You’ve probably already typed these letters on your keyboard, out of boredom or curiosity. But do you know why the keyboard keys are arranged in this order? What is the origin of the AZERTY layout, used mainly in France and Belgium? And are there alternatives that are more ergonomic and more adapted to the French language?

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the history and evolution of the AZERTY keyboard.

The origin of the AZERTY keyboard

The AZERTY keyboard is an adaptation of the QWERTY keyboard, invented in the United States in the 19th century for typewriters. QWERTY was designed to prevent blocking of adjacent keys during rapid typing. To do this, the most frequent letters in English were moved away from each other on the keyboard.

The AZERTY keyboard appeared in France at the end of the 19th century, as a variant of QWERTY adapted to the peculiarities of the French language. The letters A and Q are reversed, as are the letters Z and W. The M is placed at the end of the last alphabetic row, not next to the N as in QWERTY. Additional keys are added for accents and special characters such as ç, è or à.

The limits of the AZERTY keyboard

The AZERTY keyboard is currently the most popular in France and Belgium, but it has many disadvantages. First of all, it is not very ergonomic, because it requires you to use the same hand or finger to type letters frequently.

For example, E, which is the most used letter in French, is in the same row as R, T, Y, U and I, which puts a lot of strain on the right index finger. Similarly, A, S, D, and F are in the same row as Q, W, X, and C, which tire the left index finger.

Then, the AZERTY keyboard is not very practical for correct French writing, because it makes it difficult to access certain punctuation marks or certain accented capital letters.

For example, to type a question mark, you need to press the Shift key and the 6 key. To type an uppercase E, you need to do a combination of three keys: Alt Gr + Shift + 2. Some characters, such as œ or “”, do not even exist on the standard AZERTY keyboard.

Alternatives to AZERTY keyboard

Faced with the problems posed by the AZERTY keyboard, initiatives have been launched to offer alternative layouts that are more ergonomic and more adapted to French. Among them we can mention:

• BÉPO: is a layout inspired by the Dvorak method, which consists of placing the most frequent letters in the center of the keyboard, in the rest of the row. BÉPO reduces finger movement and balances the use of both hands. It also makes it easy to access accents and punctuation. BÉPO has been recognized as an experimental standard since 2009⁶.
• Improved AZERTY: this is a layout proposed by AFNOR (French Association for Standardization) in 2016, as part of a voluntary standard project for the French keyboard. Enhanced AZERTY maintains the basic layout of the AZERTY keyboard, but introduces modifications to make writing in French easier, such as the ability to create accented capital letters with the Shift key or adding keys for œ, ” ” or the en- dash. Enhanced AZERTY is compatible with existing keyboards, just change the OS settings.

What are the differences between the enhanced AZERTY keyboard and the standard AZERTY keyboard?

The improved AZERTY keyboard is a proposal by AFNOR to standardize and modernize the French keyboard. It differs from the standard AZERTY keyboard in several aspects:

• It allows you to create accented capital letters with the Shift key, without having to use the Alt Gr key or a complex key combination.
• Adds keys for French-specific characters such as œ, “,” € or en dash.
• Changes the layout of certain symbols, such as the question mark, exclamation point, or question mark, to make them more accessible.
• Inserts a dead key for ligatures, such as æ or .

How to use the improved AZERTY keyboard?

To use the improved AZERTY keyboard, you need to follow these steps:

• Download and install the NF Z71-300 template on your computer following the instructions available on the AFNOR website.
• Change the keyboard layout in the operating system settings, selecting Enhanced AZERTY as the default layout or as an alternative option.
• Familiarize yourself with the new keys and symbols by consulting the user guide provided by AFNOR.
• Optionally, change the stickers or keys on your physical keyboard to match the improved AZERTY layout.

conclusion

The AZERTY keyboard is the result of a historical adaptation of the QWERTY keyboard, but is not optimal for writing in French. There are more ergonomic and practical alternatives, such as BÉPO or the improved AZERTY, which can be adopted by users who are concerned about their comfort and the quality of their writing.

And you, what keyboard layout are you using? Are you ready to change your habits to try a new keyboard?