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Proper Hand Placement
- Left hand: Rest your pinky on A, ring finger on S, middle finger on D, and index finger on F.
- Right hand: Rest your index finger on J, middle finger on K, ring finger on L, and pinky on the semicolon (;).
- Thumbs: Rest both thumbs lightly on the long Spacebar.
Common Typing Actions
- Letters: Press keys softly with a quick tap.
- Spaces: Press the Spacebar with your thumb to add a space between words.
- Capital letters: Hold down either Shift key while pressing a letter.
- Symbols and numbers: Use the top row for numbers. Hold down Shift to type the secondary symbols shown on the upper half of those keys.
Fn (Function) Keys
- System controls: The top row (F1–F12) has icons for volume, screen brightness, or keyboard backlight. Press the icon key directly, or hold down the Fn key (usually near the bottom left) while pressing the function key.
- Lock function: Press Fn + Esc on many laptops to lock or unlock the function row behavior.
Symbols and Special Characters
- Top-row symbols: Hold down either Shift key and press a number key to type the symbol shown above the number (like ! or ?).
- Alt codes: On Windows laptops, hold down Alt and type a number sequence on a numeric pad to insert special characters.
Common Shortcuts
- Copy / Paste: Press Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste (use Cmd instead of Ctrl on a Mac).
- Undo: Press Ctrl + Z to undo your last action.
- Switch windows: Press Alt + Tab to cycle through open applications.
Typing Numbers, Symbols, and Capital Letters
- Hold Shift and press a letter key to type a single capital letter.
- Press Caps Lock to type in all capitals continuously, and press it again to turn it off.
- The number row across the top doubles as symbols. Hold Shift and press a number key to get the symbol above it, such as Shift plus 1 for an exclamation mark.
- On many compact laptops, a separate number pad is hidden under the letter keys and activated with the Fn key plus Num Lock, since there is not enough physical space for a full number pad.
Pro Tip
If you want to type faster, focus on accuracy before speed. Keep your index fingers anchored on the F and J bumps, return your fingers to the home row after each key press, and practise for 10 minutes a day rather than trying to type quickly from the start.
A quick checklist to remember
- Sit with wrists straight and screen at eye level.
- Put your index fingers on the F and J bumps.
- Use Shift for capitals and the upper symbol.
- Use Fn for the special functions on the top row.
- On a UK keyboard, @ is Shift + apostrophe and £ is Shift + 3.
- Learn Ctrl + C, V and Z first.
- Practise ten minutes a day, and choose accuracy over speed.
Learn these seven habits and a laptop keyboard stops feeling awkward within a week.
To type on a laptop keyboard, sit with your wrists level, rest your fingers on the home row (A S D F for the left hand, J K L and the semicolon for the right), keep your thumbs on the spacebar, and press each key with the finger closest to it. Hold Shift for capital letters and symbols, and hold Fn to use the special functions printed on the top row.
- Get your hands and posture right
- The finger map for every key
- What each special key does
- Type @, £, €, # and accented letters on a UK keyboard
- The Fn key and the top row
- Shortcuts worth learning first
- Type faster without looking down
- Fix typing problems
Get your hands and posture right first
Laptop keys are flatter and shallower than a desktop keyboard, so the way you sit matters more than you would expect. Bad posture is the main reason people feel wrist pain after an hour of typing on a laptop.
- Place the laptop at a comfortable height. Your forearms should sit roughly level with the keyboard, with your elbows bent close to a right angle.
- Keep your wrists straight. Do not bend them upwards to reach the keys. Float your hands lightly above the keys instead of resting your palms hard on the edge of the laptop.
- Look at the screen, not your hands. If the screen is too low, your neck bends. Raise the laptop on a stand or a stack of books if you type for long sessions, and use a separate keyboard so the screen and keyboard can sit at different heights.
- Press lightly. Laptop keys travel only a short distance. Hammering them slows you down and tires your fingers.
If you are still choosing a machine, key travel and layout are worth checking before you buy. Our guide on what to look for when buying a laptop explains how to judge a keyboard in a shop.
