The usual keyboard can be conditionally divided into several areas.

The topmost area of ​​the keyboard contains keys that are not used to enter data into the computer. These keys perform auxiliary actions, which are shown in the table below.

Esc key - this key is used to cancel an action, exit programs, games, exit applications, etc.

Esc Key Functions .

Its main function is to cancel the team that was ahead. If you right-click to open a menu on the desktop or on the taskbar and then press the Esc key, the menu will immediately close. If you start playing a game and accidentally press the Esc key, you will almost always exit that game. But by pressing this key again, you will return to your game again.

When you are on the Internet, you enter the next site address, and then accidentally press the Esc key, you will immediately return to the previous site address that you have already considered.

In the top row of the keyboard are function keys (limited by a red rectangle in the picture).

Function keys FI - F12 designed to perform certain actions assigned to them. Actions depend on programs running in this moment on a computer, but usually the F1 key are used to call the help system of the currently running program. If a program is running, help about that program appears.

F2 Booting the computer while pressing this key, or the “Del” key, makes it possible to configure the Bios of your computer.

"F3" Calls up a search box.

"F5" Reloads an open browser page.

F8 Booting the computer while pressing this button makes it possible to work in safe mode operating system.

The actions of the remaining function keys with the F symbol are mostly possible in combination with modifier keys and may vary depending on the make and model of the computer. If the actions of any key on the keyboard of your computer differ from those described here, then you can find out about its purpose in the user manual.

Pause/Break . When the computer is booting, it allows you to put the computer "on pause" - to suspend the boot process.

Functions of the Pause/Break key. While doing Windows boot, at first you see information appearing on the monitor about your computer, about the hard disk, about the status random access memory, about all the components. The information displayed on the monitor appears and disappears quite quickly and it is extremely difficult to comprehend it. Here, to get the opportunity to deal with it, you just need to press the "PAUSE" button. And to complete the process of loading the operating system, you must press any button on the keyboard. Sometimes used by some programs.

Print Screen/SysRq key.

Pressing this key allows you to take a screenshot of your monitor. When this key is pressed, and it is in the picture in the red frame, at the moment it is pressed, the image that is currently on the monitor is saved in the computer's memory. Next, we take the saved image from computer memory using a conventional graphic editor, you can graphic editor"Paint" which is already embedded in operational system Windows. If you use the "Alt+PrintScreen" key set, then you take a photo of only the active window, but those of the entire screen. In the picture, the Alt keys are framed in blue.

Key switches the mode of displaying information on the display screen, in which pressing the cursor keys moves the screen itself, and not the cursor. When you press this button, the indicator light will immediately turn on. By using this key to control the cursor, you can move the screen image. This feature is used in Microsoft Excel, Lotus Notes. This is especially evident in Excel program. It can be used to scroll through text, although it is more convenient to do this with the mouse wheel. Other programs use ScrollLock for special functions, such as in Opera browser the key is used in combination with numbers to switch voice signals. Currently, this key is practically not used, so there are keyboards where it is not.

Shift key. Simultaneously pressing this key and a character key allows you to temporarily switch to the uppercase (capital) letter input mode, or enter another character located on the same key. There are two such keys on the keyboard - left and right, and in some programs their action is different. For example, to enter a capital letter "And" you need to press the Shift key and without releasing it, press the AND key.

Tab key It is indicated by an icon in the form of two opposite arrows and pressing it indents from the beginning of the line - a paragraph. Allows tabulation - horizontal alignment of characters. A tab character is equal to eight regular characters. Tabs are used when creating text documents. Designed to move the cursor:

1. when editing texts, it is used to move to the next tab stop, i.e. move the cursor several positions forward;
2. in dialog boxes, jumps to the next query field;
3. in a table, moves the cursor to the next cell.

In other programs, its purpose is to switch between windows on the screen.

Below it is CapsLock key. Pressing this key fixes the spelling of capital letters. When pressed again, capital letters are written again. This mode is indicated by the indicator light on the right upper corner keyboards. Pressing again cancels the mode. When CapsLock is on, pressing a key enters lowercase letters.

Num lock key turns on and off the numbers located on the right side of the keyboard. If the keyboard is enabled, you can use it to enter numbers and arithmetic.

When enabled, this mode is also displayed by an indicator in the upper right corner of the keyboard, signaling that the additional keyboard is in operation. Now, in addition to entering numbers from the main keyboard field, they can also be entered from the additional one. True, those characters that are printed on the keys of the additional keyboard simultaneously with numbers will not work.

