UK Keyboard Tester: Check Every Key on a UK Layout

What’s different on a UK keyboard

UK keyboards use the ISO shape: a tall, two-row Enter key, a short left Shift, and one extra key. Compared with a US keyboard:

• Shift+2 gives " and Shift+3 gives £, while @ moves to Shift with the ' key.
• The # ~ key sits in the corner next to Enter, where US keyboards have the backslash.
• The extra \ | key sits between left Shift and Z.
• The key left of 1 carries ` ¬ ¦, and AltGr+4 types €.

In the event log the # key shows up as Backslash and the \ key as IntlBackslash, the names of the US keys in those places, so nothing is wrong when you see them.

Symbols in the wrong place?

If @ and " are swapped, or the # key types a backslash, the keyboard works and the computer is set to a US layout. Type Shift+2 in any text box: " means UK, @ means US.

• Windows 11: Settings, Time & language, Language & region, then the ⋯ menu next to your language, Language options, Keyboards, Add a keyboard and pick United Kingdom. Windows key + Space switches between installed layouts; remove the US one in the same place if you keep switching by accident.
• Mac: System Settings, Keyboard, Text Input, Edit, then add British.

Testing tips for UK boards

• Press the \ | key next to left Shift on purpose. US keyboards don’t have it, so a tester drawn for one has no place for it. It’s also the first key to check after fitting a replacement laptop keyboard or keycap set: a US-layout part has no key there.
• The # ~ key sends the same code as the US backslash key, so it counts everywhere; here it also carries its real legend.
• AltGr with a, e, i, o or u types á, é, í, ó or ú on the standard UK layout.
• If ` types nothing until you press another key, Windows is using United Kingdom Extended. That layout keeps the same keys but turns ` into a dead key for grave accents (` then a gives à) and adds more accents on AltGr. The key itself is fine.

The UK 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. Letter keys type capitals with Shift. AltGr is the right Alt key; on Windows, Ctrl+Alt does the same.