by using the US International layout shipped with Windows (which is rather artificial, but still useful). That way you can utilize different AltGr combinations.Įven a common US keyboard can be made to use AltGr, e.g.
Ctrl 1, Ctrl 2 etc.) for switching between them. You can enable different keyboard layouts and define shortcuts (e.g. It shows them as small virtual keyboards, and you can see which layouts use AltGr just by looking at the key to the right of the space bar: is it labelled Alt or AltGr? If it is AltGr, clicking on it shows the characters it can be used to produce. The Microsoft page Windows Keyboard Layouts contains information about a large number of layouts. The lack of a clearly (and consistently) labeled ‘option’ key puzzled a friend of mine recently who.
That means on new Mac keyboards you’ll have Control followed by ALT / option followed by Command.
But in many other keyboard layouts, including most European layouts, it can be used to produce various accented letters and other special character-whence its name, it is short for “alternate graphic”. Remember: the Option / ALT key is always between the control key and the command key on Apple & Mac Keyboards. This reflects its role in the normal US keyboard layout: it is just another Alt key, for use when you find it more convenient to press Alt with your right hand (similarly to the duplication of the Ctrl key and the shift key). In US keyboards, it looks the same as the normal Alt key and is often called “the right Alt key” as opposite to “the left Alt key”. In European keyboards, the AltGr key has the text “AltGr” or “Alt Gr” in the keycap. This key is placed on the right of the space bar. The AltGr key functionally resembles the Option key.