How to Type English (QWERTY) Characters on a French AZERTY Keyboard (2026 Guide)
If you've ever sat down at a French laptop or borrowed a keyboard in a Paris office and tried to type in English, you already know the pain: hit "A" and you get "Q." Hit "M" and nothing happens where you expect. Punctuation goes missing entirely. This is the AZERTY vs. QWERTY layout mismatch, and it trips up travelers, remote workers, and anyone using a French-labeled keyboard for the first time.
The good news is you don't need a new keyboard. In most cases you can switch your input layout in a few clicks, and if you're stuck on a shared or locked-down machine, there are workarounds too. Here's everything that actually works.
Why AZERTY and QWERTY Don't Match
AZERTY is the standard keyboard layout in France, Belgium, and a few other French-speaking regions. It rearranges several letter keys compared to the QWERTY layout used in the US, UK, and most of the English-speaking world:
- A and Q are swapped
- Z and W are swapped
- M sits where QWERTY's semicolon/colon key is, and the QWERTY M position holds a comma
- Numbers require holding Shift on most AZERTY keyboards (the top row defaults to symbols)
- Punctuation like periods, commas, and quotation marks are in different spots
None of this is a bug; it's just a different physical and logical layout, designed around French accented characters and punctuation conventions.
Method 1: Switch to QWERTY in Windows (No New Keyboard Needed)
This is the fastest fix if it's your own machine or one you can adjust settings on.
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region
- Under "Preferred languages," click your French language entry (or click "Add a language" to add English if it's not listed)
- Click the three-dot menu next to the language and select Language options
- Under "Keyboards," click Add a keyboard and choose United States or United Kingdom depending on which QWERTY variant you want.
Once added, switch between layouts on the fly with the Windows key + Spacebar, or click the language indicator in the taskbar (usually shows "FR" or "ENG" near the clock). The physical keys stay labeled in French, but the characters typed will follow QWERTY logic, so muscle memory from a US keyboard works even though the key caps don't match.
Method 2: Switch to QWERTY on macOS
- Open System Settings > Keyboard
- Click Input Sources > Edit
- Click the + button, search for "English," and add U.S. or British
- Enable "Show Input menu in menu bar" so you can switch quickly from the top menu bar.
Switch layouts with the flag icon in the menu bar, or set a keyboard shortcut under Keyboard Shortcuts > Input Sources to cycle layouts with a key combo.
Method 3: No Admin Access? Use the On-Screen Keyboard.
If you're on a locked-down work or public computer where you can't change system settings, Windows' On-Screen Keyboard (search "On-Screen Keyboard" in the Start menu) will display your currently active layout visually. It won't switch you to QWERTY, but it helps you see exactly where each character is mapped in the current layout, which is often faster than guessing.
Method 4: Memorize the Key Differences (Complete Two-Way Reference)
If switching layouts isn't an option at all, here's the full breakdown in both directions of what a key produces on QWERTY versus AZERTY, side by side. This works whether you're an English speaker stuck on a French keyboard or a French speaker stuck on a US/UK one and trying to type accented characters. Just find the character you want in either column.
Letters: Where Every Key Actually Is
Only three letters swap position. Everything else sits on the same physical key on both layouts.
| Physical key location | Type this on QWERTY | Type this on AZERTY |
|---|---|---|
| Leftmost key, home row | A | Q |
| Leftmost key, top letter row | Q | A |
| Leftmost key, bottom letter row | Z | W |
| 2nd key, top letter row | W | Z |
| Home row, right of L | ; (semicolon) | M |
| Bottom row, right of N | M | , (comma) |
| All other letter keys (B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, X, Y) | Same physical key on both layouts | |
Punctuation: The Marks That Move
Each row is one physical key. The two right-hand columns show what that same key produces unshifted and with Shift on each layout.
| Physical key location | QWERTY (unshifted / Shift) | AZERTY (unshifted / shift) |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom row, right of N | M / M | , /? |
| Next key right | , / < | ; / . |
| Next key right | . / > | : / / |
| Last key, bottom row | / / ? | ! / § |
| Home row, right of L | ; /: | M / M |
| Next key right (before Enter) | '/" | ù / % |
| Key right of 0 | - / _ | ) / ° |
| Key right of that (before Backspace) | = / + | = / + |
Numbers Row: Why Everything Types as Symbols
On AZERTY, the whole top row defaults to French accented letters and punctuation. Numbers sit on the same keys but need Shift. On QWERTY, the reverse numbers are unshifted, and symbols need Shift.
| Key | QWERTY (unshifted / Shift) | AZERTY (unshifted / shift) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 key | 1 / ! | & / 1 |
| 2 key | 2 / @ | é / 2 |
| 3 key | 3 / # | "/ 3 |
| 4 key | 4 / $ | '/ 4 |
| 5 key | 5 / % | (/ 5 |
| 6 key | 6 / ^ | - / 6 |
| 7 key | 7 / & | è / 7 |
| 8 key | 8 / * | _ / 8 |
| 9 key | 9 / ( | ç / 9 |
| 0 key | 0 / ) | à / 0 |
Tip: on a full-size keyboard, the numeric keypad types plain numbers on both layouts regardless of which one is active, so it's the fastest workaround when you just need digits.
