Layout reference
French AZERTY Keyboard Layout: Keys, Accents and Setup
Find French accents and symbols, understand the number row, and check the exact AZERTY variant you use.
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A French AZERTY keyboard puts A Z E R T Y at the start of the top letter row. Compared with US QWERTY, A and Q exchange positions, W and Z exchange positions, and M moves to the home row. Accents and punctuation change much more than those first six letters suggest.
This guide shows French (Legacy, AZERTY) on Windows, the traditional PC arrangement. Belgian AZERTY, Apple French input sources, and newer French standard layouts are different variants. Match the exact input source before relying on a symbol shortcut.[1]
French AZERTY layout and number row
The lower legend on each key is the character produced without Shift. On this layout, the top row types & é " ' ( - è _ ç à before the final punctuation keys. Hold Shift to type the numbers 1 through 0. That is why pressing the key marked 2 may produce é even though the keyboard is working normally.
The letters Q and M on the home row are another quick clue. A QWERTY user’s usual A position produces Q; the usual semicolon position produces M. The raised marks used to find the home row remain at the F and J positions.
Where are @, €, accents and punctuation?
| Character | How to type it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| é, è, ç, à | Press the corresponding number-row key without Shift | These are direct characters, not accent sequences. |
| @ | AltGr + 0 | Use the zero/à key. AltGr is normally the right Alt key. |
| € | AltGr + E | The left Alt key alone is not equivalent. |
| ê | Press the ^ key, release it, then press E | The circumflex key is a dead key: it waits for a following letter. |
| ë | Shift + the ^ key, release both, then E | Shift selects the diaeresis accent on that key. |
| Full stop (.) | Shift + the semicolon key | The unshifted key types a semicolon. |
| / | Shift + the colon key | The slash is on the bottom letter row. |
These combinations follow Microsoft’s legacy French mapping.[1] A dead key does not always show a character immediately: the next compatible letter completes it. For a standalone circumflex, press the accent key followed by Space. Caps Lock behavior is not a substitute for checking the Shift layer.
For occasional accented text on a US keyboard, US International is another option. It keeps QWERTY letter positions and adds accent sequences; it does not turn the keyboard into AZERTY.
Select the matching French input layout
Windows 11
Open Settings → Time & language → Language & region. Open the menu for the relevant language, choose Language options → Add a keyboard, and select the French variant that matches your keyboard. The traditional mapping above is identified by Microsoft as French (Legacy, AZERTY); the displayed name can vary with Windows version and language. Use Windows + Space to select the installed layout.[2]
Mac and Linux
On a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit and add a French input source. Use Keyboard Viewer to check its symbol layers; Apple’s French mappings need not match the Windows diagram.[3] In GNOME, open Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources, add a French layout and use its preview to choose the variant.[4]
You can change the typing layout without changing the language of your menus. Keep your previous layout available until you have tested letters, numbers, accents and your usual shortcuts in a blank document.
Why does my French keyboard type QWERTY?
Printed keycaps do not select the computer’s input layout. If the physical A key types Q, the active software mapping may be QWERTY. Check the input indicator and select French, then test again. If the letters match but @ or punctuation does not, compare the regional variant and modifier layer.
If the problem happens only in a remote desktop or one app, check that environment’s input settings as well. Follow the wrong letters and symbols checklist before replacing the keyboard or moving keycaps.