A keyboard is an input device. The primary function or use of the keyboard is for entering the information or data in the form of words, numbers, symbols in the computer.
This function is performed by using the keys of the keyboard. Various keys include -alphabetic keys, numeric keys, function keys, command keys, spacebar test key and control keys.
Each set of keys has its specific roles and functions. Hence, various uses can be enlisted depending on the different types of keys present on the keyboard. You can even play games using a keyboard. The other uses worth mentioning are included here.
In this blog, I will elaborate on the different uses of the keyboard and its functions. This blog will include most of the things you need to know.
Here, you will come across different uses of the keyboard and its functions of it as well.
What are the uses of a keyboard in a computer?
Let us see the uses first, and I will elucidate in brief later.
There are mainly five uses of a keyboard in a computer, which are listed below: –
1. Use keyboard for Input DataUse keyboard for Typing Numbers
2. Use for Text Chatting
3. Use for typing computer shortcut keys
4. Use for pressing special characters
1. Input Data
Since we all know that the keyboard is an input device, it is used to input data in a computer. It is very worthwhile to use a keyboard for that purpose. Using a keyboard, we can enter any desired data into a computer. The data can be in any format, be it numerical or alphabetic.
Seeming you understood the first use of a keyboard, we will move to the next one for typing numbers.
2. Typing Numbers
With the use of a keyboard, it facilitates you to enter any numerical data into the computer. Mostly on the right extremity of the keyboard, along with the top line of the keyboard containing all the numbers.
You can easily press any number you want, and the keyboard will enter that number into your computer.
This is very useful while using excel or when your job is to deal with numbers like statistician or banker etc.
One thing you should note is that you can use the numbers only after pressing the num lock key on the keyboard.
3. Text Chatting
We are living in an era where text messages are given priority more than calls. Chatting has become a very important part of everyone’s life, whether it should be on social media or for any official task. Chatting is talking with another person in the format of texts.
Nowadays, there are several applications for purposes such as Facebook, Instagram, Hike, and not to forget WhatsApp.
Using these applications, you can chat with your family members, friends, colleagues, etc. The keyboard plays a crucial role in chatting on the computer as well as mobile, though it’s a virtual keyboard on mobile phones.
4. Computer Shortcut Keys
While working on a computer, sometimes we need to use shortcuts instead of lengthy procedures. It makes our work easy and saves a lot of time as well.
The keyboard makes this easy for us. Using a keyboard, you can use computer shortcut key buttons for making your work easier and quicker.
For example, when you press Alt + F4, a tab giving you the option to shut down the computer appears on the screen, and pressing enter later shutdowns your computer.
Ctrl + C is used to copy and text or file. We will discuss much more shortcut keys in the further section. There are numerous shortcut keys to help us out while using a computer.
5. Pressing Special Characters.
Occasionally, people need to employ special characters for different works. Such as making our password strong or creating a hashtag, punctuation marks, creating emojis using characters, etc. You can use the special characters by pressing keys on a keyboard.
On some keyboards, the symbols are mirrored on the number keys. In such a case, a combination of keys is expected to be pressed for the desired symbol to be interpreted on screen. In such a case, the shift key is pressed with the mirrored symbol key.
Some special characters present on the keyboard are as given below –
!, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, ( ), < >, etc.
Useful Shortcuts
The following table lists some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts.
Shortcut key
Function
Windows logo key
To open the Start menu
Alt + Tab
To switch between open programs or windows on a website or computer.
Alt + F4
To close the active item or exit the active program.
Ctrl + S
To save the current file or document.
Ctrl + C
To copy the selected text or item.
Ctrl + X
To cut the selected text or item.
Ctrl + V
To paste the selected text or item.
Ctrl + Z
To undo an action.
Ctrl + A
To select all in a document.
F1
Displays help for a program.
Esc
To cancel the current task
Application
Functions as a right-click of a mouse.
I expect these shortcut keys will help you make your work much easier and quicker.
Functions of a keyboard
A keyboard is used for putting information, including letters, words, and numbers, into your computer. You press the individual buttons on the keyboard when you type.
Despite the way it may appear, your keyboard only has a few functions built into it. These functions are the Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, and Break commands, all of which are more frequently used for programming and design than for normal computer needs.
Your PC offers some key commands when it boots that provide an array of user control over the machine and the programs you are running.
These key commands are generally the ones that are thought of as keyboard functions.
We will discuss some of them here, such as
a. Brightness Up-Down
b. Volume Up-Down c. Next, Pause, Play, the Previous
d. Print Screen
e. Scroll Lock
f. Pause Break
I will clarify these here now –
a. Brightness Up-Down
We work on a computer any time of the day, so it becomes important for us to adjust brightness according to the lighting available in the room.
Moreover, we need to adjust it accordingly to the comfort of our eyes. Every keyboard has a special key for that purpose on the top line of the keyboard, mostly.
You can increase or decrease the brightness of the screen just by pressing it according to your comfort. There are two keys to this purpose, one for increasing the brightness and another for decreasing.
This is one of the functions of a keyboard, and I hope you are familiar with this now. The next one is Volume Up-Down.
b. Volume Up-Down
Similar to the brightness Up-Down keys, every keyboard possesses keys turning volume Up and Down as well.
These keys make it very handy to do the job of turning the volume up and down according to your convenience. This is also a very much used function of a keyboard.
Now moving to the next one, which is helpful during watching a video clip. I’ll discuss it below here.
c. Next, Play, Pause, Previous
Nowadays, everyone is watching Netflix, Prime, YouTube, etc. While watching content on these platforms or during watching any video, sometimes we want to forward some unwanted scenes, while sometimes we need to pause it due to some other work you get suddenly.
To do these things, you have keys on the keyboard which help you to do these tasks at your fingertips. On the multimedia keyboard, you get to see these keys on the top of the keyboard.
d. Print Screen
The Print Screen button is on every computer keyboard that is used to take a screenshot of the monitor screen. Screenshot means taking a photo of whatever is on the screen or whatever is going on () the screen.
I hope you understand the print screen button.
e. Scroll Down
This function of the keyboard is used very often. While reading some documents or books on a computer, we need to scroll down up.
To achieve this, we can use keys on the keyboard. Hope you understood this function of the keyboard, and now we will have a look at the next function of the keyboard.
f. Pause Break
The Pause and Break keys were used in DOS and still function in the Command Prompt today. The Pause key is designed to pause a text-mode program’s output — it still works in the Command Prompt window on Windows.
When you press Pause, the output scrolling down your screen will stop.
In this blog, I have tried to complete almost all the things you need to know about the keyboard and its functions.
I hope you found this article helpful and understood the information which I have shared here. Thank you for reading this.
