Where can I find a list of Mac virtual key codes?

macos keyboard quartz-graphics keycode cgkeycode

116,353

Solution 1

Below is a list of the common key codes for quick reference, taken from Events.h.

If you need to use these keycodes in an application, you should include the Carbon framework:

Objective-C:
#include <Carbon/Carbon.h>

Swift:
import Carbon.HIToolbox

You can then use the kVK_ANSI_A constants directly.

WARNING

The key constants reference physical keys on the keyboard. Their output changes if the typist is using a different keyboard layout. The letters in the constants correspond only to the U.S. QWERTY keyboard layout.

For example, the left ring-finger key on the homerow:

QWERTY keyboard layout > s > kVK_ANSI_S > "s"
Dvorak keyboard layout > o > kVK_ANSI_S > "o"

Strategies for layout-agnostic conversion of keycode to string, and vice versa, are discussed here:

How to convert ASCII character to CGKeyCode?

From Events.h:

/*
 *  Summary:
 *    Virtual keycodes
 *  
 *  Discussion:
 *    These constants are the virtual keycodes defined originally in
 *    Inside Mac Volume V, pg. V-191. They identify physical keys on a
 *    keyboard. Those constants with "ANSI" in the name are labeled
 *    according to the key position on an ANSI-standard US keyboard.
 *    For example, kVK_ANSI_A indicates the virtual keycode for the key
 *    with the letter 'A' in the US keyboard layout. Other keyboard
 *    layouts may have the 'A' key label on a different physical key;
 *    in this case, pressing 'A' will generate a different virtual
 *    keycode.
 */
enum {
  kVK_ANSI_A                    = 0x00,
  kVK_ANSI_S                    = 0x01,
  kVK_ANSI_D                    = 0x02,
  kVK_ANSI_F                    = 0x03,
  kVK_ANSI_H                    = 0x04,
  kVK_ANSI_G                    = 0x05,
  kVK_ANSI_Z                    = 0x06,
  kVK_ANSI_X                    = 0x07,
  kVK_ANSI_C                    = 0x08,
  kVK_ANSI_V                    = 0x09,
  kVK_ANSI_B                    = 0x0B,
  kVK_ANSI_Q                    = 0x0C,
  kVK_ANSI_W                    = 0x0D,
  kVK_ANSI_E                    = 0x0E,
  kVK_ANSI_R                    = 0x0F,
  kVK_ANSI_Y                    = 0x10,
  kVK_ANSI_T                    = 0x11,
  kVK_ANSI_1                    = 0x12,
  kVK_ANSI_2                    = 0x13,
  kVK_ANSI_3                    = 0x14,
  kVK_ANSI_4                    = 0x15,
  kVK_ANSI_6                    = 0x16,
  kVK_ANSI_5                    = 0x17,
  kVK_ANSI_Equal                = 0x18,
  kVK_ANSI_9                    = 0x19,
  kVK_ANSI_7                    = 0x1A,
  kVK_ANSI_Minus                = 0x1B,
  kVK_ANSI_8                    = 0x1C,
  kVK_ANSI_0                    = 0x1D,
  kVK_ANSI_RightBracket         = 0x1E,
  kVK_ANSI_O                    = 0x1F,
  kVK_ANSI_U                    = 0x20,
  kVK_ANSI_LeftBracket          = 0x21,
  kVK_ANSI_I                    = 0x22,
  kVK_ANSI_P                    = 0x23,
  kVK_ANSI_L                    = 0x25,
  kVK_ANSI_J                    = 0x26,
  kVK_ANSI_Quote                = 0x27,
  kVK_ANSI_K                    = 0x28,
  kVK_ANSI_Semicolon            = 0x29,
  kVK_ANSI_Backslash            = 0x2A,
  kVK_ANSI_Comma                = 0x2B,
  kVK_ANSI_Slash                = 0x2C,
  kVK_ANSI_N                    = 0x2D,
  kVK_ANSI_M                    = 0x2E,
  kVK_ANSI_Period               = 0x2F,
  kVK_ANSI_Grave                = 0x32,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadDecimal        = 0x41,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadMultiply       = 0x43,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadPlus           = 0x45,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadClear          = 0x47,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadDivide         = 0x4B,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadEnter          = 0x4C,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadMinus          = 0x4E,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadEquals         = 0x51,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad0              = 0x52,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad1              = 0x53,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad2              = 0x54,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad3              = 0x55,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad4              = 0x56,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad5              = 0x57,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad6              = 0x58,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad7              = 0x59,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad8              = 0x5B,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad9              = 0x5C
};