In most cases, the described keyboard fields are enough for work, but for those who like to work with a compact numeric and control keyboard “a la calculator”, there is another additional key field - the rightmost one. This field is called that - an additional keyboard, in contrast to the main keyboard field.

When you press this block of keys with the designation of numbers, the numbers are printed, but with one condition - when the "NumLock" key is turned on. Numeric keys with the "NumLock" key turned off perform the functions of a different plan. The “End” key is duplicated by pressing the “1” key on the main keyboard and the “Home” key is duplicated by the “7” key also on the main keyboard.

The same keys move the cursor to the end and the beginning of the line. When you press the "3" and "9" keys, there is a duplication on the main keyboard with the "PageUp" and "PageDown" keys, respectively. The same keys move the cursor one screen up and down. When you press the "2", "4", "8", "6" keys, the cursor is controlled, which means that the operation of the arrow keys is dubbed.

Spacebar – this key creates an interval between letters.

The Space key is the largest key, located under the block of alphanumeric keys, used to enter an empty character, regardless of the case switch.

Space key function.

When using a key, words or characters are separated from each other. But this key has additional mode. In the replacement mode, which you can turn on with the "Insert" key, by pressing the "Space" key you turn on the same function as when you press the "Delete" key (this key deletes characters on the right).

Backspace key – pressing this key deletes the character to the left of the cursor.

Functions of the "BackSpace" or "Left Arrow" key.

When you press this key, we delete the selected one character on the left or the entire text. When using this key in the file manager, we move up one level. And when viewing photos, by pressing this key, we go back one photo.

By using the Alt+BackSpacr keys together, we undo the previous action.

Key performs data entry or action confirmation depending on the context:

When you use the numeric keypad, which is on the right, when doing work on a computer, it is much better to use the “Enter” key, which is on the same block.

Delete key is designed to delete any object, such as a folder, file, etc.:

1. in the text, a character is deleted to the right of the current cursor position (with a line shift to the left);
2. in folder windows, the selected file system objects are deleted to the Recycle Bin.

Also delete junk file can be done by pressing the keys together Shift+Delete. The Shift keys are marked with a green border. Just keep in mind that the file in this case will not be deleted through the recycle bin, and in this case it can no longer be restored.

The "Delete" key, indicated by a blue frame, located on the numeric keypad, along with the "." performs the same actions when the NumLock key is turned off.

It is possible to open the "Task Manager" by pressing the key combination "Ctrl + Alt + Del". These Ctrl and Alt keys are marked with beige frames.

Key , denoted by a red rectangle, is related to the insert mode:

1. in the text, switching between insertion and replacement modes of characters or inserting a fragment from the clipboard (depending on the settings Microsoft Word). If the "insert" mode is enabled, then when you type, between two words the right word will move to the right, and the text you enter will move the words apart and be printed between them. In this mode, the text seems to be inserted and moves the entire end of the phrase to the right.

But with the “replacement” mode, if you insert a word between two words, then the word located on the right is replaced by the word that you insert .;

1. in programs like Total Commander objects are selected.

If you press the Inset key, the text will be printed on top of what is printed, while erasing the latter. If you press this key again, this action will be terminated.

The blue-framed "Insert" key, which is located on the numeric keypad, together with the number "0" works only when the "NumLock" key is turned off.

We can make a copy of the text after it is selected if we apply the key combination "Ctrl + Insert". And when we use the Shift + Insert keys together, it becomes possible to insert text.

Keys PgUp, PgDn, End, Home designed to control the cursor.

Home key moves the cursor to the beginning of the line, and End key to the end of the line"), as well as either to the beginning of the list or the end of the list.

Keyboard shortcut + moves the cursor to the end of the entire document.

Keyboard shortcut + moves the cursor to the beginning of the entire document.

PgUp key moves the cursor to the top of the page, and PgDn key - to its end.

Functions of the "PageUp" and "PageDown" keys.

The use of these two keys is used in working with text editors, or when working with documents where the height of the information is much larger than the height of your screen and it becomes necessary to scroll in height. These keys are marked with a red rectangle.

And the “PageUp” and “PageDown” keys, which are indicated by a blue rectangle and are located on the numeric keypad, only when the “NumLock” key is turned off, scroll the screen down or up along with the numbers “3” and “9”. The state of the NumLock key is controlled by the indicator light (the indicator light is on when the key is in the on state).

