Keyboard Layout History and the Role of Function Keys
The keyboard we use every day without a second thought. While we take typing for granted, haven’t you ever wondered, “Why are the keys arranged this way?” or “What are the F1 to F12 keys for?” or “What exactly is the Fn key?” This time, let’s explore how the keyboard layout evolved into its current form and delve into the roles of the function keys and the Fn key.
The Birth of the QWERTY Layout
Today, the most widely used keyboard layout in the world is the QWERTY layout. Its name comes from the sequence of the first six letters on the top row of the alphabet keys: Q-W-E-R-T-Y.
The origins of this layout date back to the 1870s, when Christopher Sholes and his colleagues developed the early typewriter. At that time, mechanical typewriters faced a major challenge: when adjacent keys were pressed quickly in succession, the typebars (the metal arms that struck the characters onto paper) would collide and become jammed.
According to one theory, Sholes addressed this issue by deliberately spacing apart the typebars of commonly used letter combinations (such as “TH” or “HE” in English). This arrangement slowed down typing speed to some extent but helped reduce the risk of typebar collisions and jams.
Thus, a layout born as a workaround for the technological limitations of its time has, through social inertia and its status as a de facto standard, continued to dominate the world—even nearly 150 years later in the digital age.
Reference: QWERTY layout (Wikipedia)
The DVORAK Layout
In the 1930s, Dr. August Dvorak focused on the inefficiencies of the QWERTY layout and set out to design a more logical and ergonomic alternative. The DVORAK layout was created with careful consideration of letter frequency in English and human ergonomics.
The key features of the DVORAK layout include:
- Placing vowels on the left-hand home row and the most frequently used consonants on the right-hand home row to improve typing rhythm.
- Minimizing finger movement to the upper and lower rows, thereby reducing fatigue.
- Increasing the proportion of words that require alternating hands, which helps improve typing speed.
According to Dr. Dvorak’s own studies, the layout offered potential benefits such as greater typing efficiency and reduced fatigue compared to QWERTY. However, due to QWERTY’s dominant market share and users’ familiarity with it, the DVORAK layout never achieved widespread adoption. Today, it is still supported as a standard option on major operating systems and continues to be used by a niche group of efficiency-focused typists and programmers.
Reference: Dvorak layout (Wikipedia)
The JIS Layout
In Japan, the most widely used keyboard is the JIS layout, which is defined by the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). It was specifically designed to improve the efficiency of Japanese text input.
The main features of the JIS layout are:
- Dedicated keys for Japanese input: including the Hankaku/Zenkaku key (to switch input modes), the Henkan (Convert) and Muhenkan (No Convert) keys for kanji conversion, and a dedicated Katakana/Hiragana key.
- Unique Enter key shape: typically a large, vertical style Enter key that makes it easier to press from different hand positions.
- Different symbol placement: compared to the US layout, the positions and even the types of symbols differ (for example, the position of the “@” key).
These design choices strongly support the unique process of Japanese text entry, especially kanji conversion in both romaji input and kana input methods.
On the other hand, the internationally common US layout does not include these Japan-specific keys. As a result, it has fewer keys overall, giving it a simpler and cleaner appearance. Its symbol placement is also considered more suitable for programming languages, and the standardized key arrangement appeals to programmers, users who frequently type in English, and PC enthusiasts who prefer a uniform layout.
Once you have written in Japanese on a JIS keyboard, it is hard to go back. The dedicated 英数 (alphanumeric) and かな (kana) keys sit on either side of the spacebar, so switching between English and Japanese is a single thumb tap rather than a key combination—a small thing that quietly adds up over a long day of writing. The flip side is that a JIS machine can be surprisingly hard to hand to an English speaker: the symbols land in unfamiliar places (the semicolon and colon sit side by side, for example, instead of a Shift apart), and muscle memory from a US layout suddenly stops helping. Neither layout is really “better”—each is simply tuned to the language its typist reaches for most.
The Role of Function Keys
Function keys are the keys labeled F1 through F12, usually located on the top row of the keyboard. They are used to perform specific functions, either on their own or in combination with other keys.
Although the exact roles of these keys may vary depending on the operating system or application, there are some basic functions that are largely standardized, which we will introduce below.
| Key | Main Function (When Pressed Alone) | Function in Excel | Function in Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Opens the Help menu (common in most software applications) | ||
| F2 | Renames files or folders (in File Explorer or on the desktop) | Enters edit mode for the selected cell | Moves selected text (select text, press F2, move the cursor, then press Enter) |
| F3 | Opens the search function (in File Explorer, browsers, and many apps) | ||
| F4 | Displays the address bar (in File Explorer) Closes the active window (Alt + F4) | Repeats the last action (such as formatting) Toggles cell references between absolute and relative in formulas | |
| F5 | Refreshes the page or updates content (commonly used in browsers and File Explorer) | Opens the Go To dialog for quick navigation | Opens the Go To dialog for quick navigation |
| F6 | Selects the address bar in browsers Converts Japanese input to Hiragana | ||
| F7 | Converts Japanese input to full-width Katakana | Runs spell check | Runs spelling and grammar check |
| F8 | Converts Japanese input to half-width Katakana | ||
| F9 | Converts Japanese input to full-width alphanumeric characters | Recalculates all formulas in the workbook | |
| F10 | Converts Japanese input to half-width alphanumeric characters | ||
| F11 | Toggles full-screen mode (in browsers and many applications) | ||
| F12 | Opens Developer Tools (DevTools) in browsers | Opens the Save As dialog | Opens the Save As dialog |
The Functions of the Fn Key
On laptops and compact keyboards, you’ll often find the Fn key (short for Function key). This is sometimes called an extended modifier key, and it acts like a “magic key” that allows multiple functions to be assigned to a limited number of keys.
Unlike a full-size desktop keyboard, laptops have physical space constraints, which limit the number of keys available. The Fn key solves this by giving a single key two different roles. Like the Shift or Ctrl keys, the Fn key doesn’t work on its own; it must be pressed in combination with another key.
Here are some common Fn key combinations:
- Adjusting screen brightness: Fn + F5 (darker) / Fn + F6 (brighter)
- Controlling volume: Fn + F2 (volume down) / Fn + F3 (volume up) / Fn + F1 (mute toggle)
- Switching display output: Fn + F7 (toggle between laptop screen, external display, or duplicate mode) / Fn + F8 (projector output, etc.)
- Other convenient functions:
Fn + Spacebar (toggle keyboard backlight on/off)
Fn + F9 (enable/disable touchpad)
Fn + Esc (Fn lock — on some models, this switches the priority between the F1–F12 keys’ default functions and their extended functions)
Note
The exact key assignments vary depending on the manufacturer and model.
Tip
By mastering these Fn key combinations, you can quickly control essential hardware functions without the need to open complicated settings menus.
Conclusion
Since we use computer keyboards every day, understanding why they are designed the way they are can make them more convenient and efficient to use. The keys you press without thinking, or the functions you see but have never tried, may carry historical reasons or tips for improving your workflow. Take this opportunity to explore and familiarize yourself with the functions of the function keys on your own keyboard—you might discover some useful shortcuts you hadn’t noticed before.