How to use the keyboard of a computer

The keyboard is the basic communication device between the user and the computer and is an indispensable device, without it, the computer will report an error and may not work. Knowing how to use the keyboard will help you operate faster when using the computer. 

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 1 How to use the keyboard of a computer

Keys on the keyboard of a computer

Computer keyboards all have the same common and number keys and are located in the same position. Keyboards on laptops will be shortened to fit its size. 

1. The standard desktop keyboard has 101 keys. Includes separate function keys and number keys.
2. The Windows desktop keyboard has 104 keys. Includes separate function keys and number keys.
3. The Apple desktop keyboard has 109 keys. Includes separate function keys and number keys.
4. Windows laptop keyboard has 86 keys. There is no separate number pad.
5. The Apple laptop keyboard has 78 keys. There is no separate number pad.

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 2 Windows desktop keyboard keys

How to use the Windows desktop keyboard

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Use the basic keys on the keyboard

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 3 Use the basic keys on the keyboard

1. How to type lowercase: Press the keys with the word word  A- Zdenoted on the key.
2. How to type capital letters: Press and hold the key, Shiftthen tap the keys with the word  A- Zdenoted on the key.
3. How to type special characters: Press the keys with the characters indicated on the keys.
4. Numeric keystrokes: Press the keys with the word number  1- 0indicated on the key.
5. How to type keys with 2 characters: Press and hold the key Shiftthen press the key with 2 characters on the key.

See how to use the key Shiftbelow.

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Using function keys

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 4 Using function keys

Function keys are denoted from key F1to F12  used to perform a specific job and are specified according to different programs. 

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Use special keys

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 5 Use special keys

1. Key Esc - Escape - Press this key when you want to cancel - Cancel an in progress or exit an active application.
2. Key Tab- Press this key when you want to move the text cursor - Text Cursor to the right by a wide distance, push the text to the right by a large distance, move the text cursor to another column or Tab.
3. Key Caps Lock - Press this key when you want to Enable the Caps Lock mode, the Caps Lock light will be on. Press again to Turn off the uppercase mode and switch to lowercase, the Caps Lock light will turn off. The Caps Lock key is often used when typing all-caps text.
4. Key Enter- Press this key to give the command to agree to execute a command or run a currently selected program. In the text editor, press the key Enterwhen you want to enter a new line. 
5. Key Space Bar- Press this key when you want to create a space between characters. In some cases, the key Space Baris also used to mark checkboxes. Note that each space generated from the key Space Baris also treated as a character, called a space or space character.
6. Key  Backspace- Press this button when you want to move the text quote to the left one character and delete the character at that position, if any. The key  Backspace also has the function to help switch between Tabs or windows of the application - Windows. 
7. Shift AltThe - Alternate and - Control keys Ctrl are special key combination keys, they only work when pressed together with one or more other keys. Each application program will have its own rules for these keys.
   1. Press and hold the key Shift and then press an additional character key to type in CAPTCHAs without enabling Caps lock . Usually used when typing capital letters at the beginning of sentences.
   2. Press and hold the key Shift then press an additional 2-character key to type the character above.
8. Key Windows - Press this key to open the Start menu - Start Menu of Windows and is pressed in conjunction with other keys to perform a certain function specified by the Windows operating system.
9. Key Menu- Press this key when you want to display a menu in the application window. The key Menuhas the same function as the right mouse button.

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Using the display control keys

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 6 Using the display control keys

1. Key Print Screen SysRq- Press this key when you want to take a picture of what is displayed on the computer screen and save the image to the clipboard - Clipboard. Then you can paste - Paste this image into any application that supports image processing like Word or graphics processors like Paint, Photoshop,.

In graphics processing applications, select New in the File menu and use the Paste command in the Edit menu or use the Ctrl+  key combination Vto paste the captured image into the application's window to process it as an ordinary image.

1. Key Scroll Lock- Press this key when you want to Enable or Disable text scrolling or stop scrolling the screen of a certain program. However, many application programs now no longer obey this key command. It is considered a "remnant" of the old IBM PC keyboards. The Scroll Lock light shows the On/Off status of this button. The key Scroll Lock is no longer found on today's keyboards.
2. Key Pause Break- Press this key when you want to pause an active activity, an active application, or the currently displayed screen.

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Use the insert - delete - move the cursor and scroll the page . keys

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 7 Use the insert - delete - move the cursor and scroll the page . keys

1. Key Insert - Press this key to Enable or Disable overwrite - Overwrite in word processors.
2. DeleteOr key Del- Press this key when you want to delete the currently selected object including files, folders, icons, etc. In a text editor, press the key when you want to delete a character to the right of the apostrophe Delete. .
3. Key Home- Press this key when you want to move the text cursor - Text Cursor to the beginning of the line in word processing programs.
4. Key End - Press this key when you want to move the text cursor - Text Cursor to the end of a line in word processing programs.
5. Key Page Up- Press this key when you want to scroll the screen forward one page if there are more than one page in an application program window.
6. Key Page Down- Press this key when you want to scroll the screen down one page later if there are more than one page in an application program window.

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Use arrow keys

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 8 Use arrow keys

Click the arrow keys when you want to move the text cursor - Text Cursor in word processing programs, moving objects in graphics processing programs, motion control in games,. .

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Using the numeric keypad

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 9 Using the numeric keypad

1. Key Num Lock - Press this key when you want to turn on the number keys here, the Num Lock light will light up. Press the key Num Lockagain to turn off the numbering function, the Num Lock light will turn off. When numbering is turned off, the number keys will have the same function as the keys in numbers 5 and 6 .
2. Numeric keys and common calculations function like a calculator. The key /is the division sign, the key *is the multiplication sign, the key Enteris the equal sign, giving the result.

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Indicator lights on the keyboard

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 10 Indicator lights on the keyboard

The indicator lights on the keyboard corresponding to the On or Off states of the corresponding keys are Num Lock Caps Lock Scroll Lock

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Use floating dots on the key

1. The floating dot on the key Fis the position of the left index finger and the floating dot  Jis the position of the right index finger, they help you quickly locate the position of other keys when using the keyboard with 10 fingers without need to look at the keyboard. 
2. The floating dot located on the number pad 5next to the number pad cluster is the position of the middle finger of the right hand to help you locate other keys without looking at the keyboard when manipulating.

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Using function keys that support MultiMedia and Internet

How to use the keyboard of a computer Picture 11 Using function keys that support Multimedia and Internet

1. For keyboards with keys that support MultiMedia and Internet, these keys are used as commands in MultiMedia application programs such as watching movies, listening to music, . and keys to quickly open Internet applications. such as Web browser, Email, .
2. If the keyboard has additional USB, Audio - Audio ports, the plugs of these ports must be plugged into the corresponding ports on the computer.
3. In addition, some keyboards have special keys that need to be installed with a driver program - the included driver can work.

See more articles: Commonly used keyboard shortcuts when using computers

Jessica Tanner

Update 08 May 2023