Key used to expand the capabilities of the keyboard. Often used in combination with other keys to activate an action in a program.

Keys also, like Ctrl, is used in combination with other keys.

Functions with the "Ctrl" and "Alt" keys.

When you use these keys, you expand the capabilities of other keys. Using these keys in various variations, you perform various actions.

Ctrl+Alt+Del keys these keyboard shortcuts open the task manager.

Combination Ctrl+A keys selects all objects at once, such as folders, files, text, etc.

Combination Ctrl+X keys cuts the selected object to the clipboard, such as a test, files, folders, etc.

Keyboard shortcut ctrl+c copies any object to the clipboard, such as files, folders, etc.

Keyboard shortcut ctrl+v pastes the copied file or folder from the clipboard.

Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N allows you to create a new document in various programs.

Keyboard shortcut ctrl+z undoes the last action.

Using the keys ctrl+s the current document is saved.

Using the keys ctrl+p the document is printed.

Ctrl + Esc - Open the start menu. This can also be done by pressing the Windows key.

Using the keys Alt+Enter there is a transition full screen mode and vice versa, for example, if you press these keys in KMPlayer, WindowsMediaPlayer, MediaPlayerClassic, they will expand to full screen.

Alt keys and 0 to 9 keys located on the right side of the keyboard make it possible to enter arbitrary characters that are not on the keyboard. In order to enter arbitrary characters, you must press the Alt key and, without releasing it, press the desired number located on the right side of the keyboard.

Keyboard shortcut Alt+F4 closes the active application.

Keys Alt + Tab allow you to switch between open windows. A panel with all open applications appears in the center of the screen, and when you select the active window, you need to hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key several times.

Combination Alt + Space (space) opens system menu windows, with which you can restore, move, maximize, minimize and close the window without using the mouse.

Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift - switch keyboard layout.

Windows key usually found between the Ctrl and Alt keys. When pressed, the Start menu appears.

And by using the key for various options along with other keys, you speed up the launch of programs.

When pressing keys Win+E The My Computer explorer will open.

When pressing keys Win+D all active windows will be minimized.

Keyboard shortcut Win+L allows you to switch between users or block workstation. The Win+F1 key combination brings up the Help and Support Center.

When pressing keys Win+F a search window will open.

When pressing keys Win+Ctrl+F The Search for Computers window will open.

With help Win+D you can minimize all windows and show the desktop, and the keys Win+M Minimize all windows except dialog boxes.

Win+E opens the My Computer folder.

Win+F – Opens a window to search for a file or folder.

When pressing keys Win+PauseBreak The System Properties dialog box opens.

Key<Контекст> causes context menu the object that the mouse pointer is currently on.

When using the key, we call up the menu in the same way as when clicking on right button mice. This menu corresponds to the program that is enabled for your work. If you are on the "Desktop", then pressing this key, you open the menu corresponding to the active element of the Desktop.

Cursor keys (navigation) . Perform various actions related to moving the cursor:

1. in the text, move the cursor one position in the specified direction;
2. on the Desktop in the folder window, transfer the selection to another object;
3. in the menu, move the selection to the next command;
4. in tables move the cursor between cells.

These keys are also used in many games to control objects.

Also, these keys are used in many programs, for example, to move through the pages of a document or when viewing photos to move to the next image.

Hotkeys in the browser

To zoom in or out on a page, just hold down Ctrl key and spin the mouse wheel. Up - the scale will increase, down - accordingly, it will decrease. The same can be done by simply pressing + or - while pressing Ctrl. To restore the font size, use the keyboard shortcut ctrl + 0 .

And use Shift keys and the mouse wheel allows you to move through the history of the tabs: Shift - scrolling the wheel up - moving forward through the history, Shift - scrolling the wheel down - moving back through the history.

If you need to open a new page in a separate tab in the browser, you can hold down Ctrl key and click on the desired link. New page will open in a separate tab.

Alt + Home keys return to home page, a Ctrl+R (or F5) refresh the page. To force an update without using cached data, use the keys Ctrl+F5 or Ctrl+Shift+R .

Pressing the keys ctrl+s , you can save the page on your computer, and the keys ctrl+p allow you to print the desired page. Hotkeys Ctrl+G, Ctrl+F, Shift+F3, Ctrl+K designed to search for current page or on the Internet.

