The primary drawback is that the situation of the particular characters might rely upon the place you might be based mostly on the planet: keyboard format differs by nation, with sure characters getting extra prominence on the keyboards of the individuals who use them extra. You’ll discover QWERTY keyboards for English audio system, whereas French audio system get a AZERTY keyboard, and Germans get QWERTZ, for instance. Keyboards have fully completely different key layouts relying on the nation, so we’ve included the situation of those particular keys for a wide range of keyboards.
Even U.S. and U.Ok. keyboards have various stunning variations when it comes to key placement. Australians have a tendency to make use of the American keyboard format.
One other supply of confusion is the truth that some Mac keyboards label the Alt key Choice whereas others name the Choice key Alt (relying in your viewpoint). On a Mac keyboard the important thing has an emblem that appears like this: ⌥
Which means some guides you’ll learn will speak about an Choice or Alt key you’ll be able to’t see in your Mac. The secret is one and the identical. See: The place is the Choice key.
And if you’re utilizing a PC keyboard together with your Mac the Alt key will do the job of the Choice key, whereas the Home windows key will do the job of Command, and you’ll little doubt be very confused.
The way to kind °$€@®©# £€¢™ and Æ
That’s not a hid swear phrase! These are all symbols that you could be end up needing to kind repeatedly, and but they’re hidden from view in your Mac keyboard. Don’t fear although, we’ll let you realize what you must do to kind them.
Earlier than we start, this can be a helpful overview of the hidden characters you can kind utilizing Alt. The primary instance is the U.S. keyboard, the second is a U.Ok. keyboard. If you wish to see an outline of a distinct keyboard in your display screen we’ll embody the steps to see it beneath.
The ‘hidden’ keys on a U.S. Apple keyboard.
Foundry
The ‘hidden’ keys on a U.Ok. Apple keyboard
Foundry
The way to kind Euro image on a Mac keyboard – €
On a U.S. keyboard to kind euro you must press: Alt/Choice-Shift-2 = €
On a U.Ok. keyboard to kind euro it is best to press: Alt/Choice-2 = €
European keyboards give extra prominence to the Euro signal, however the location of the euro key, and the mix of keys required, relies on the nation.
On French Apple Magic Keyboards you’ll discover the Euro signal (and greenback signal) subsequent to the return key.
On German, Italian, Swiss and Spanish keyboards the euro signal is typed by urgent choice/alt and the E key.
Portuguese keyboards have the Euro signal on the quantity 3: press choice/Alt and that key.
For Norwegians and the Danish the euro is typed by urgent choice/Alt and the quantity 4.
And Dutch keyboards have the euro on the quantity 2.
The way to kind the pound signal on a Mac keyboard
Not solely is typing a pound signal tough as a result of the situation of the important thing will differ relying on the keyboard, but in addition the phrase itself has a distinct which means relying on the place you might be.
For U.Ok. residents the phrase pound represents the forex: £. Nonetheless, some nations name the hashtag or hash key a pound.
In case you are within the U.Ok. the hashtag signal shares the three key with the pound signal (£) however on different nation’s keyboards the U.Ok. £ signal is discovered elsewhere (we’ll get to that subsequent).
The way to kind a # (hash)
On a U.S. keyboard to kind # you want solely press Shift-3 = #
On a U.Ok. keyboard to kind # it is best to press Alt/Choice-3 = #
The hash signal on French keyboards is discovered to the left of the number one.
German keyboards have the hash key beside the return key.
Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese keyboards have the hash key on quantity 3.
Italian keyboards have the hash key (cancelletto) simply above the decrease proper shift key.
The way to kind a £ (pound signal)
We’ll point out the UK Pound signal right here for everybody who’s utilizing a non-U.Ok. keyboard as its location on a U.Ok. keyboard isn’t any thriller (okay – if you’re nonetheless wanting it’s on the three key).
On a U.S. keyboard you must kind £ you must press Alt/Choice-3 = £
The £ key might not even be illustrated on the U.S. keyboard!
On French and Swiss keyboards, the £ is discovered above the right-hand shift key, beside the enter/return key.
Italian keyboards have the £ on the quantity 3, like U.Ok. keyboards.
The way to kind ‘at’ – @
On a U.S. or U.Ok. keyboard you’ll discover the @ key on the two key. It is advisable press Shift-2 = @.
Spanish and Swedish keyboards even have the @ on the two.
On Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swiss keyboards the @ secret is subsequent to the return key, above the right-hand shift key.
French keyboards have the @ signal to the left of 1.
German keyboards have the @ key on L.
Italian keyboards even have the @ subsequent to the L.
The place is the ” key?