The finger map for every key
Touch typing works because each finger owns a set of keys. Find the small raised bumps on the F and J keys. Put your index fingers on those bumps and you are on the home row.
| Finger | Keys it presses |
| Left pinky | Q, A, Z, 1, Shift, Ctrl |
| Left ring | W, S, X, 2 |
| Left middle | E, D, C, 3 |
| Left index | R, F, V, T, G, B, 4, 5 |
| Both thumbs | Spacebar |
| Right index | Y, H, N, U, J, M, 6, 7 |
| Right middle | I, K, comma, 8 |
| Right ring | O, L, full stop, 9 |
| Right pinky | P, semicolon, /, 0, Enter, Backspace, Shift |
After every key press, return your finger to the home row. That habit is what builds speed later, because your brain learns the distance from home to every key.
What each special key does
Beginners often type well and then get stuck on the keys that are not letters. Here is what they do.
| Key | What it does |
| Shift | Hold it to type capital letters and the upper symbol on a key |
| Caps Lock | Locks capital letters on. Press again to turn off |
| Tab | Jumps to the next field in a form, or indents text |
| Enter | Starts a new line or confirms |
| Backspace | Deletes the character to the left of the cursor |
| Delete | Deletes the character to the right of the cursor |
| Esc | Cancels or closes a pop up |
| Ctrl and Alt | Used with other keys for shortcuts |
| Windows key (Command on a Mac) | Opens the Start menu, or acts as the main shortcut key on a Mac |
| Fn | Unlocks the second function of the top row and some other keys |
| Arrow keys | Move the cursor without the mouse |
| Print Screen (PrtSc) | Captures the screen. See our screenshot guide for HP laptops for the exact combinations |
Type @, £, €, # and accented letters on a UK keyboard
This is where most laptop typing questions come from, and it is why you may see the wrong symbol appear. On a UK keyboard layout:
| Symbol | How to type it |
| @ | Shift + the apostrophe key (right of the L and semicolon keys) |
| “ | Shift + 2 |
| £ | Shift + 3 |
| € | AltGr + 4 (or Ctrl + Alt + 4) |
| # | The key to the left of Enter |
| \ | The key to the left of Z |
| é, á, ó | AltGr + the vowel on Windows. On a Mac, hold the vowel key and choose the accent, or press Option + E then the vowel |
If @ and ” are swapped, your laptop is set to the US layout instead of the UK layout. On Windows, press the Windows key + Space to switch keyboard layouts, or go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region and set English (United Kingdom) as the layout.
Emojis are quick too. On Windows press the Windows key + full stop. On a Mac press Control + Command + Space.
The Fn key and the top row
The top row of most laptops does two jobs. By default it might control volume, brightness and media. Hold Fn and it acts as F1 to F12, which many programs need.
If the top row does the opposite of what you want, look for an Fn Lock. On many laptops it is Fn + Esc, and a small light on the key shows it is on. Some laptops also let you flip the default in the BIOS or in the manufacturer app.
A few more Fn combinations to know, though the exact keys vary by brand:
- Keyboard backlight: often Fn + Space on Lenovo ThinkPads, or a dedicated key on the top row on other brands
- Number pad on small laptops: a hidden numeric keypad on the letter keys, switched on with Num Lock or Fn + Num Lock
- Airplane mode, screen off, touchpad off: icons printed on the top row in a different colour
ThinkPad owners will find the Fn key sitting in the far left corner, where most other brands put Ctrl. If you have just unpacked a Lenovo, our guide on how to switch on a Lenovo laptop covers the first boot and the keys around the power button.
Shortcuts worth learning first
You do not need fifty. These ten cover most of what people do all day.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Command + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Command + V |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Command + X |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Command + Z |
| Select everything | Ctrl + A | Command + A |
| Find on a page | Ctrl + F | Command + F |
| Switch between open apps | Alt + Tab | Command + Tab |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl + Shift + V | Option + Shift + Command + V |
| Screenshot of a selected area | Windows key + Shift + S | Shift + Command + 4 |
| Open the on screen keyboard | Windows key + Ctrl + O | Accessibility settings |
Copy and paste is the shortcut you will use most. It is also how you move a link after scanning a code, which we cover in our guide on how to scan a QR code on a laptop.
Type faster without looking down
Speed comes from accuracy first. Fast typists are not pressing keys faster, they are making fewer corrections.
- Learn the home row until it is automatic. Ten minutes a day for two weeks does more than an hour once a month.
