Menu key - Wikipedia Jump to content Main menu Main menu move to sidebar hide Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Special pages Search Search Appearance Donate Create account Log in Personal tools Donate Create account Log in Contents move to sidebar hide (Top) 1 Implementation 2 Other hardware 3 Copilot key 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Toggle the table of contents Menu key 14 languages العربية বাংলা Čeština Deutsch Eesti فارسی Français עברית Italiano 日本語 한국어 Polski Română 中文 Edit links Article Talk English Read Edit View history Tools Tools move to sidebar hide Actions Read Edit View history General What links here Related changes Upload file Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Switch to legacy parser Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Button on Windows-oriented computer keyboards This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Menu key" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The Menu key Two different keycap versions In computing, the menu key (≣ Menu), or application key, is a key with the primary function to launch a context menu with the keyboard rather than with the usual right-mouse button.[1] It was previously found on Microsoft Windows-oriented computer keyboards and was introduced in 1994, at the same time as the Windows logo key. The menu key was sometimes omitted on smaller keyboards. In October 2024, Apple added the "Contextual Menu key" to its USB-C Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad models.[2] Implementation [edit] On keyboards including the key, its symbol would usually have been a small icon depicting a pointer hovering above a menu; it would typically have been found on the right side of the keyboard between the right Windows logo key and the right control key (or between the right AltGr key and the right control key). While the Windows key is present on the vast majority of keyboards intended for use with the Windows operating system, the menu key was frequently omitted in the interest of space, particularly on portable and laptop keyboards. It was able to be used when the right-mouse button was not present on a mouse. Some Windows public terminals did not have a Menu key on their keyboard with the goal of preventing users from right-clicking; however, in many Windows applications, a similar functionality could be invoked with the ⇧ Shift+F10 keyboard shortcut, or sometimes Ctrl+⇧ Shift+F10. Other hardware [edit] Some laptop computers include a menu function on the fn key (usually operated by typing ⇧ Shift+Fn), however, this generally invokes functions built into the vendor's software and is not the same as the key described above. For example, the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard has an FN key where the menu key is usually found; pressing FN, together with the keyboard's print screen key (above home), produces the Menu key function. Android devices formerly came with physical menu buttons, but with the 2011 release of Android Honeycomb, this was deprecated in favor of an on-screen button.[3][4] Copilot key [edit] See also: Microsoft Copilot § Copilot key Copilot key (at center) on a Lenovo Legion 7i laptop. Starting in 2024, this key replaces the menu key for licensed Windows-compatible keyboards. In January 2024, Microsoft announced a Microsoft Copilot key that would replace the menu key on devices branded as "Copilot+" PCs.[5] If Copilot is disabled or not available in a user's market, this key would launch Windows Search.[6][7] See also [edit] Hamburger button Win key References [edit] ↑ "Using your keyboard". support.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-06-09. ↑ "Right-click on Mac". Apple Support. Retrieved 2025-09-15. ↑ "Menus | Android Developers". Developer.android.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17. ↑ "Say Goodbye to the Menu Button | Android Developers Blog". Android-developers.blogspot.co.uk. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2016-07-17. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob (2024-05-20). "Microsoft announces Copilot Plus PCs with built-in AI hardware". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-05-20. ↑ Warren, Tom (2024-03-26). "Microsoft's new era of AI PCs will need a Copilot key, says Intel". