
ZGM isn't a mouse, and it isn't a driver or third-party tool you install after buying one either. It's firmware that runs directly on a mouse's own hardware, and only devices built with it will run it.
The G6 HE is the first confirmed device, and any wider adoption depends on whether other manufacturers choose to build around it. The project is released under the GPL-3.0 license, so anyone can inspect the code, modify it, or fork it for their own hardware.
Currently, it is in a very early stage of development, where the repository mainly holds project scaffolding and policy files right now. Keychron says firmware sources, board support, and flashing guidance are still being prepared.
The plan is for the project to grow into full Zephyr-based firmware, with configuration layers for different hardware variants and integration for sensors, buttons, scroll wheels, and lighting.
Wired support is expected to arrive first, with wireless support to follow, alongside build instructions, example hardware targets, and testing guidance for latency and reliability.
Keychron plans to support the chips Zephyr already works with, plus the sensors, buttons, scroll wheels, and lighting that go into a gaming mouse. Battery management for wireless builds is part of the plan too.