Notebook keyboard features.

Since a laptop keyboard, by definition, should take up little space, many functions are “hidden” on it. And in order to find them, there is a magic key . It is not found on all types of keyboards, although it is almost always present on laptops. It is usually located in the lower left corner of the keyboard, but there may be other options, there are no standards here. Key inscription highlighted in color (most often blue) or surrounded by a frame. On those keys that work in conjunction with , inscriptions or symbols are applied that have the same color as the inscription on the key , or they are also framed.

Lettering or symbols that have the same color as , activated when combined + (key), i.e. while pressing and holding the key we press the key where the function we need is shown in a stylized form. Combining this key with function keys (keys top row keyboard) changes the basic actions of those keys. So, combining it with the F1 key puts the computer (laptop) into sleep mode;

• with F2 - turns the adapter on and off wireless communication(wifi);
• with F3 - opens the mail program;
• with F5 - reduces the brightness of the monitor;
• with F6 - increases it;
• with F7 - turns the monitor on and off;
• with F10 - enables and disables the built-in speakers;
• with F11 - lowers the volume of the speakers;
• with F12 - increases it;
• the screen brightness is increased by the key where there is a “big sun” (there may be a “sun” icon in combination with the “increase” icon);
• decrease - on the contrary, the one where the “small sun” (or maybe the “sun” icon in combination with the “reduce” icon);
• keys with the “loudspeaker” icons in combination with the “more” or “less” icons - increase / decrease the volume;
• crossed out mouse - turn off / on the TouchPad;
• crossed out loudspeaker - mute / unmute the sound, etc.

Actions when combining function keys with the Fn key may differ depending on the different types keyboard, so you can clarify them in the user manual of the device, or be guided by the icons (usually of a different color) located on the keys next to or below its main value.

Look carefully, slowly, at the keyboard of your laptop, put the instructions attached to it nearby, spend some time mastering all these wonders and they will become familiar to you.

We have already learned. Now it's time to learn the keyboard. To write a letter or request to search engine Internet, we can't do without a keyboard. In addition, if your mouse does not work, you can use the keyboard. It is enough to know a few simple commands. Real programmers and hackers don't use the mouse at all. For them, the main tool is the keyboard. Perhaps you, too, will someday work like this, but for now we will learn the basics of working on the keyboard.

Key layout

The entire keyboard, depending on the functions, can be visually divided into several groups:

• Function keys (F1-F12)- are used to perform special tasks. Pressing the same key again cancels the action. F1 key - calls the help of the program in which you are currently;
• Alphanumeric are keys with letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols.
• Control keys- These include keys home,END,PAGEU.P.,PAGEDOWN,DELETE and INSERT.
• Cursor keys– are used to move the cursor through documents, web pages, edit text, etc. Control keys (modifiers) (ctrl,alt,Capslock,win,fn) - are used in various combinations and separately.
• Numeric keys- to quickly enter numbers.
• Editing keys– backspace, delete.

Keyboard layouts may vary slightly. Often on modern keyboards there are also multimedia keys. Such as mute/unmute, volume control, go to mailbox etc.

Keyboard Key Assignment

Each key performs a specific action:

• Spacebar is the longest key on the keyboard. Located at the very bottom in the middle. In addition to its main function, do
  space between words, it also removes the "selected" object.
• Esc- cancels the last action (closes unnecessary windows).
• Print Screen-takes a screenshot. This screenshot can be pasted into Word or Paint. This screenshot is called a "screenshot". And also this key prints the contents of the screen.
• scroll lock- serves to scroll information up and down, but this button does not work on all computers.
• Pause/Break- suspends the current computer process, but also - does not work on all computers.
• Insert- serves to print text over already printed. If you press this key, the new text will be printed overwriting the old one. To undo this action, press the Insert key again.
• Delete(on the keyboard is often abbreviated Del) - deletion. Deletes the characters on the right side of the blinking cursor. Deletes "selected" objects (lines of text, folders, files).
• Home- jump to the beginning of the filled line.
• end- jump to the end of the filled line.
• Page Up- flips the page forward.
• Page Down- flips the page back.
• backspace- deletes the characters to the left of the blinking cursor while typing text. And returns to the previous page in browsers and in Explorer windows, replacing the back arrow in the upper left corner.
• Tab- tabulation fixes the cursor in a certain place of the line.
• cap lock- Switch between uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Shift- a short press of this key - gives capital letter. In order to type a capital letter, you must first press the Shift key and while holding it, press the desired letter. The Shift key can be pressed both to the right and to the left, as you prefer.
• alt- to switch to the opposite language (from English to Russian and vice versa) - you must press the Alt key without releasing its Shift key. Pressing and holding the AltGr (right Alt) key is used to move to the second level of the keyboard.
• ctrl- right and left. Opens additional features programs.
• Nut look– includes an additional numeric keypad.
• Enter- key for entering information, confirms the command "yes", or the transition to the next line.
  Cursor keys - (up), (down), (right),
  (left). Using these arrows, you can move not only through the text that you type, but also through open pages sites and programs.

