What is the difference between key, code and keyCode?

event.key is the character produced (“a”, “Enter”), event.code is the physical key (“KeyA”) regardless of layout, and event.keyCode is a legacy numeric code that is now deprecated.

Why should I avoid keyCode?

keyCode is deprecated and inconsistent across browsers and layouts. Use event.code for physical-key shortcuts and event.key for the typed character instead.

Does this capture my keystrokes?

No. Key events are read only while you focus the tool and are displayed locally in your browser. Nothing is logged, stored or sent to any server.

Why is event.keyCode always shown if it is deprecated?

It is included because a lot of existing code still relies on keyCode, so the tool reports it for reference. For new code, prefer event.code or event.key, which are standardised and consistent.

Why does the same letter give a different key with Shift held?

event.key reflects the character actually produced, so Shift+a yields "A" while event.code stays "KeyA" because the physical key is unchanged.

Does the tool work with non-US keyboard layouts?

Yes. event.key reflects your active layout, while event.code always reports the physical key, which is exactly why code is recommended for layout-independent shortcuts.

JavaScript Keycode Info

Press a key and instantly read its event.key, event.code, keyCode and modifier flags — a live keyboard event inspector in your browser.

Updated June 2026

Files never leave your browser

Click here, then press any keyKey events are captured live in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.

Common keys reference

key	code	keyCode
Enter	Enter	13
Escape	Escape	27
Space	Space	32
Tab	Tab	9
Backspace	Backspace	8
Delete	Delete	46
ArrowUp	ArrowUp	38
ArrowDown	ArrowDown	40
ArrowLeft	ArrowLeft	37
ArrowRight	ArrowRight	39
a	KeyA	65
0	Digit0	48
F1	F1	112

event.keyCode is deprecated — prefer event.code for physical keys and event.key for the produced character.

How to use JavaScript Keycode Info

The JavaScript Keycode Info tool is a live keyboard-event inspector. Focus the capture area, press any key, and it shows you the exact values your browser reports — event.key, event.code, the legacy event.keyCode, the physical key location and which modifier keys were held. It is the quickest way to find the right identifier when you are wiring up a keyboard shortcut, debugging a hotkey handler, or just curious what a particular key produces. A built-in reference table also lists the values for the most common keys, and everything runs locally so your keystrokes are never recorded or sent anywhere.

Click the capture area so it has keyboard focus.
Press the key or key combination you want to inspect.
Read the reported event.key, event.code, keyCode and modifiers.
Copy the details if you need them for your code.
Use the reference table below for common keys without pressing them.

Your data never leaves your device — 100% private processing.

key vs code vs keyCode

Modern keyboard events expose three identifiers that are easy to confuse. event.key is the character or named value the key produces in the current layout and modifier state — pressing Shift+a gives "A", and a layout-aware key like AltGr can change it. event.code is the physical key on the keyboard, written as a stable name like "KeyA" or "Digit1" that does not change with layout, which makes it ideal for game controls and position-based shortcuts. event.keyCode is the old numeric code (65 for the A key) that predates both; it is deprecated, varies between browsers, and should be avoided in new code. Choosing the right one — code for physical position, key for the typed character — prevents most shortcut bugs.

Identifier comparison for the “A” key
Property	Value	Use it for
event.key	a (or A with Shift)	The character actually typed
event.code	KeyA	The physical key, layout-independent
event.keyCode	65 (deprecated)	Legacy code only — avoid in new code

Modifier keys and key location

Each keyboard event also carries four boolean modifier flags — ctrlKey, altKey, shiftKey and metaKey (Command on macOS, Windows key on Windows) — which this tool summarises so you can see exactly which combination was pressed. The location value distinguishes otherwise-identical keys: a left Shift reports location “Left”, a right Shift reports “Right”, and number-pad keys report “Numpad”, which lets you treat the numeric keypad differently from the top-row digits. Knowing both the modifiers and the location is essential when you want a shortcut like Ctrl+Left-Shift to behave differently from Ctrl+Right-Shift, or when a Numpad Enter should do something distinct from the main Enter key.

Worked examples

Press Enter

Inputs: Enter key

Result: key: Enter · code: Enter · keyCode: 13

Press Shift+A

Inputs: Shift + a

Result: key: A · code: KeyA · modifiers: Shift

Glossary

event.key: The DOM property holding the character or named value a key produces, accounting for layout and modifiers.
event.code: The DOM property naming the physical key pressed, independent of keyboard layout.
keyCode: A deprecated numeric key identifier kept only for backward compatibility with older code.
Modifier key: A key such as Ctrl, Alt, Shift or Meta that changes the meaning of another key when held.
Key location: A value indicating where a key sits — standard, left, right or numpad — used to tell duplicate keys apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Why use JavaScript Keycode Info?

See event.key, event.code and keyCode for any key in real time
Identify modifier combinations (Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Meta) at a glance
Distinguish physical keys from produced characters across layouts
Includes a quick-reference table of common keys and codes
Captures keys locally — keystrokes are never logged or uploaded

Common use cases

Find the correct event.code when building a keyboard shortcut
Debug why a hotkey handler is not firing for a specific key
Compare key values between different keyboard layouts
Teach how the DOM keyboard event model works
Look up the deprecated keyCode for legacy code you are maintaining

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