Why it happens
A keyboard sends the computer the position of each key, not the symbol printed on it. The system turns positions into characters using the layout you selected. If the layout does not match your keys, letters usually stay in place but symbols move. It often happens after an update, a new user account, or a shortcut pressed by accident.
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Shift+2 types " and Shift+' types @ | US keyboard set to United Kingdom |
| Shift+3 types £ instead of # | US keyboard set to United Kingdom |
| ' and " show up only after the next key, or "a turns into ä | US keyboard set to United States-International, which uses those keys as accent keys |
| Letters are scrambled (for example Q and A, or Y and Z, swapped) | A French, German or Dvorak layout is active |
| Letters on the right side type numbers (U types 4) | Num Lock is on, on a laptop with an embedded keypad |
Windows key + Space switches between installed layouts. If symbols changed out of nowhere, press it once and try again, or remove the layouts you do not use so it cannot happen again.
Windows 11
- Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Click the three dots next to your language and choose Language options.
- Under Keyboards, click Add a keyboard and choose the layout printed on your keys, for example US for a standard American keyboard.
- In the same list, click the three dots next to the wrong layout and choose Remove.
- If another language is listed under Preferred languages with its own keyboard, open its Language options and remove that keyboard too, or remove the language.
To make one layout the default, go to Settings > Time & language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings and choose it under Override for default input method. While you type, the language bar near the clock shows the active layout, for example ENG US.
Mac
- Open System Settings > Keyboard.
- Under Text Input, click Edit next to Input Sources.
- Click + and add the layout that matches your keys, such as U.S. or ABC.
- Select the wrong source and click the minus button to remove it.
Turn on Show Input menu in menu bar in the same window to see which source is active. If you use more than one, the Input menu or the Globe key switches between them.
Linux (GNOME)
Open Settings > Keyboard. Under Input Sources, click Add Input Source, pick your language and the exact layout, then remove the wrong one with its menu. Super + Space switches between input sources, so a stray press can change the layout here too. Other desktops have a similar Keyboard or Region section.
Phones and tablets with a physical keyboard
- iPhone and iPad: Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard. Choose your language and the layout that matches the keyboard.
- Android: with the keyboard connected, open the physical keyboard settings, usually under Settings > System > Keyboard or Languages & input > Physical keyboard (names vary by brand). Tap the keyboard and choose its layout.
Check that the keyboard is fine
The Hardcheck keyboard tester reads the physical position of each key, not the character the system makes of it. Choose the Layout that matches your keys, such as US (ANSI) or UK (ISO), and press the keys that give wrong characters. If the right key lights up on the drawing, the hardware works and the fix is the layout setting above. If a key stays gray, the problem is the key itself. Last keys lists the codes the browser received, which helps when you are not sure which key is which.
Questions
Why does my keyboard type " instead of @?
The system is set to a UK layout while your keyboard is American, or the other way around. Add the matching layout and remove the wrong one.
Why do my quote keys only work after I press another key?
United States-International is active. It uses ' and " as accent keys. Switch to the plain US layout, or press Space after the quote to type it alone.
Why did my keyboard layout change by itself?
A shortcut switched it: Windows key + Space on Windows, the Globe key or Control + Space on Mac, Super + Space in GNOME. Remove layouts you do not use.
Is my keyboard broken if it types the wrong characters?
Rarely. If the keyboard tester lights the right key, the keyboard works and only the layout is wrong. A broken key usually types nothing at all.