Computer keyboard key explanations

Updated: 05/21/2018 by Computer Hope

When dealing with technical commands that use a keyboard (for example, web pages or the command line), you may hear such things as forward slash, backslash, and caret.

Many times, users can be confused as these keys may be unfamiliar. The table below identifies non-alphanumeric keys with a description or link for additional information.

Note

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

Key/symbol	Explanation
Windows	PC keyboards have a Windows key that looks like a four-pane, wavy window.
Command	Apple Mac computers have a command key.
Menu	PC keyboards also have a Menu key that looks like a cursor pointing to a menu.
Esc	Esc (escape) key.
F1 - F12	Information about the F1 through F12 keyboard keys.
F13 - F24	Information about the F13 through F24 keyboard keys.
Tab	Tab key.
Caps lock	Caps lock key.
Shift	Shift key.
Ctrl	Control key.
Fn	Function key.
Alt	Alternate key (PC only; Mac users have an Option key).
Spacebar	Spacebar key.
Arrows	Up, down, left, right Arrow keys.
Back Space	Back space (or Backspace) key.
Delete	Delete or Del key.
Enter	Enter key.
Prt Scrn	Print screen key.
Scroll Lock	Scroll Lock key.
Pause	Pause key.
Break	Break key.
Insert	Insert key.
Home	Home key.
Page up	Page up or pg up key.
Page down	Page down or pg dn key.
End	End key.
Num Lock	Num 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/Japenese Yuan.
§	Micro or section.
%	Percent.
°	Degree.
^	Caret or circumflex.
&	Ampersand, epershand, or and symbol.
*	Asterisk, mathematical multiplication symbol, and sometimes referred to as 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. About Keyboard