"Hotkeys

You must have heard this expression. " hot"They are called because when you press a combination of these keys, you can quickly call up some program or menu.

Each program has its own set of such keys. You don't need to memorize them. If you are constantly working in some kind of program, then it makes sense to memorize them. Gradually, we will study many of these combinations.

In many program windows, when opening any menu, in front of a particular command, keyboard shortcuts are indicated to call the same command.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Usually such combinations are denoted with the sign + (plus). For example, Win+E. This means that you must first press the key Win and then the key E.

The letters mean Latin, no matter what layout you have at the moment.

The most necessary actions on the keyboard

• To switch to another language, you must simultaneously press the key Shift + alt or Shift + ctrl.
• To print big (capital) letter, you must hold the key Shift and click on the desired letter.
• To print all text only capital letters, press the key Caps lock and let go. And to switch back to small letters, press this key again.
• To type a comma, press the key Shift and semicolon key. They are usually located next to the right.
• The point in the English layout is located next to, to the left of the point in the Russian layout.

Brief summary: Accessible keyboard navigation solutions need to be created for non-mouse visitors.

Many people use the Internet with a keyboard rather than a mouse, for various reasons. "Techies" and advanced users prefer keyboard commands, as it increases the speed and efficiency of work. But there are people with disabilities for whom the keyboard is the only available input device.

For example, people with motor disabilities have difficulty with the fine motor skills required to use a mouse, and visually impaired people find it difficult to use a mouse due to small elements on the page and the use of assistive programs.

The biggest difference between keyboard navigation and mouse navigation is that accessing links through the keyboard consistent- that is, to go to the desired link, you need to scroll through all the elements before it, and mouse users can move the cursor directly to the desired link. Thus, the mouse provides direct access to the interactive elements of the landing page or site.

Even the most beautiful and modern design completely useless if you can't interact with it. Therefore, optimization of navigation for the keyboard will allow those who, for a number of reasons, cannot use the mouse to work with the resource.

And it is quite possible that this particular target group is solvent target audience your business.

How to check if a site is accessible for keyboard navigation?

If you are reading this article on a PC or laptop in Firefox browser, IE, Chrome or Safari, then run the following algorithm:

• Press address bar browser
• remove your hand from the mouse;
• use the Tab key to move forward through links (or Shift+Tab to move backward).

You may have noticed 3 things:

• when navigating with the keyboard, the focus moves to the active object on the page;
• using the keyboard, you can select any link on the page;
• links are scrolled according to the page layout: from left to right and from top to bottom in columns.

Keyboard navigation may be slow and a little annoying, but at least it exists.

Focus indicator for keyboard navigation

Imagine that you are using a mouse to surf the web, but you cannot see the cursor on the screen. Is it convenient? Rather terrible. Keyboard users experience the same feeling when the selected element is not highlighted in any way.

Sites should give an equivalent feedback for both mouse and keyboard. Keyboard focus is built into all major browsers by default. Some of them highlight the selected elements with a gray dotted line, others with a blue line, it does not matter - in any case, the user sees which element of the page is currently active.

Sometimes this built-in functionality is deliberately removed during the development of the site - such an initiative leads to sad consequences. As a rule, the reason for this is following the principles of usability and inconsistency with the design of the page. In this case, do not remove the selection from the keyboard, but simply change it to fit the overall design of the site.

MailChimp.com uses highlighting by default. The screenshot clearly shows that the user has selected the "Email Designer" link, which can be followed by pressing Enter.

All interactive elements are available

Keyboard users should be able to access all interactive elements on the page, not just the main navigation and internal links. This means that dropdown menus, buttons, dialog boxes and other web elements should be tab active.

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