/* keycodes for keys that are independent of keyboard layout*/
enum {
  kVK_Return                    = 0x24,
  kVK_Tab                       = 0x30,
  kVK_Space                     = 0x31,
  kVK_Delete                    = 0x33,
  kVK_Escape                    = 0x35,
  kVK_Command                   = 0x37,
  kVK_Shift                     = 0x38,
  kVK_CapsLock                  = 0x39,
  kVK_Option                    = 0x3A,
  kVK_Control                   = 0x3B,
  kVK_RightShift                = 0x3C,
  kVK_RightOption               = 0x3D,
  kVK_RightControl              = 0x3E,
  kVK_Function                  = 0x3F,
  kVK_F17                       = 0x40,
  kVK_VolumeUp                  = 0x48,
  kVK_VolumeDown                = 0x49,
  kVK_Mute                      = 0x4A,
  kVK_F18                       = 0x4F,
  kVK_F19                       = 0x50,
  kVK_F20                       = 0x5A,
  kVK_F5                        = 0x60,
  kVK_F6                        = 0x61,
  kVK_F7                        = 0x62,
  kVK_F3                        = 0x63,
  kVK_F8                        = 0x64,
  kVK_F9                        = 0x65,
  kVK_F11                       = 0x67,
  kVK_F13                       = 0x69,
  kVK_F16                       = 0x6A,
  kVK_F14                       = 0x6B,
  kVK_F10                       = 0x6D,
  kVK_F12                       = 0x6F,
  kVK_F15                       = 0x71,
  kVK_Help                      = 0x72,
  kVK_Home                      = 0x73,
  kVK_PageUp                    = 0x74,
  kVK_ForwardDelete             = 0x75,
  kVK_F4                        = 0x76,
  kVK_End                       = 0x77,
  kVK_F2                        = 0x78,
  kVK_PageDown                  = 0x79,
  kVK_F1                        = 0x7A,
  kVK_LeftArrow                 = 0x7B,
  kVK_RightArrow                = 0x7C,
  kVK_DownArrow                 = 0x7D,
  kVK_UpArrow                   = 0x7E
};

Macintosh Toolbox Essentials illustrates the physical locations of these virtual key codes for the Apple Extended Keyboard II in Figure 2-10:

Virtual key codes for the Apple Extended Keyboard II

Solution 2

The more canonical reference is in <HIToolbox/Events.h>:

/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Headers/Events.h

In newer Versions of MacOS the "Events.h" moved to here:

/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Headers/Events.h

Solution 3

Found an answer here.

So:

Command key is 55
Shift is 56
Caps Lock 57
Option is 58
Control is 59.

Solution 4

Here are the all keycodes.

Here is a table with some keycodes for the three platforms. It is based on a US Extended keyboard layout.

http://web.archive.org/web/20100501161453/http://www.classicteck.com/rbarticles/mackeyboard.php

Or, there is an app in the Mac App Store named "Key Codes". Download it to see the keycodes of the keys you press.

Key Codes:
https://itunes.apple.com/tr/app/key-codes/id414568915?l=tr&mt=12

Solution 5

I found this wonderful article while doing the research for LibOS.

P.S: Mac's virtual key codes are the worst

View more solutions

116,353

Author by

Nick Moore

Started programming in 1987 on the C64. Now a Mac software developer for a living.

Updated on July 08, 2022

Comments

Nick Moore almost 2 years

I'm using CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent and need to know what CGKeyCode values to use.

Specifically, I am after the key code for the Command key. The docs give examples for other keys: z is 6, shift is 56.

There must be a list of Mac virtual keycodes somewhere?
mbauman over 13 years

Note, too, that if you include <Carbon/Carbon.h> (or this header directly), the kVK_* symbols are exposed. So in your example, you can use kVK_Command directly.
pkamb about 11 years

@MattB. +1 for #include <Carbon/Carbon.h>. You can then just type kVK_ANSI_A.
AllanCampos over 10 years

Using character codes from Events.h works great for the new iOS7 UIKeyCommand api as well
Dave almost 10 years

For visualization, check out the Virtual key codes for the Apple Extended Keyboard II from the Macintosh Toolbox Essentials available here.
bazz over 9 years

worth mentioning events.h can be found at /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frame‌works/HIToolbox.fram‌ework/Versions/A/Hea‌ders
Casey Watson about 9 years

...and image is broken on archive.org version.
rob mayoff almost 8 years

In Swift, import Carbon.HIToolbox to access these constants.
Michał Ziobro almost 8 years

Which key code is Power Button?
pkamb almost 8 years

@MichałZiobro The Power Key/Button is a bit tricky, generating several NSSystemDefined-type keyboard events with various keycodes and subtypes such as NX_POWER_KEY and NX_SUBTYPE_POWER_KEY. Please see source of my PowerKey app on github for more information: github.com/pkamb/PowerKey/blob/master/PowerKey/…
Blaszard almost 7 years

Why are some keys missing, such as 0x66 or 0x68 (but 0x67 exists)...?
Damiaan Dufaux almost 7 years

I read on developer.apple.com that Carbon's HIToolbox.framework is deprecated. But I can't find a replacement in Cocoa.framework. Did they deprecate this without providing a replacement? Is it safe to use this Carbon framework in modern apps?
pkamb over 5 years

using @(42) cuts down on the noise of numberWithInteger: 42. But a lookup table like this is not a good idea due to the mismatch on other keyboard layouts.
Austin almost 4 years

Note that the values from this table differ from what you get out of NSEvent.keyCode.
1.21 gigawatts about 3 years

Why aren't these static constants on the Event class?
gavrilikhin.d over 2 years

It's ok on older snapshot (e.g web.archive.org/web/20080227222056/http://classicteck.com/…)