The US keyboard layout follows the ANSI standard, characterized by a rectangular, horizontal Enter key and a longer left Shift key. It is widely used globally, especially in programming, due to easy access to symbols like @ (Shift + 2), # (Shift + 3), and * (backslash, located left of Z). Unlike the UK layout, it lacks a dedicated £ (pound) key and uses ~ (tilde) next to the 1 key, while the ¬ (not symbol) is absent.
Key features:
Enter key: Horizontal rectangle (ANSI layout).
Backslash ($$: Located left of Z, above Enter.
@ symbol: Shift + 2.
# symbol: Shift + 3.
£ symbol: Not available; Shift + 3 produces $.
Alt keys: Two identical Alt keys (no AltGr).
For users needing diacritics or international characters, the US International keyboard layout is available, turning keys like `, ~, ^, ", and ' into dead keys to type accented letters (e.g., á, ñ, ç). This layout uses the right Alt (AltGr) key for special symbols like € (AltGr + 4) and § (AltGr + 5).
The US layout is standard on most Windows and Mac systems, though macOS uses a slightly different variant. It is preferred in technical fields for its consistent symbol placement and widespread software support.
Keyshorts
keyshorts.com › blogs › blog › us-keyboard-layout-everything-you-need-to-know
US Keyboard Layout - Everything You Need to Know • Keyshorts
June 13, 2025 - One of the most widely used keyboard layouts is the US layout, known for its QWERTY arrangement. In this article, we will explore the US keyboard layout, its differences from the UK layout (another commonly used input method), the significance of QWERTY, and how it differs from European keyboards.
major English keyboard layouts, both are QWERTY
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › British_and_American_keyboards
British and American keyboards - Wikipedia
1 day ago - Differences include: ... The U.S. layout follows the ANSI convention of having an enter key in the third row, while the UK layout follows ISO and has a stepped double-height key spanning the second and third rows. MacOS provides support for diacritics using either a "press and hold for pop-up ...
Does anyone use a US Keyboard layout?
I tried it and had to change back - I missed smashing the big return key too much More on reddit.com
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October 25, 2022Do you prefer the UK or US layout & why?
From UK here. First mech was ISO. Two weeks on and next mech was ANSI. Have never looked back. I don't miss that fat enter key at all (in fact, I hate it now) and ANSI stuff is easier to find. More on reddit.com
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January 9, 2021Configure US Intl keyboard layout : linuxquestions
Have you ever wondered why the US keyboard layout keeps appearing and is enabled on Windows? Source engine games add the layout.
I wish there was an option to disable this "feature" of windows. It doesn't happen just with source games and last time it happened to me my UK/GR language became UK/GR/US/FR. The only solution I have found is reboot and hope windows forgets it, if still there add the language and remove it. More on reddit.com
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May 6, 2018Videos
02:11
How to: Change keyboard layout | Windows 10 Guide - YouTube
00:26
How To Use The @ Symbol On An American Keyboard Layout - YouTube
01:47
Adding the US English International keyboard - YouTube
02:20
US vs UK Layout Keyboards in 2 Minutes or Less! - YouTube
Why are American Computer Keyboards DIFFERENT from the ...
01:04
Best keyboard layout - YouTube
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › globalization › windows-keyboard-layouts
Windows keyboard layouts - Globalization | Microsoft Learn
Layouts generated using: Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 (26200.6584) Choose a keyboard below to view its layout. Download Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator · Last updated on ·
Cortland University
web.cortland.edu › ponterior › keyboard
US-International Keyboard
ighted in blue below), and uses Right-ALT plus !, ?, and a number of other keys to produce characters not normally available. The accents are intuitive, and they work with the standard US keyboard so students do not need to learn any special codes or non-standard letter positions.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/mechanicalkeyboardsuk › does anyone use a us keyboard layout?
r/MechanicalKeyboardsUK on Reddit: Does anyone use a US Keyboard layout?
October 25, 2022 -
Recently I've been looking for a keyboard that looks nice, has MX Cherry Red switches and is TKL with PBT Keycaps, budget preferably under £120 but everything is always in US layout and whenever I find a UK layout it's always like 20x more expensive. I was wondering does anyone use US layout and do they have any inconveniences? Minus the £ symbol, I don't use Irish accents ever
EDIT: First image is US Amazon/Layout
Akkogear
akkogear.eu › home › news › news
UK and US Keyboard Layouts: A Quick Comparison
September 28, 2024 - The US keyboard is the ANSI layout, which meets the American National Standards. The US keyboard features a rectangular Enter key and a longer left Shift key. Many multinational software and hardware ...
Endler
endler.dev › 2018 › keyboard
Switching from a German to a US Keyboard Layout - Is It Worth It? | Matthias Endler
April 24, 2025 - Most mechanical keyboards come with an ANSI US layout only, so I figured, I’d finally make the switch.
iNVINTIX
invintix.com › en › sider › ulike-layout-oversikt
Keyboard layouts - What are QWERTY, ANSI and ISO? - iNVINTIX
December 5, 2025 - ANSI keyboard layout ANSI is short for American National Standards Institute and represents the most prevalent keyboard layout in North America, Australia and the Netherlands. It utilizes the QWERTY design but features differently sized [Enter] ...
Apple Support
support.apple.com › en-us › 102743
How to identify your Apple keyboard layout by country or region - Apple Support
Use the letters and symbols on your Apple keyboard to help you determine your keyboard layout by country or region.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Keyboard_layout
Keyboard layout - Wikipedia
4 days ago - A keyboard layout is any specific physical, visual, or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key-meaning associations (respectively) of a computer keyboard, mobile phone, or other computer-controlled typographic keyboard. Standard keyboard layouts vary depending on their intended writing system, language, and use case, and some hobbyists and manufacturers create non-standard layouts to match their individual preferences, or for extended functionality.
Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › manage-the-language-and-keyboard-input-layout-settings-in-windows-12a10cb4-8626-9b77-0ccb-5013e0c7c7a2
Manage the language and keyboard/input layout settings in Windows - Microsoft Support
Adding a keyboard layout allows selection of an alternate keyboard layout for the current Windows display language. Alternate keyboard layouts allow directly entering of characters using the keyboard or input device that aren't available in the current Windows display language's keyboard layout.
Keyoverlay
keyoverlay.com › united-states-and-united-kingdom-keyboard-layout-on-black-background-us-uk
UK & US keyboard layout on black background
UK & US keyboard layout on black background
Language keyboard stickers with English layout (United States & United Kingdom keyboard layout in one set) – a simple, quick, easiest and most inexpensive way to replace (or renew) the existing characters on your keyboard. Each set comes with all standard function keys.Benefits:All characters are spread onto high‑quality, non-transparent black vinyl with intense adhesive, so these stickers aren’t going anywhere! Low thickness of material provide more pleasant typing. All labels have a protective coat to ensure their durability. Each set of stickers is compatible with different models of
Price $4.50
Washington State University
slcr.wsu.edu › help-pages › microsoft-keyboards-us-international
Help with Microsoft Keyboards US-International | School of Languages, Cultures, and Race | Washington State University
Type International and Special Characters using the right <Alt> key or the following modifier keys: Apostrophe(‘), Accent Grave(`), Quotation Mark(“), Tilde(~), and Circumflex(^). To type just the modifier key by itself, type the <Spacebar> following the modifier key.
Call 509-335-4135
Address PO Box 642610, 99164-2610, Pullman, Wa
Reddit
reddit.com › r/mechanicalkeyboards › do you prefer the uk or us layout & why?
r/MechanicalKeyboards on Reddit: Do you prefer the UK or US layout & why?
January 9, 2021 -
I live in the US & to try something different, I decided to go with a UK keyboard, along with changing the applicable setting in my OS. I used to use the US-International setting with a regular US keyboard before this. Do those of you in one country/region prefer another layout? Is one better than another or is it only whatever one's used to? I don't do traditional touch-typing, but I noticed that if I did, the Enter/Return key on the UK layout is too far to the right for my small finger to hit it with the rest of my fingers on the home row. My old US keyboard has this key horizontal orientation as opposed to vertical. Is there a reason for the differences in symbol key locations like @ " ¬ # ~ \ |? Was it just a matter of when these layouts were developed?
Top answer 1 of 10
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From UK here. First mech was ISO. Two weeks on and next mech was ANSI. Have never looked back. I don't miss that fat enter key at all (in fact, I hate it now) and ANSI stuff is easier to find.
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Interesting read about the ergonomy of ISO vs ANSI https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/blog/2015/09/09/ansi-or-iso-which-keyboard-layout-is-more-ergonomic Obviously it's all preference, but I switched from ISO, which is standard here, to US ANSI because I prefer the layout
Keyboard Layout Info
kbdlayout.info › KBDUSX
United States-International - Keyboard Layout Info
US English Table for IBM Arabic 238_L ◑ · * the default layout for given language · This is also the default layout for: 1 Dutch (Netherlands) 1 Frisian (Netherlands) 10.0.17134.1 · 10.0.17025.1000 ◐ ◒ · 10.0.14393.0 ◐ ◒ · 6.3.9600.16384 ◐ ◒ ·
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › US_keyboard_layout
US keyboard layout - Wikipedia
March 15, 2023 - US keyboard layout may refer to: QWERTY, the traditional keyboard layout · Dvorak, an alternative layout made to make typing easier, sometimes called the American Simplified Keyboard · Category: Disambiguation pages · Search · US keyboard layout ·
Hirosart
hirosarts.com › home › british keyboard vs us keyboard: comparative analysis of 2025
British Keyboard vs US Keyboard: Comparative Analysis of 2024
February 21, 2025 - British keyboards differ from US ones in symbol placement (~, @, #, ) and offer a dedicated key for the pound (£) symbol where the US uses #. Euros (€) require the US International layout on both keyboards.
Farah
farah.cl › Keyboardery › A-Visual-Comparison-of-Different-National-Layouts
A Visual Comparison of Different National Layouts on a Computer Keyboard.
October 31, 2023 - Each comparison focuses on the differing arrangements of the alphabetical, numerical and typographical symbols in each national layout; due to this, all of them are presented within the same regular alphanumeric or “alpha” block, ignoring the remaining parts of a keyboard (namely: function row, navigation cluster and numeric keypad). In each section, the base English (USA) over ANSI layout and a different national layout are presented side by side, with the differing keys highlighted.
Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › topic › how-to-use-the-united-states-international-keyboard-layout-in-windows-11-e05ce3ed-11f0-8fc2-498e-a214fa6b898f
How to use the United States-International keyboard layout in Windows 11 - Microsoft Support
Describes how to add an International keyboard to Windows 11.
Limero
limero.github.io › 2019 › 07 › 28 › the-american-keyboard-layout-is-the-best
The American Keyboard Layout Is the Best
July 28, 2019 - The way your fingers have to move to type characters like \ on a Swedish keyboard (you press AltGr and +) is not very intuitive and it feels like an afterthought. With the American layout, there is a dedicated key, easily accessible and quick to use.