What the Alt Gr key does
Alt Gr (Alternate Graphic) types the third or fourth character printed on a key: € on many layouts, @ on German and Italian keyboards, accented letters on US-International. Windows treats Alt Gr as Ctrl+Alt pressed together, which is why Ctrl+Alt+E also gives € on a UK keyboard.
On a Mac
No Alt Gr key. The Option key gives access to the extra characters, though the mapping differs by layout.
On a laptop
Present when the laptop has an international layout. On US laptops the right Alt is a normal Alt unless you enable the US-International layout, at which point it becomes Alt Gr.
Shortcuts that use the Alt Gr key
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt Gr+4 (UK) | Euro sign € |
| Alt Gr+Q (German) | @ |
| Alt Gr+E (US-Intl) | é |
| Alt Gr+N (US-Intl) | ñ |
| Ctrl+Alt | Same as Alt Gr on Windows |
If the Alt Gr key is missing or not working
If Alt Gr types nothing special, the active layout is US (no third characters). Add the US-International or your national layout in Settings → Time & Language → Language. If it opens menus instead, a stuck Ctrl key is interfering.
Test it here: click the tester, press the key, and it should light up green. A red key is stuck; a key that never lights up is dead or intercepted by the system. The full keyboard tester has the press log and more detail.
Click the tester, then press any key. Browser shortcuts are blocked while it has focus.
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- key
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- code
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- keyCode
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none
Max at once: 0 (rollover)
None detected. A key held for more than 2 seconds is flagged.
Frequently asked questions
What does Alt Gr stand for? +
Alternate Graphic. It selects the extra graphic characters printed on keys of international layouts.
Is there an Alt Gr key on a Mac? +
No. Use the Option key for extra characters.
What can I press instead of Alt Gr? +
Ctrl+Alt together does the same thing on Windows.
Why does my US keyboard not have Alt Gr? +
The standard US layout has no third-level characters. Switch to United States-International and the right Alt becomes Alt Gr.