- Go slowly and correct nothing while you practise. Aim for a clean, even rhythm.
- Cover your hands. A tea towel over your hands, or simply closing your eyes for a line, stops you cheating.
- Use a free typing tutor. Sites such as TypingClub, Keybr and Monkeytype give lessons and track accuracy.
- Track a real number. Many people type around 40 words per minute, and around 60 to 75 is a strong result for office work. Once you pass roughly 95% accuracy, speed starts to rise naturally.
If your work involves long documents, plug in a separate keyboard. A laptop keyboard is fine for emails, but a full size keyboard puts far less strain on your wrists.
Fix typing problems
| What is happening | Likely cause | What to try |
| Letters repeat (hhhello) | Filter Keys off, dust under a key, or a stuck key | Press the key firmly a few times, blow compressed air under it, and check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard |
| A popup appears when you press Shift several times | Sticky Keys | Press Shift five times to open the prompt, then choose to turn it off |
| Symbols are wrong (@ types “) | Wrong layout | Windows key + Space, or set the UK layout in language settings |
| Number keys type letters | Hidden number pad is on | Press Num Lock or Fn + Num Lock |
| Nothing types at all | Software glitch or keyboard driver | Restart, then test in another app. If it still fails, uninstall the keyboard in Device Manager and restart so Windows reinstalls it |
| Coffee spill | Liquid under keys | Switch off at once, unplug the charger, turn the laptop upside down on a towel, and get it checked before turning it on |
| Keys type slowly or lag | Too many programs open | Close programs and restart |
If you have just started using a laptop, our guides on operating laptop for the first time and how to set up a new laptop walk through everything around the keyboard, from the first boot to updates.
Type without a physical keyboard
If a key is broken, you can still work. On Windows press the Windows key + Ctrl + O to open the on screen keyboard and click the keys with the mouse or touch. On a Mac open System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on the Accessibility Keyboard. It is slow, but it gets you through an urgent email.
A quick checklist to remember
- Sit with wrists straight and screen at eye level.
- Put your index fingers on the F and J bumps.
- Use Shift for capitals and the upper symbol.
- Use Fn for the special functions on the top row.
- On a UK keyboard, @ is Shift + apostrophe and £ is Shift + 3.
- Learn Ctrl + C, V and Z first.
- Practise ten minutes a day, and choose accuracy over speed.
Learn these seven habits and a laptop keyboard stops feeling awkward within a week.
Conclusion
Learning how to type on a laptop keyboard becomes much easier once you understand the home row, Shift and Fn keys, common shortcuts and the laptop keyboard symbols UK users see every day. Start with accuracy, keep your hands in the correct position and practise regularly. As the layout becomes familiar, actions such as typing @ and £, using keyboard shortcuts and working without looking down will gradually feel automatic.
For training courses, workshops or temporary teams, using similar laptops can make things easier for everyone. Different models may have different key sizes, layouts or Fn key positions, which can be confusing when people are following the same instructions. Hire Tablets offers short-term laptop hire for businesses and events, so you can bring in the number of devices you need for the session and return them when the project is finished.
Rent Tech Devices for Business Events and Professional Use
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you type properly on a laptop keyboard?
Place your fingers on the home row, with your left hand on A, S, D and F and your right hand on J, K, L and the semicolon key. Keep your wrists straight, press the keys lightly and return your fingers to the home row after each key.
2. How do you type @ on a laptop?
On a UK keyboard, press Shift + the apostrophe key to type @. If pressing this combination gives you a different symbol, your laptop may be using the wrong keyboard layout. You can switch layouts in your language and keyboard settings.
3. What does the Fn key do on a laptop?
The Fn key gives access to extra functions on certain keys, especially the top row. Depending on your laptop, it can control brightness, volume, keyboard lighting, media controls and F1 to F12 functions.
4. How can I type faster on a laptop?
Start by improving accuracy rather than trying to type quickly. Keep your fingers on the home row, avoid looking down at the keyboard and practise for a few minutes each day. Speed usually improves naturally once you become familiar with the key positions.
5. Why is my laptop keyboard typing the wrong symbols?
This often happens when the keyboard layout has changed, such as from UK to US English. On Windows, press Windows key + Space to switch layouts. If the problem continues, check your language and keyboard settings to make sure the correct layout is selected.
