UK Keyboard Tester
Press any key to check that it works on your UK keyboard. Test the special characters UK layout users rely on, free and right in your browser.
- Free
- No download
- Windows and Mac
- Private
- Code
- –
- Location
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- keyCode
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- Held
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0 of 104 keys tested
Keys you press turn red, and stay tinted once they've been tested. A few keys, such as Fn and some media keys, are handled by the keyboard or your operating system and can't be seen by any website.On a phone or tablet, connect a keyboard first. Tapping the keys on screen doesn't test anything.Using only a keyboard? Press Esc twice to leave the tester.
How to test your UK keyboard
It takes about a minute. Use your physical keyboard: clicking the keys on screen doesn't test anything.
Press every key
Click the keyboard above, then press each key on your UK keyboard. Working keys light up and stay tinted, and the counter shows your progress.
Check the special keys
Press £, ¬, #, @ and the extra key next to the left Shift. Try Shift and Alt Gr combinations as well, since many characters need them.
Match your keyboard
Choose Windows or Mac, and ISO if your keyboard has an extra key next to the left Shift, so the keyboard on screen matches yours.
About the UK keyboard
The UK keyboard is an ISO layout. It has a taller Enter key, an extra key next to the left Shift, and a # key above Enter. The £ symbol is on Shift + 3 and the @ symbol is on Shift + the apostrophe key.
The tester follows the physical key you press, so it shows whether the key itself works. The character that appears in a document depends on the layout selected in Windows or macOS. If the right key lights up but the wrong character appears, change your language setting. Our guide to the keyboard layout explains the standard rows and special keys.
UK and US keyboards side by side
The letters are the same on UK and US keyboards, so it’s easy to miss that they are different layouts. These keys don’t match:
| Key | UK keyboard | US keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Shift + 2 | “ | @ |
| Shift + 3 | £ | # |
| Shift + ’ (next to ;) | @ | “ |
| Key next to Enter | # and ~ | (no such key) |
| Key next to the left Shift | \ and | | (no such key) |
| Top-left key | `, ¬ and ¦ | ` and ~ |
| Enter | Tall, two rows | Wide, one row |
The UK keyboard is an ISO keyboard: it has one more key than a US (ANSI) keyboard, with the extra keys beside Enter and the left Shift. Ireland uses a very similar layout.
Symbols and accents
- € is Alt Gr + 4 (the right Alt key).
- ¦ (broken bar) is Alt Gr + `.
- á, é, í, ó, ú are Alt Gr + the vowel on the standard Windows UK layout.
For other accents, Windows also has a United Kingdom Extended layout. It adds dead keys for grave accents, circumflexes and umlauts, and it can type the Welsh letters ŵ and ŷ. It keeps every other key where the standard UK layout has it, so you can switch to it without relearning anything.
Mac keyboards in the UK
Apple’s British keyboards aren’t the same as PC UK keyboards. On a Mac:
- Shift + 2 types @, as on a US keyboard, and Shift + ’ types “.
- # is Option + 3, because Shift + 3 is £.
- € is Option + 2.
- The top-left key types § and ±, and ` and ~ move next to the left Shift.
If you use a PC keyboard with a Mac, choose the British – PC input source in System Settings, Keyboard, Input Sources. It matches the symbols printed on PC keycaps.
Common UK keyboard problems
@ and “ are swapped, and Shift + 3 types # instead of £. This is the most common UK keyboard problem. Windows is using the US layout. Many computers add “English (United States)” during setup even when you choose the UK. Press the Windows key + Space and pick English (United Kingdom). Then open Settings, Time & language, Language & region, and remove the US keyboard so it can’t come back.
Your password fails at sign-in but works elsewhere. The sign-in screen can use a different layout from your desktop. If your password contains @, “, # or £, check the layout shown at the bottom right of the sign-in screen before typing it.
The \ key next to the left Shift does nothing. That key only exists on ISO keyboards, and it’s small and easy to damage. If it stays dark in the tester, the key itself isn’t registering. If it lights up, the problem is in the app you’re typing in.
The # key types something else. On UK keyboards # has its own key next to Enter. On a US layout that key types \ instead, which is another sign that the layout is set to US.
What to press in the tester
The on-screen keyboard above uses UK labels and the ISO shape, including the tall Enter key. Press the # key next to Enter and the \ key next to the left Shift first, since US keyboards have neither. Then press Shift + 2, Shift + 3 and Shift + ’ and check the characters in the typed text box. The tester matches keys by position, so a key that lights up works even if Windows uses the wrong layout.
Add the UK keyboard to Windows or Mac
Install the layout once, then switch to it whenever you type in UK.
On Windows
- Open Settings and go to Time & language, then Language & region.
- Click Add a language and install English (United Kingdom).
- Make sure the United Kingdom keyboard is listed under its options.
- Switch between layouts with the Windows key + Space.
On a Mac
- Open System Settings and click Keyboard.
- Click Edit next to Input Sources.
- Press the plus button, choose English, then British, and click Add.
- Switch layouts from the menu bar or with Control + Space.
Fix common UK keyboard problems
Most problems come from a wrong layout setting or a stuck key, and both are quick to fix.
Wrong characters appear
The wrong layout is active. Switch with the Windows key + Space, or Control + Space on a Mac, and remove layouts you don't use. Learn how keyboard layouts work.
A key does nothing
If it stays dark in the tester, clean around it and try our fixes for stuck keys. A full keyboard reset fixes many software problems.
Everything types in capitals
Your Caps Lock key may be stuck on. Tap it once, then check it in the tester above.
The keyboard keeps disconnecting
Replace the batteries, move closer to the computer and pair your wireless keyboard again.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my UK keyboard online?
Click the keyboard tester at the top of this page and press every key. Each working key lights up and stays tinted. Pay special attention to £, ¬, #, @ and the extra key next to the left Shift.
Why does my UK keyboard type the wrong characters?
Your computer is using a different layout from the one printed on your keys. If the tester lights up the key you pressed, the keyboard itself is fine. Add the UK layout in Windows or macOS and switch to it.
How do I switch to the UK layout?
On Windows, press the Windows key + Space to move through your layouts. On a Mac, press Control + Space or pick the layout from the input menu in the menu bar.
Is this UK keyboard tester free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no download and runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
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