What is a "QWERTY" keyboard? Points to consider when choosing

"QWERTY" is the name of the key layout

QWERTY is a key layout in which the first horizontal row of English keys on the keyboard starts with "Q", "W", "E", "R", "T", and "Y" in the upper left corner. Most keyboards sold in the world are QWERTY keyboards, and touch keyboards on smartphones and other devices are also QWERTY except for numeric keypad input, including flick input.

QWERTY is not a layout used only in English-speaking countries; QWERTY is the basic key layout around the world. However, there is also an "AZERTY layout" in French-speaking countries and a "QWERTZ layout" in German- and Czech-speaking countries.

Check for "QWERTY" when buying a non-US keyboard!

Most US keyboards are QWERTY keyboards, but if you buy keyboards for other languages, some AZERTY or QWERTZ layouts may be available.

Be especially careful with the QWERTZ layout, which differs from the QWERTY layout only in the "Y" and "Z", so you may not notice it by appearance.

! QWERTZ layout keyboard that looks like a US layout at first glance

At first glance, the above image looks like a US keyboard, but upon closer inspection, it is a QWERTZ keyboard since the "Z" is to the right of the "T".

If you are looking for repair parts for a manufacturer's original keyboard, make sure you are not mistaken, as replacement parts for the QWERTZ layout may be available on overseas sites.

Is it OK to use a non-QWERTY keyboard?

The keyboard layout has physical markings called "key characters" on the keyboard side, but the PC, smartphone, or other device that accepts input cannot determine what the layout of that keyboard is. Key mapping (key assignment) is determined from the key layout.

Occasionally, the phenomenon of "the @ key is in the wrong place" or "some keys are inputted out of alignment" is caused by the OS side incorrectly recognizing the keyboard layout.

Therefore, depending on the OS settings, a QWERTY keyboard can be used as a QWERTZ keyboard, or an English keyboard can be used as a Japanese keyboard.

In this sense, even if you mistakenly buy a keyboard with a non-QWERTY layout, you can use it as a QWERTY keyboard as long as the OS recognizes it as QWERTY. Of course, there is a disadvantage that some of the key characters and input keys will be different.

Also, if you use a setting or application that changes the key mapping of the keyboard, you can swap the keys quite freely.

QWERTY is important, but check the overall key layout!

Most keyboards on the market today have a QWERTY layout, so basically if it is not QWERTY, it will be marked as such on the sales page.

QWERTY is just the layout of the main keys, so there is not that much difference, and even if something is wrong, it can be corrected by key mapping, but the overall key layout affects the entire typing process.

For example, the layout of the "page move key to the right of the Enter key" that has recently become popular on Chinese keyboards, and the special layout of compact keyboards such as 60-key keyboards.

The keyboard layout is also where the manufacturer gives its own color, so it is very important to check that the main keys (CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, etc.) are in easy-to-use places and that necessary keys have not been omitted.