As on most laptops, my laptop has "special" keys, or media keys, as they are sometimes called.

On Linux, I can easily read keycodes with things like xev, put other functions back to it. Either with xmodmap or by simply giving the keys functions in my window manager.

How is that possible on Windows? Is there even a way to scan those keys and remap them? Possibly even give them different functions as on Linux?

If so, where do I do that? I heard of several programs atempting on changing that, but I don't see why I should install another program. I see it as integral part of the OS.

For instance, I have a key with an 'i' in a circle. It normally opens a new browser window. When Chrome is already open, it makes the current tab go to my selected homepage (which is about:blank). I'd like to change the functionality of it.