Most of us use a keyboard every day, whether a physical keyboard on a computer or laptop or a virtual keyboard on a smartphone or tablet. It's become so ubiquitous that we rarely think about it.
The first thing you probably noticed when using a keyboard is that the letters aren't in alphabetical or seemingly any apparent order. However, the layout of a keyboard is by design, and the position of the keys is related to the language in which the keyboard is used to type.
After all, keyboards began as typewriters, and it was important to keep commonly occurring letters apart from one another, as this could lead to jams when typing quickly.
In a beginner's IT course, you might learn about the various layouts for keyboards or even some essential keyboard shortcuts.
Different Keyboard Layouts around the World
There are different keyboard layouts worldwide, and the one commonly used in English-speaking countries, including New Zealand, is the QWERTY layout. This layout gets its name from the top row of keys, with the first six keys on the top rowing being QWERTY. For most keyboard layouts, they take their name from these six keys:
- AZERTY: The AZERTY layout is commonly used in French-speaking countries. In addition to the layout of the letters being different, this layout also uses the number row for accented characters by default. Users will have to hold shift to access the numbers.
- QWERTZ: The QWERTZ keyboard layout is slightly altered from the QWERTY layout and features characters like Ä, Ö, ß. If you know a lot about languages, you can probably guess that this layout is standard in German-speaking countries such as Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.
- QÜERTY: The QÜERTY layout is particularly interesting because it doesn't have the letter W on it. It's typically used in places like Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
- ÄWERTY: The main difference with the ÄWERTY is that it doesn't feature C, Q, V, or X. This is commonly used in countries like Turkmenistan and across central Asia.
These layouts are based on or similar to the QWERTY layout and have been adapted to better suit the locales and languages they are used in. Typically, they move commonly occurring characters away from one another, add accented and special characters common to the language, and remove characters that are never used or needed.
A Brief History of the QWERTY Keyboard Layout
The history of the QWERTY keyboard layout is more than just keeping certain letters apart. Christopher Latham Sholes invented it in 1873.
The American inventor became interested in optimising the layout of the keys and where each key would go when he noticed that typing on a typewriter with an alphabetical layout was incredibly complicated.
Jams were common, so keeping certain commonly occurring letters and characters became essential.
His solution, the QWERTY layout, keeps commonly occurring letter combinations apart, which leads to fewer jams on a typewriter. While not necessary on modern devices like computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones, the layout was so ubiquitous in the English-speaking world that it was an obvious choice for keyboards.
How to Recognise a QWERTY Keyboard Layout
It's easy to see if your keyboard layout is QWERTY, especially on a physical keyboard. Just look to the top left letter key. If it starts with Q, you're off to a good start.
The rest should read QWERTY.
However, you should know that there are multiple QWERTY layouts, and the standard layout used for the English language can still vary according to the country you're in. For example, the standard QWERTY keyboard layout for the US differs from the standard QWERTY keyboard layout for the UK.
The standard QWERTY layout from the US is used in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and many other English-speaking nations.
Why Your Keyboard Layout is Important
While your keyboard layout won't matter if all 26 letters used in English are there, keyboards and their layouts become particularly important if you have to type a symbol or special character when using a computer.
The UK QWERTY keyboard layout is slightly different because it includes the £ symbol for the British currency and some other changes. American keyboard layouts and other English speakers worldwide won't need this symbol as often.
Knowing where each key is can save you a lot of time, and you'll notice this very quickly as soon as you have to type on a new keyboard, even if it has the same layout. Typing is a skill that develops fine muscle memory, and even the smallest changes to the size and feel of the keys can feel weird until you get used to a new keyboard.
It all becomes even worse if you can't find the correct letters. Typing on a French AZERTY keyboard, for example, can be a nightmare for those used to the QWERTY layout as you need to press shift to get some of the most commonly used characters in English.
How to Switch Your Keyboard Layout on Windows
In Microsoft Windows, you'll set up your keyboard layout the first time you use your computer. These settings typically include the language your computer is in and the keyboard layout you'll use.
These settings can be changed independently, and you can set Windows to another language, like Maori while retaining the English-language keyboard layout. Maori speakers in New Zealand can use the standard New Zealand Maori keyboard layout. The Maori layout is almost exactly the same except for the macron button.
You can change keyboard layouts and settings the following way (different versions of Windows may differ slightly):
- Go to the “Start” or the Windows button
- Click on “Settings” / “Control Panel” / “Settings Icon”
- Select “Time & Language”
- Choose “Region & Language” / “Language”
- Click on “English” or “Keyboard”
You can add and choose keyboard settings and even set multiple keyboard configurations that you can switch between whenever you like.
How to Switch Your Keyboard Layout on MAC
If you're using a MAC, changing the keyboard layout is just as easy:
- Click on the Apple icon. Located in the top left of the screen
- Scroll to and click system preferences in the menu list
- When the box opens, go to the keyboard option
- You will now see 4 options: keyboard, text, shortcuts and input sources
- Go to Input sources
- Click the + button and add the keyboard layout that you want.
- QWERTY will be the keyboard for the UK.
- Close the box, and your Keyboard layout should have been appropriately updated
How to Switch Your Keyboard Layout on a Smartphone
While older phones use the number keys to type letters, most modern smartphones use a virtual keyboard that replicates the layout of physical keyboards on computers and laptops.
How you change your phone's keyboard layout, much like with computers, depends on whether you're using an Apple device or not.
Changing Your Keyboard Layout on iPhones and iPads
You can very quickly change your keyboard layout on your iPhone or iPad to a QWERTY layout if, for any reason, it gets changed:
- Go to your settings app. (Black and grey bike wheel icon)
- Go to the general tab
- Go to the 'keyboard' section
- Tap the keyboard menu item
- You will see the list of installed Keyboards on your device.
- Click your current settings, which show as a language. In this case, it should be English.
- Click on the language to open up your keyboard options.
- You will now see some keyboard layouts
- Select QWERTY
- Exit and your keyboard will be updated
Changing Your Keyboard Layout on Android
There may be slight differences in changing your keyboard layout if you're using an Android device, as there are different versions and operating systems. Typically, to change your keyboard layout, the process looks something like this:
- Go to the settings area (gear icon)
- Scroll down to the systems area (circle icon with an 'i' inside)
- Go to the Languages and Input area. (The icon is a circle with horizontal and vertical lines going through it. )
- Now, the second entry is keyboards; click virtual keyboard
- You will see the active keyboards
- You can click one of the options, and you will be able to select QWERTY from there
- You can also click the + symbol and activate a new keyboard
Just like learning to use a PC, your devices must be configured correctly to make things easier. Your keyboard settings is just one example of this and the more you know about your PC and how to use it, the more effectively you'll be able to work with it.
Of course, you can always get help from a private tutor to learn more about computers if you need more help.
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