Unix and Linux Stack Exchange
Unix and Linux Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [keyboard-layout]

National keyboard layouts, relocating control keys, etc., generally at the operating system level. See /keyboard-shortcuts for key mappings in applications.

Use this tag for questions about national keyboard layouts, relocating control keys, etc., generally at the operating system level. For issues with the keyboard itself, see . For key mappings in an application, or to map a key to an operating system function, see .

Under the X Window System, the basic tools to handle keyboard layouts are (old-school) and (modern).

External resources

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List all valid kbd layouts, variants and toggle options (to use with setxkbmap)

Is there a way from command line to retrieve the list of all available keyboard layouts and relative variants? I need to list all the valid layout/variants choices to be used then from setxkbmap. Also about the layout toggle options, is there a way…
giuspen
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On an Apple Keyboard under Linux, how do I make the Function keys work without the fn modifier key?

I use an Apple wired keyboard on Linux. By default the function keys (F1, F2, F3, etc) require the fn key to be pressed for them to work. Without the fn key, these keys control the features like Screen Brightness, Volume, and Music Track Control. Is…
ryanlerch
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Understanding window manager terminology: Mod Keys, Meta Keys, and key naming conventions

In window managers' circles, there are some technical terms; a couple of them are "Mod keys" and "Meta keys." The questions I am asking are: What exactly are those, and are they universal across different keyboards? What are the names for the Alt,…
r004
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Swap alt and super

I have a Macbook Air that runs Linux. I want to swap the alt and super keys in both sides of the keyboard with each other. How do I do this with cli tools? Update Following Drav Sloan's answer I used the following: keycode 64 = Alt_L keycode 133 =…
user24483
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Does Wayland use XKB for keyboard layouts?

As XKB is part of X window, is it XKB used in Wayland as well? If so, is there any utility planed to replace XKB at some point? In weston, setxkbmap does not work obviously. What is the currently recommended way to change keyboard layout?
knezi
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How to display the current keyboard layout?

Is there a utility that allows to graphically display the current keyboard layout? This can be useful, for example, when writing in a foreign language and having the physical keyboard only indicating the local language (positioning of symbols,…
landroni
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Remapping keys that generate multiple scan codes

I have a ThinkPad W540. On its keyboard there are four multimedia keys above the numpad. Two of those keys generate keycodes (and, apparently, scancodes) that correspond to combination of keys, Win_L + L and Win_L + E. In other words, for the key…
moonwalker
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Multiple Keyboard Layouts and Shortcuts

I configured KDE to switch easily from a bépo (french-dvorak) to an azerty layout. I configured it with the KDE interface (systemsettings), but I guess it just call setxkbmap be and setxkbmap fr. The azerty layout is the default (and the first in…
Clément
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Use setxkbmap to swap the Left Shift and Left Control

Is it possible to swap the Left Shift and the Left CTRL keys using setxkbmap instead of xmodmap? EDIT I have switched to Fcitx, which works way much better with my keyboard layout and customized keymap than IBus in every respect. I highly recommend…
day
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Shortcut keys that are independent to keyboard layout

Is there a way to define an association of a particular physical key of the keyboard to some action, independently of the letter that this key is associated to in any layout? Example: In most default Gnome shortcut key associations, pressing Alt +…
serxio
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KDE: how to get rid of IBus keyboard selector

Please, how to get rid of IBus service/IBus panel when running KDE? This Gnome(?) keyboard layout manager (?) can get into conflict with the layout set natively in KDE Settings. I need to switch often between CZ and UK keyboard and IBus makes it…
Espinosa
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Save setxkbmap settings?

I'm having trouble setting my keyboard settings to swedish, running Raspbian on a raspberry pi. I've tried everything and the only thing that worked was the command setxkbmap se. But this doesn't permanently save the settings, and it's back to…
justanotherhobbyist
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Select characters by holding down a key in Linux (like in OSX)

I've been wondering if there's any add on available that does something like Mac OS X. My mother tongue is Spanish, and now I live in a Francophone environment, I also do English a lot, so I'm in need of different accents, specially in French, I…
ximbal
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How to change keyboard layout in gnome 3 from command line

I am using gnome 3.22.1 but problem exists since 3.18. Before that (don't remember the exact version) I was able to switch keyboard layout using xkb-witch, simple application that uses X.org bindings under the hood. After 3.18 if you run xkb-switch,…
RGBD
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Gnome 3.22: disable alt+shift keyboard layout switching

After the latest upgrade on Debian stretch, hitting alt+shift on my keyboard make it change layout, which breaks all my alt+shift+ xbindkeys shortcuts. I have disabled all shortcuts in Settings -> Keyboard -> Input. Still the same. In…
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