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-03-26. ↑ "Microsoft's new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years". The Verge. Vox Media. January 4, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024. External links [edit] "Virtual-Key Codes". Winuser.h. Keyboard Input. MSDN. 22 June 2022. Menu key at Free Dictionary IBM PC keyboard (Windows, ANSI US layout)v t e Esc F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 PrtSc/ SysRq Scroll Lock Pause/ Break \n# Row are 60 pixel tall in reference to the unsized original\n# rect left top right bottom [[link]]\n#</nowiki>\n# Top row shift\nrect 0 0 60 30 [[Tilde]]\nrect 60 0 120 30 [[Exclamation mark]]\nrect 120 0 180 30 [[At sign]]\nrect 180 0 240 30 [[Number sign]]\nrect 240 0 300 30 [[Dollar sign]]\nrect 300 0 360 30 [[Percent sign]]\nrect 360 0 420 30 [[Caret]]\nrect 420 0 480 30 [[Ampersand]]\nrect 480 0 540 30 [[Asterisk]]\nrect 540 0 600 30 [[Parenthesis]]\nrect 600 0 660 30 [[Parenthesis]]\nrect 660 0 720 30 [[Underscore]]\nrect 720 0 780 30 [[Plus sign]]\nrect 780 0 900 30 [[Backspace]]\n\n# Top row\nrect 0 0 60 60 [[backtick]]\nrect 60 0 120 60 [[1 (number)]]\nrect 120 0 180 60 [[2 (number)]]\nrect 180 0 240 60 [[3 (number)]]\nrect 240 0 300 60 [[4 (number)]]\nrect 300 0 360 60 [[5 (number)]]\nrect 360 0 420 60 [[6 (number)]]\nrect 420 0 480 60 [[7 (number)]]\nrect 480 0 540 60 [[8 (number)]]\nrect 540 0 600 60 [[9 (number)]]\nrect 600 0 660 60 [[0]]\nrect 660 0 720 60 [[Hyphen-minus]]\nrect 720 0 780 60 [[Equals sign]]\nrect 780 0 900 60 [[Backspace]]\n\n# Second row shift\nrect 0 61 90 90 [[Tab key]]\nrect 90 61 150 90 [[Q]]\nrect 150 61 210 90 [[W]]\nrect 210 61 270 90 [[E]]\nrect 270 61 330 90 [[R]]\nrect 330 61 390 90 [[T]]\nrect 390 61 450 90 [[Y]]\nrect 450 61 510 90 [[U]]\nrect 510 61 570 90 [[I]]\nrect 570 61 630 90 [[O]]\nrect 630 61 690 90 [[P]]\nrect 690 61 750 90 [[Curly bracket]]\nrect 750 61 810 90 [[Curly bracket]]\nrect 810 61 900 90 [[Vertical bar]]\n\n# Second row\nrect 0 61 90 120 [[Tab key]]\nrect 90 61 150 120 [[q]]\nrect 150 61 210 120 [[w]]\nrect 210 61 270 120 [[e]]\nrect 270 61 330 120 [[r]]\nrect 330 61 390 120 [[t]]\nrect 390 61 450 120 [[y]]\nrect 450 61 510 120 [[u]]\nrect 510 61 570 120 [[i]]\nrect 570 61 630 120 [[o]]\nrect 630 61 690 120 [[p]]\nrect 690 61 750 120 [[Square bracket]]\nrect 750 61 810 120 [[Square bracket]]\nrect 810 61 900 120 [[Backslash]]\n\n# Third row shift\nrect 0 121 105 150 [[Caps lock]]\nrect 105 121 165 150 [[A]]\nrect 165 121 225 150 [[S]]\nrect 225 121 285 150 [[D]]\nrect 285 121 345 150 [[F]]\nrect 345 121 405 150 [[G]]\nrect 405 121 465 150 [[H]]\nrect 465 121 525 150 [[J]]\nrect 525 121 585 150 [[K]]\nrect 585 121 645 150 [[L]]\nrect 645 121 705 150 [[Colon (punctuation)]]\nrect 705 121 765 150 [[Quotation mark]]\nrect 765 121 900 150 [[Enter key]]\n\n# Third row\nrect 0 121 105 180 [[Caps lock]]\nrect 105 121 165 180 [[a]]\nrect 165 121 225 180 [[s]]\nrect 225 121 285 180 [[d]]\nrect 285 121 345 180 [[f]]\nrect 345 121 405 180 [[g]]\nrect 405 121 465 180 [[h]]\nrect 465 121 525 180 [[j]]\nrect 525 121 585 180 [[k]]\nrect 585 121 645 180 [[l]]\nrect 645 121 705 180 [[Semicolon]]\nrect 705 121 765 180 [[Apostrophe]]\nrect 765 121 900 180 [[Enter key]]\n\n# Fourth row shift\nrect 0 181 135 210 [[Shift key]]\nrect 135 181 195 210 [[Z]]\nrect 195 181 255 210 [[X]]\nrect 255 181 315 210 [[C]]\nrect 315 181 375 210 [[V]]\nrect 375 181 435 210 [[B]]\nrect 435 181 495 210 [[N]]\nrect 495 181 555 210 [[M]]\nrect 555 181 615 210 [[Bracket]]\nrect 615 181 675 210 [[Bracket]]\nrect 675 181 735 210 [[Question mark]]\nrect 735 181 900 210 [[Shift key]]\n\n# Fourth row\nrect 0 181 135 240 [[Shift key]]\nrect 135 181 195 240 [[z]]\nrect 195 181 255 240 [[x]]\nrect 255 181 315 240 [[c]]\nrect 315 181 375 240 [[v]]\nrect 375 181 435 240 [[b]]\nrect 435 181 495 240 [[n]]\nrect 495 181 555 240 [[m]]\nrect 555 181 615 240 [[Comma (punctuation)]]\nrect 615 181 675 240 [[Full stop]]\nrect 675 181 735 240 [[Slash (punctuation)]]\nrect 735 181 900 240 [[Shift key]]\n\n# Bottom row\nrect 0 241 90 300 [[Control key]]\nrect 90 241 150 300 [[Windows key]]\nrect 150 241 240 300 [[Alt key]]\nrect 240 241 600 300 [[Space bar]]\nrect 600 241 690 300 [[Alt key]]\nrect 690 241 750 300 [[File:Windows logo - 2021 (Black).svg|thumb]]\nrect 750 241 810 300 [[Menu key]]\nrect 810 241 900 300 [[Control key]]\n\n"}}'> Insert Home Page Up Num Lock ∕ ∗ − Delete End Page Down 7 8 9 + 4 5 6 ↑ 1 2 3 Enter ← ↓ →    0    Ins  .  Del v t e Keyboard keys Dead keys Compose Gold Modifier keys Control Shift Alt / Option (Apple) AltGr Command (Apple) / Windows (Microsoft) / Super Meta Hyper Fn Lock keys Scroll Lock Num Lock Caps Lock F-Lock Navigation keys Arrow keys Page Up/Page Down Home End Esc Menu Editing Enter/Return Carriage return Backspace Insert Delete Tab Space bar Numeric keypad Language input Contextual Function keys Print Screen System request Break/Pause Misc. Power management keys (Power, Sleep, Wake) Any key Macro key Menu key Keyboard technology Keyboard shortcut Keyboard layout Keyboard mapping Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Menu_key&oldid=1361257918" Category: Computer keys Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata Articles needing additional references from July 2016 All articles needing additional references This page was last edited on 26 June 2026, at 19:09(UTC). Page was rendered with Parsoid. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. 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