A typical keyboard comprises 104 keys, and it’s highly likely that you’re not familiar with the functions of all of them. Some of the less commonly known keys include Scroll Lock, Pause, Print Screen, Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.
Do you understand the purpose of each of these keys, or do you at least have a vague notion? In any case, let’s explore the functions of each of these keys to clarify any uncertainties.
Function of the least used keys of a keyboard
A keyboard boasts a multitude of keys, and their utility largely depends on the individual user. While some of these keys might see regular use in specific programs or functions, they are generally among the least utilized by most people. Let’s explore the purposes of these less familiar keys:
Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause/Break
- Print Screen: You might have encountered this one before. It’s the most recognizable and essentially captures a screenshot of your current desktop, similar to the screenshots taken on mobile devices.
- Scroll Lock: As its name implies, Scroll Lock is employed in programs like Excel to facilitate faster navigation between cells. If you don’t regularly use such software, it’s likely of little relevance.
- Pause / Break: Its name is rather self-explanatory. This key is used to pause running programs or games.
Insert, Delete, Start, End, Page Up and Page Down.
Moving a bit further down the keyboard, we find these additional keys:
- Insert: This key is associated with “inserting” and is used to replace letters instead of adding them sequentially. You might have accidentally pressed it on occasion.
- Delete: This key is employed to delete all characters situated to the right of the cursor.
- Home and End: The Home key relocates the cursor to the beginning of a line, while the End key takes it to the end.
- Page Up and Page Down: These keys enable you to skip pages, with Page Up taking you one page back and Page Down moving you one page forward.
And what about the arrows?
Arrow keys are universally present on keyboards and aren’t exclusive to gaming. Have you discovered their usefulness? While they may not be considered rare, there are individuals who have never used them.
These keys serve multiple functions, including scrolling through web pages, which can be particularly handy when a mouse isn’t readily available and you want to navigate downward gradually.
They are also useful for moving the cursor from one position to another, which can be handy for correcting errors or making precise adjustments to individual letters within a word without having to delete them entirely.
You might have been familiar with many of these keys and their purposes, but there could be others, not mentioned here, that you’ve never explored. These keys are among the least used, and we hope that at least one of them becomes more familiar to you and proves useful. It’s worth noting that modern keyboards are incorporating fewer of these keys, so you may not encounter them as frequently in the future, and you might not have any of the aforementioned keys on your current keyboard.