Why is my keyboard typing the wrong characters?
Almost always the keyboard layout rather than the keyboard — and it is a two-second fix once you know.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 10 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
The layout has switched, usually to US. If the @ and " have swapped places, that is exactly what has happened. Change it back in the language settings, and remove the layout you do not want so it cannot happen again.
The classic symptom is @ and " swapping, along with the hash and pound signs. It happens because a keyboard shortcut cycles the layout, and it is triggered by accident constantly.
Step by step
- Check the symptom.@ and " swapped, hash where the pound sign should be, backslash misbehaving. That combination is a UK keyboard set to a US layout, not a hardware fault.
- Look for the language indicator.Usually near the clock on Windows or in the menu bar on Mac. It shows which layout is active and lets you switch back in one click.
- Change it back in settings.Language and region settings, keyboard layouts. Select the correct one — United Kingdom for a UK keyboard.
- Remove the layouts you do not use.The real fix. If only one layout is installed, the shortcut cannot switch to another. This stops it recurring.
- Disable the switching shortcut.Windows switches layout with a key combination that is very easy to press by accident. Turn it off in the advanced keyboard settings.
- Check num lock for a number pad problem.If the number pad types arrows or does nothing, num lock is off. On laptops, function-lock affects the top row similarly.
- Try an external keyboard to isolate hardware.If an external keyboard behaves correctly, the fault is the laptop's keyboard. If both behave the same way, it is software.
- Clean a sticking key.For one specific key repeating or not registering. Power off, turn upside down, compressed air. Liquid damage is a different and more serious matter.
Tips
- This affects passwords too. If a password with a symbol stopped working, check the layout before assuming the password is wrong — it is a very common cause of lockouts.
- Some remote desktop and virtual machine sessions have their own separate layout setting. Check inside the session as well as on the host.
- A keyboard that types multiple characters per press usually needs cleaning or has liquid damage, which is hardware rather than layout.
Questions people ask
Why has my @ symbol swapped with the quotation mark?
The keyboard layout has switched from UK to US. Change it back in the language settings, and remove the unused layout so it cannot happen again.
Why did my password stop working?
Check the keyboard layout. If it switched, symbols in the password are producing different characters than you expect — a very common cause of unexplained lockouts.