Note

For information on keyboard shortcut key combinations (e.g., Ctrl+S or Alt+F4), see our computer keyboard shortcut keys page.

Example of a keyboard

Below is a close-up image of a QWERTY computer keyboard with each of the keys selectable. You can hover your mouse cursor over any of the keys to see a description. Clicking any of the keys opens a new page with full details.

Keyboard keysEscape (Esc) KeyFunction KeysPrint Screen (Prt Scrn) KeyScroll Lock KeyPause and Break KeyTilde and Back Quote Key1 and Exclamation Key2 and At Key3 and Hash Key4 and Dollar Sign Key5 and Percent Key6 and Caret Key7 and Ampersand Key8 and Asterisk Key9 and Open Parenthesis Key0 and Close Parenthesis KeyDash and Underscore KeyEquals and Plus KeyBackspace KeyInsert (Ins) KeyHome KeyPage Up (Pg Up) KeyNum Lock KeyDivide KeyTimes KeySubtract KeyTab KeyTop Row KeysOpen Bracket and Open BraceClose Bracket and Close BraceEnter or Return KeyDelete (Del) KeyEnd KeyPage Down (Pg Dn) KeyNumeric KeypadPlus KeyCaps Lock KeysHome Row KeysSemicolon Key and Colon KeySingle Quote Key and Quote KeyBackslash Key and Pipe KeyLeft Shift KeyBottom Row KeysComma Key and Less Than KeyPeriod Key and Greater Than KeyForward Slash Key and Question Mark KeyRight Shift KeyArrow KeysEnter KeyLeft Ctrl KeyLeft Windows KeyLeft Alt KeySpacebarRight Alt KeyRight Windows KeyMenu KeyRight Ctrl KeyPeriod keyCaps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock LED lights

Listing of non-alphanumeric keys

Key/symbolExplanation
WindowsPC keyboards have a Windows key that looks like a four-pane, wavy window.
CommandApple Mac computers have a Command with a symbol resembling a cloverleaf.
MenuPC keyboards also have a Menu key that looks like a cursor pointing to a menu.
EscEsc (escape) key.
F1 - F12What are the F1 through F12 keys?
F13 - F24Information about the F13 through F24 keyboard keys.
TabTab key.
Caps lockCaps lock key.
ShiftShift key.
CtrlControl key.
FnFunction key.
AltAlternate key (PC only; Mac users have an Option key).
SpacebarSpacebar key.
ArrowsUp, down, left, right Arrow keys.
Back SpaceBack space (or Backspace) key.
DeleteDelete or Del key.
EnterEnter key.
Prt ScrnPrint Screen key.
Scroll LockScroll Lock key.
PausePause key.
BreakBreak key.
InsertInsert key.
HomeHome key.
Page upPage up or pg up key.
Page downPage down or pg dn key.
EndEnd key.
Num LockNum Lock key.
~Tilde.
`Acute, back quote, grave, grave accent, left quote, open quote, or a push.
!Exclamation mark, exclamation point, or bang.
@Ampersat, arobase, asperand, at, or at symbol.
#Octothorpe, number, pound, sharp, or hash.
£Pound Sterling or Pound symbol.
Euro.
$Dollar sign or generic currency.
¢Cent sign.
¥Chinese/Japanese Yuan.
§Micro or section.
%Percent.
°Degree.
^Caret or circumflex.
&Ampersand, epershand, or and symbol.
*Asterisk, mathematical multiplication symbol, and sometimes referred to as a star.
(Open or left parenthesis.
)Close or right parenthesis.
-Hyphen, minus, or dash.
_Underscore.
+Plus.
=Equal.
{Open brace, squiggly brackets, or curly bracket.
}Close brace, squiggly brackets, or curly bracket.
[Open bracket.
]Closed bracket.
|Pipe, or, or vertical bar.
\Backslash or reverse solidus.
/Forward slash, solidus, virgule, whack, and mathematical division symbol.
:Colon.
;Semicolon.
"Quote, quotation mark, or inverted commas.
'Apostrophe or single quote.
<Less than or angle brackets.
>Greater than or angle brackets.
,Comma.
.Period, dot, or full stop.
?Question mark.