What are the keys on a keyboard?

Table of Contents :

Knowing the keys on a keyboard allows you to boost your typing speed and benefit from the tool best suited to your needs when using a computer.

In this article, we discover different keys on a keyboard as well as their functions before looking at the different types of keyboards in detail. Let's get started!

What are the keyboard keys and their functions?

The keyboard keys are organized by category. Here are the details you need to know.

Input keys

The input keys on the keyboard are made up of the following buttons:

⌨️ Key on keyboard	👉 Corresponding action
The 26 letters of the alphabet (A to Z)	These keys are arranged in a specific sequence to facilitate entry.
The brands of punctuations	These keys are used to bringing a text to life.
The symbols	These keys on the keyboard are also used to complete information when entering text on the computer.

Function keys

These include the keys F1 to F12 at the top of your keyboard. They enable you to perform specific tasks in no time at all. The function of each key differs from program to program. However, here's what they do in general.

⌨️ Key on keyboard	👉 Corresponding action
F1	Redirects you to the help center of all programs.
F2	Allows you to rename a folder or a file you've selected.
F3	Opens a search function in the open program.
F4	Helps position the cursor in the browser address bar. The " Alt+F4 "closes an active window.
F5	Update or refreshes a page open in the web browser.
F6	On navigation tabs, this key is used to move cursor and redirects you to the tab where you left off.
F7	Opens the grammatical correction and spelling in programs such as Microsoft Word.
F8	Under Windows, F8 launches the safe mode.
F9	Checks Outlook for new incoming mail and updates the selected blocks in Word.
F10	Shift+F10" activates the context menu.
F11	Enables or disables display in full-screen mode web browsers.
F12	Record a document in Microsoft Word.

Keys with special functions

Keyboard keys concerned here are :

⌨️ Key on keyboard	👉 Corresponding action
The key control (Ctrl)	This key is used in combination with another key to access a specific function. keyboard shortcut.
The key Exhaust (Esc)	This is a key on the keyboard that allows you toabandon an action on the computer.
The menu get started with the Windows logo	As its name suggests, it directly displays the Windows main menuIt can be combined with other keys to access certain functions on your PC.
The Alt key	This key on the keypad is used in combination with other keys to access a specific function. specific actionopen or close a program and display certain characters.
The key Alt Gr	This key is used to obtain the symbols (€, @, #) at the bottom right of some keys. Hold down the key to obtain these results.
The key Entrance	On some programs, you can use the enter key on the keyboard to validate enter a field or move to the next line. It is observed at two different locations (below the "Backspace" key and at the bottom right of the numeric keypad).
The key Backspace	This key on the keyboard is used todelete the last character typed when entering text.
The key Space	This is the large key in the middle of the keyboard. It is by far the most frequently used key on a keyboard. It is also known as the "space bar." As its name suggests, it allows you toinsert a space during text entry.
The shift key (Shift)	This key on the keyboard is used to temporarily switch to shift modeYou have to press it constantly to get the desired effect.
The key Shift lock (Verr Maj.)	The Shift Lock key is used to switch to the Permanently capitalized without having to press the button continuously. It is very useful for writing a text entirely in uppercase. To exit uppercase mode, simply press the same key again.
The tabulation (Tab)	This key is mainly used in word-processing software, and is used to advance the cursor to reach a specific point. tab stop. You can also use this key to move around in fields when working on a form.

Navigation keys

These keys help you move your cursor when you're process documents or pages on a computer. This allows you to scroll a page according to the direction of the keys.

These are therefore used whether you're using online or offline software. The keys included in this category are :

⌨️ Key on keyboard	👉 Corresponding action
Arrows direction	These keys on the keyboard move the cursor upbottom, right and left.
Insertion (Insert)	This key on the keyboard switches from Insert mode to Refrappe mode.
Delete (Suppr)	It is a key that deletes the at cursor position.
Beginning	This key redirects the cursor to the beginning of a sentence or zone.
End	This is a key that allows you to go to the end of zone or a sentence.
Page Up	This is a key on the keyboard that allows you to access the previous page.
Page Down	This key is used to switch to the next page.

Numeric keypad

You must first activate the "Verr Num” before you can use the numeric keypad. An indicator light on the keyboard often shows when this feature is activated.

You can also use the numeric keypad as a navigation keys. Refer to the arrows next to the numbers in this frame.

Other keys on the keyboard

Some specific keys on the keyboard are also used on defined programs on a computer. The following three keys are involved.

Print screen (Print screen)

In the past, this key on the keyboard was used to send content displayed on your screen to your printer. Now, the Print Screen key is used to take a screenshot and create a copy of it in the Clipboard. You can then paste the screenshot into another program on your computer.

Scroll stop

This key is only used in certain programs. When you press this key, the actions of the Page Up and Page Down keys are changed. Your document scrolls without having to change the cursor or selection position. An LED is also visible on the keyboard when this key is activated.

Pause/Attn

The Pause/Attn key on the keyboard is rarely used. The older programs on computers are those who use this key the most. This key is used in particular to stop a program from running.

How many keyboard types are there?

Officially, there are 3 types of keyboards :

QWERTY ;
QWERTZ ;
AZERTY.

Mainly, the position of the keys W, Q, Z and A differentiates these three types of keyboard. Here are more details.

The QWERTY keyboard

The name of each keyboard type is taken from the first six letters of its highest alphabetical row. Before the advent of computers, the QWERTY keyboard made its name in America, in 1868, with the appearance of the very first typewriter designed by the Remington company, called the Typewriter.

The QWERTZ keyboard

Also known asSwiss keyboardThis setting can be adjusted to prioritize accented Latin letters (é, à, è) and German umlauts (ö, ä, ü). To display these characters, use the following combination: Alt + Shift or Win + Shift.

The AZERTY keyboard

The AZERTY layout was invented in France in the last decade of the 19th century. This type of keyboard embodies the order of the letters on the older French typewriters. As a result, it is mainly used in France, Belgium and certain French-speaking countries.

If you would like to explore other topics related to the one discussed in this article, please visit our page. Guides & How-To's.

In conclusionThe keys on a keyboard make it easy to enter information into a digital device. All you need to do is access shortcuts or certain keyboard features to be able to use a computer properly.

You can choose between AZERTY, QWETZ and QWERTY keyboards. However, the key categories on the keyboard are as follows :

Input keys ;
Function keys ;
Navigation keys ;
Keys with a specific role ;
Other necessary keys.

We hope that with the tips in this article, you can maximize your efficiency and creativity in the digital space. Feel free to ask questions or share your comments in the comments !