On a U.S. or U.Ok. keyboard you’ll discover the “ key will likely be down on the proper the place the ‘ secret is situated.
On German, Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, Swedish and Italian keyboards the ” secret is on the two.
French keyboards have the ” on 3.
© ® and ™
If you wish to kind the Registered Trademark image much less Choice/Alt and R:
As for the ™ the way you kind relies on the keyboard:
On a U.S. keyboard to kind ™ you must press: Alt/Choice-2 = ™
On a U.Ok. keyboard to kind ™ it is best to press: Shift-Alt/Choice-2 = ™
Need to kind the Pi (π) image? Now we have a tutorial that explains how to do this right here: The way to kind the Pi (π) image on a Mac or iPhone.
Æ
This one was popularised by Elon Musk and Grimes once they named their youngster Æ A-12 Musk.
If you wish to kind Æ simply press and maintain the A key. You’ll see a spread of choices seem in a field – simply choose the one you need or press 5.
Levels
If it’s getting sizzling the place you might be you may need to inform somebody. During which case a level signal could possibly be helpful. Right here’s the right way to kind a °
Shift-Alt/Choice–8 = °
You may marvel what circumstances would trigger you to want to kind an Apple emblem, however with Apple naming a number of merchandise with the Apple image if could be that you must kind TV or Watch. In the event you do, the important thing mixture is as follows:
Learn:
The way to kind on an iPhone.
A test mark or tick
This can be a helpful one – the V virtually appears to be like like a tick or test mark, add an Choice/Alt and that’s what you get.
Different keys
There are a number of keys which might be hidden in plain sight. We’ll point out them right here simply in case you might be struggling to search out them:
~ (aka the Tilde signal) – It’s on the left by the Shift key/ – on the proper by the Shift key– on the proper above the Shift key| – press shift and (beside enter/return)
Typing accents on a Mac keyboard
In case you are making an attempt to kind accents on an English keyboard if generally is a bit daunting – if you’re utilizing a keyboard that’s designed for that language will probably be significantly simpler to kind accents, for apparent causes. To kind an accented letter all you must do is press and maintain the related key. While you accomplish that a menu will seem with the assorted accented characters to select from.
For instance, if you happen to press and maintain the E key then you’ll ultimately see this menu pop up. You’ll be able to select the model together with your pointer, or by urgent the corresponding quantity.
You’ll discover accents related to the next keys: e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, n.
Typing emoji on a Mac
You may assume that emoji are restricted to iPhones and iPads, however they aren’t. It’s attainable to entry emoji in your Mac. If you find yourself utilizing a phrase processor or comparable program you’ll be able to press Management-Command-Area to carry up the Emoji pallet.
Learn our information to utilizing Emoji on the Mac right here.
Typing different characters on a Mac
It’s possible you’ll recall the Character Viewer – a instrument which you might increase to search out numerous characters to be added to textual content paperwork. It predated Emoji and since Emoji arrived it appears to have been hidden away, however it’s nonetheless there.
As above, press Management-Command-Area to carry up the Emoji pallet then click on on the icon within the prime proper of the Emoji field to carry up the Character Viewer. Right here you’ll discover greater than Emoji: there are additionally Arrows, different forex symbols, Maths Symbols, and extra.
That is the place you’ll discover forex symbols akin to ¥ ¢ ₽ ₩ ₱ ₹ ﷼
Maths symbols akin to xxx ∄ ℇ ℏ ≥ ≯ ∑ √ ∱≉
There are additionally some pictographs that predate emoji together with all of those
The way to see the Keyboard overview in your display screen
To see the keyboard overview for any language observe these steps:
When you’ve got an emblem indicating US/UK or one other language within the menu on the prime of your display screen (subsequent to the highlight icon) click on on that.
You will notice choices to Present Emoji & Symbols and Present Keyboard Viewer. Click on on Present Keyboard Viewer.
You’ll be able to click on on the Choice key (the ⌥ key subsequent to the Command key) on that overlaid keyboard to see what characters will seem if you press that along with one other key.
In the event you press the shift and choice keys you’ll different choices obtainable to you.
In the event you don’t see the image in your menu go to System Setting > Keyboards and ensure Present Enter menu in menu bar is chosen.
A bonus is the truth that if you kind with this keyboard viewer on view you will note numerous steered autocomplete phrases that you simply may need to use.
If you end up utilizing completely different characters typically you may wish to attempt an app like PopChar X from Ergonis. The app makes it very easy to entry the assorted characters which might be obtainable within the completely different fonts in your Mac. You should purchase it right here for $29.99/£30.85.
Questioning the right way to copy and paste on a Mac? You might also discover our iPhone keyboard typing suggestions helpful.
