Keyboard Event Tester
Use this keyboard event tester to inspect the JavaScript event data generated by each key press in your browser.
Quick Answer
A keyboard event tester captures browser keydown events and displays the KeyboardEvent properties developers commonly need: event.key, event.code, keyCode, which, location, repeat, and modifier keys.
Live Keyboard Event Tester
Press any key to capture the current keydown event and inspect the values your JavaScript handler would receive.
Current key press
Waiting...
Press any key to start
event.key
-
Value produced by the key
event.code
-
Physical keyboard position
event.keyCode
-
Legacy numeric value
event.which
-
Legacy alias
event.location
-
Left, right, or numpad hint
event.repeat
-
True when held down
Modifier Keys
Waiting
Shift, Ctrl, Alt, Meta
Common Uses
- Compare keydown event values across browsers.
- Debug keyboard shortcuts, command palettes, and game controls.
- See how virtual keyboards and physical keyboards report input.
- Check whether a key reports a layout-dependent value.
Event Values to Watch
event.key
The typed character or semantic key name, such as A, Enter, or ArrowLeft.
event.code
The hardware key code for the physical position on the keyboard.
event.location
A numeric hint for left/right modifiers or numpad keys when browsers provide it.
event.repeat
Whether the keydown event is repeating because the key is being held down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which keyboard event does this page test?
This page listens for keydown events because keydown is the most useful event for shortcuts, key detection, and most interactive keyboard behavior.
Is keypress still the right JavaScript event to use?
For new code, keydown and keyup are usually preferred. The legacy keypress event is limited and has been replaced by more consistent KeyboardEvent properties.
Why should I test keyboard events in the browser?
Testing in the browser shows the exact values your JavaScript receives, which helps avoid layout, modifier, browser, and deprecated keyCode surprises.