The Greek layout
Greek keyboards are printed with both alphabets, and the picture draws them the same way: the Greek letter at the left of each key, the Latin letter small at the top right. Most Greek letters sit on the Latin letter with the same sound or look: Α on A, Β on B, Δ on D, Φ on F, Γ on G. The exceptions are the ones to learn: Θ on U, Ξ on J, Ψ on C, Ω on V, Χ on X, Η on H.
Two keys behave differently. Q types ; and :, where ; is the Greek question mark. W types ς, the final sigma. The key right of L is the accent key: a dead key for the tonos (΄), and with Shift the diaeresis (¨). The table under this text lists every key that differs from US, including AltGr symbols such as € on E, © on C and « » on the bracket keys.
Switching to Greek
- Windows: Settings, Time & language, Language & region, Add a language, Ελληνικά. Switch with Win+Space or left Alt+Shift.
- macOS: System Settings, Keyboard, Text Input, Edit, +, Greek.
- Linux (GNOME): Settings, Keyboard, Input Sources, +, Greek.
Testing it
Press every key; each lights up under its Greek and Latin legends, the accent key too. If Greek letters come out as Latin ones, the computer is on English; in Chrome and Edge the line under the picture says so too.
The Greek keys at a glance
These keys differ from a US keyboard. The browser code is the name the key sends in the event log, taken from the US key in the same place. AltGr is the right Alt key; on Windows, Ctrl+Alt does the same. Keys marked "dead" type nothing on their own: press one, then a letter, for an accented letter (or Space for the mark itself).
| Key | Shift | AltGr | Browser code | US keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | @ | ² | Digit2 | 2 |
| 3 | # | ³ | Digit3 | 3 |
| 4 | $ | £ | Digit4 | 4 |
| 5 | % | § | Digit5 | 5 |
| 6 | ^ | ¶ | Digit6 | 6 |
| 8 | * | ¤ | Digit8 | 8 |
| 9 | ( | ¦ | Digit9 | 9 |
| 0 | ) | ° | Digit0 | 0 |
| - | _ | ± | Minus | - |
| = | + | ½ | Equal | = |
| ; | : | KeyQ | Q | |
| ς | ΅ dead | KeyW | W | |
| Ε | € | KeyE | E | |
| Ρ | ® | KeyR | R | |
| Τ | KeyT | T | ||
| Υ | ¥ | KeyY | Y | |
| Θ | KeyU | U | ||
| Ι | KeyI | I | ||
| Ο | KeyO | O | ||
| Π | KeyP | P | ||
| [ | { | « | BracketLeft | [ |
| ] | } | » | BracketRight | ] |
| Α | KeyA | A | ||
| Σ | KeyS | S | ||
| Δ | KeyD | D | ||
| Φ | KeyF | F | ||
| Γ | KeyG | G | ||
| Η | KeyH | H | ||
| Ξ | KeyJ | J | ||
| Κ | KeyK | K | ||
| Λ | KeyL | L | ||
| ΄ dead | ¨ dead | ΅ dead | Semicolon | ; |
| \ | | | ¬ | Backslash | \ |
| < | > | IntlBackslash | none (ISO only) | |
| Ζ | KeyZ | Z | ||
| Χ | KeyX | X | ||
| Ψ | © | KeyC | C | |
| Ω | KeyV | V | ||
| Β | KeyB | B | ||
| Ν | KeyN | N | ||
| Μ | KeyM | M |