Computer Keyboard Layout

This article is written to extend your knowledge of the computer

keyboard layout. It seeks to explain the basic layout of a keyboard and
also the layout of the keys.
Basic Computer Keyboard Layout


The diagram above shows you a typical Windows QWERTY keyboard.
So the majority of computers will have a keyboard having a similar
style to the one above.

To check whether your keyboard is a QWERTY keyboard, just take a
look at the first six keys on the top left. If they spell QWERTY then
your keyboard is the typical computer keyboard.

Computer Keyboard Diagram

The following diagram is the same as the one above, except that this
one is labeled for your benefit. As you can see there are a number of
different sections of the keyboard. On the top there are the Function
Keys, the Special Keys and the Lock Keys. On the right there is the
Numeric Keypad and the Direction Keys. There is also the Normal Keys
and the Numeric Keys.



For a detailed explanation of what each key does, read this article on
computer keyboard keys.

Computer Keyboard Normal Keys Layout

So the typical keyboard layout, will look something similar to the one
below. If you have an Apple computer then the keyboard will be
similar, but won't include keys such as a Window key or Print Screen
key.

The keyboard was made for ease of use. The most used keys are
generally easier to reach. Thats why keys such as 'Q' and 'Z' are in
the corners. The other keys such as Backspace, Spacebar and Enter
are all pretty self-explanatory. However, if you would like more
information on the keys and keyboard shortcuts visit this article.




Computer keyboard shortcut keys
Shortcut keys ABCs
Shortcut keys help provide an easier and usually quicker method
of navigating and using computer software programs. Shortcut
keys are commonly accessed by using the Alt (on IBM compatible
computers), command key (on Apple computers), Ctrl, or Shift in
conjunction with a single letter. The de facto standard for listing a
shortcut is listing the modifier key, a plus symbol, and the single
character. In other words, "ALT+S" is telling you to press the Alt
key and while continuing to hold the Alt key, press the S key to
perform the shortcut.

In addition to the shortcuts listed on this page, users can find the
shortcut keys to their most popular program by looking for
underlined letters in their menus. For example, in the picture to
the right you can notice that the "F" in File has been underlined.
This means you can press the Alt key and F to access the File
menu. Note: Some programs require the user press and hold ALT
to see the underlined characters. Finally, as can also be seen
some of the common features such as Open (Ctrl+O) and Save
(Ctrl+S) have shortcut keys assigned to them.
As you begin to memorize shortcut keys, you'll notice that many
applications share the same shortcut keys. We have the most
commonly shared shortcut keys in the below basic PC shortcut
keys section.
Tip: Users outside the United States or users using a foreign copy
of a Microsoft Windows or Microsoft application may not be able to
get all the below shortcut keys to perform the function listed
below.
Basic PC shortcut keys
The below basic shortcut keys are a listing of shortcut keys that will
work with almost all IBM compatible computers and software
programs. It is highly recommended that all users keep a good
reference of the below shortcut keys or try to memorize the below
keys. Doing so will dramatically increase your productivity.
Shortcut Keys Description
Alt + F File menu options in current program.
Alt + E Edit options in current program
F1 Universal Help in almost every Windows program.
Ctrl + A Select all text.
Ctrl + X Cut selected item.
Shift + Del Cut selected item.
Ctrl + C Copy selected item.
Ctrl + Ins Copy selected item
Ctrl + V Paste
Shift + Ins Paste
Home Goes to beginning of current line.
Ctrl + Home Goes to beginning of document.
End Goes to end of current line.
Ctrl + End Goes to end of document.
Shift + Home
Highlights from current position to beginning of
line.
Shift + End Highlights from current position to end of line.
Ctrl + Left arrow Moves one word to the left at a time.
Ctrl + Right
arrow
Moves one word to the right at a time.

What are the F1 through F12 keys?
Answer
Commonly known as "function keys", F1 through F12 may have a
variety of different uses or no use at all. Depending on the installed
operating system and the software program currently open will change
how each of these keys operate. A program is capable of not only
using each of the function keys, but also combining the function keys
with the ALT or CTRL key, for example, Microsoft Windows users can
press ALT + F4 to close the program currently active.

Below is a short-listing of some of the common functions of the
functions keys on computers running Microsoft Windows. As mentioned
above not all programs support function keys and may perform
different tasks then those mentioned below. If you are looking for
more specific shortcut keys and function key examples we suggest
seeing our shortcut key page.
F1
Almost always used as the help key, almost every program will open
the help screen when this key is pressed.
Enter CMOS Setup.
Windows Key + F1 would open the Microsoft Windows help and
support center.
Open the Task Pane.
F2
In Windows commonly used to rename a highlighted icon or file.
Alt + Ctrl + F2 opens document window in Microsoft Word.
Ctrl + F2 displays the print preview window in Microsoft Word.
Enter CMOS Setup.

F3
Often opens a search feature for many programs including Microsoft
Windows.
In MS-DOS or Windows command line F3 will repeat the last
command.
Shift + F3 will change the text in Microsoft Word from upper to lower
case or a capital letter at the beginning of every word.
F4
Open find window.
Repeat the last action performed (Word 2000+)
Alt + F4 will close the program currently active in Microsoft Windows.
Ctrl + F4 will close the open window within the current active window
in Microsoft Windows.
F5
In all modern Internet browsers pressing F5 will refresh or reload the
page or document window.
Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word.
Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.
F6
Move the cursor to the Address bar in Internet Explorer and Mozilla
Firefox.
Ctrl + Shift + F6 opens to another open Microsoft Word document.
F7
Commonly used to spell check and grammar check a document in
Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc.
Shift + F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted.
Turns on Caret browsing in Mozilla Firefox.
F8
Function key used to enter the Windows startup menu, commonly
used to access Windows Safe Mode.
F9
Opens the Measurements toolbar in Quark 5.0.
F10
In Microsoft Windows activates the menu bar of an open application.
Shift + F10 is the same as right-clicking on a highlighted icon, file, or
Internet link.
Access the hidden recovery partition on HP and Sony computers.
Enter CMOS Setup.
F11
Full-screen mode in all modern Internet browsers.
Ctrl + F11 as computer is starting to access the hidden recovery
partition on many Dell computers.
Access the hidden recovery partition on eMachines, Gateway, and
Lenovo computers.
F12
Open the Save as window in Microsoft Word.
Shift + F12 save the Microsoft Word document.
Ctrl + Shift + F12 prints a document in Microsoft Word.
Preview a page in Microsoft Expression Web
Open Firebug.
Tip: Earlier IBM computers also had F13 - F24 on the keyboards.
However, because these keyboards are no longer used they are not
listed on this page.