Symbols You Need AltGr For (Email Addresses, Codes, Passwords)
On QWERTY these are a simple shift tap. On AZERTY they're hidden behind AltGr (the right Alt key), which is why they trip people up most:
| Symbol | On QWERTY | On AZERTY |
|---|---|---|
| @ (at sign) | Shift + 2 | AltGr + 0 (the à key) |
| # (hash) | Shift + 3 | AltGr + 3 |
| { (open curly brace) | Shift + [ | AltGr + 4 |
| } (close curly brace) | Shift + ] | AltGr + = key |
| [ (open square bracket) | [ (unshifted) | AltGr + 5 |
| ] (close square bracket) | ] (unshifted) | AltGr + ) key |
| | (pipe) | Shift + \ | AltGr + 6 |
| \ (backslash) | \ (unshifted) | AltGr + 8 |
| ^ (caret) | Shift + 6 | AltGr + 9, or the dead key ^ after P (unshifted) |
| ~ (tilde) | Shift + ` | AltGr + 2 |
| ` (grave accent) | ` (unshifted) | AltGr + 7 |
| € (euro sign) | Not on US layouts (use Alt+0128 on Windows) | AltGr + E |
Note: some newer French keyboards sold since 2019 follow an updated AFNOR standard (NF Z71-300) with slightly different AltGr placements, including easier access to @. If a combo above doesn't match what you're seeing, check whether the machine uses this newer layout.
Going the Other Way: French Accents on a QWERTY Keyboard
This is the table most guides skip. If you're a French speaker typing on a US or UK QWERTY keyboard and need accented characters, here's how to get them without switching your whole system layout:
| Character | Native key on AZERTY | On Windows QWERTY (Alt code, numpad) | On Mac, QWERTY (Option key) |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | 2 key, unshifted | Alt + 0233 | Option + E, then E |
| è | 7 key, unshifted | Alt + 0232 | Option + `, then E |
| ê | Dead-key ^ (after P), then E | Alt + 0234 | Option + I, then E |
| à | 0 key, unshifted | Alt + 0224 | Option + `, then A |
| ù | Dedicated key (right of M) | Alt + 0249 | Option + `, then U |
| ç | 9 key, unshifted | Alt + 0231 | Option + C |
| œ | AltGr + O | Alt + 0156 | Option + Q |
| É / À / Ç (capitals) | No clean key on standard AZERTY | Alt + 0201 / 0192 / 0199 | Same combo as lowercase, holding Shift for the letter |
| « » | No clean key on standard AZERTY | Alt + 0171 / Alt + 0187 | Option + \, then Option + Shift + \ |
That gap is real, not a typo: standard French AZERTY has no clean way to type accented capital letters or the French « » quotation marks, which is why French typists often lean on autocorrect for them. The 2019 AFNOR-standard AZERTY layout fixes this, but it's still uncommon on older or off-the-shelf keyboards. Windows Alt codes only work using the numeric keypad, not the number row. Laptop users may need to enable NumLock on the embedded keypad first.
Bonus: Keyboard Sticker Overlays
If you're going to be using a French keyboard for an extended stay, a semester abroad, or a long work assignment, physical QWERTY sticker overlays are inexpensive and let you keep your system layout on QWERTY without staring at mismatched keycaps. Search "QWERTY keyboard stickers" on any major retailer; they run a few dollars and apply in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does switching the layout in Windows remap the physical keys permanently?
No. It only changes which character is sent when you press a key and only while that layout is active. You can switch back to AZERTY anytime with the same shortcut.
Why do numbers require Shift on my French keyboard?
AZERTY keyboards default the top row to accented characters and symbols used in French, with numbers accessible via Shift. This is standard on physical AZERTY hardware regardless of which software layout is active, unless you also enable a setting to swap it.
Can I get numbers without Shift on AZERTY?
Yes, in Windows, some AZERTY keyboard drivers offer an "AZERTY (no dead keys)" or numeric-row variant. Check the keyboard list under Language options for a variant labeled this way.
Will this work on a shared office computer where I don't have admin rights?
Usually yes. Adding a keyboard layout in Windows or macOS typically doesn't require administrator privileges; only adding a new display language sometimes does. Try Method 1 or 2 first before resorting to the on-screen keyboard workaround.
Did this fix your typing headache? Let me know in the comments if you're using Windows, Mac, or something else. I'm happy to help troubleshoot specific cases.
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