US vs JIS Keyboard Layout Comparison (Symbol Key Positions)
Compare where symbol keys (@, ", [ ], etc.) sit on US and JIS (Japanese) keyboard layouts. A free reference table with notes to resolve confusion when buying an imported PC or changing OS keyboard settings, with a search filter.
| Symbol / Key | Position on US Layout | Position on JIS Layout | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| @ | Shift + 2 | Dedicated key (right of P) | Typed with Shift+2 on the US layout, but exists as its own dedicated key to the right of P on the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) layout. A classic mis-tap when entering Japanese email addresses. |
| " | Shift + ' | Shift + 2 | Typed as Shift plus the apostrophe key on the US layout, but with Shift+2 on the JIS layout. The differing position often trips people up when working with strings in code. |
| # | Shift + 3 | Shift + 3 | Shared as Shift+3 on both layouts, so it is relatively unlikely to cause confusion. |
| $ | Shift + 4 | Shift + 4 | Shared as Shift+4 on both layouts, so it is relatively unlikely to cause confusion. |
| % | Shift + 5 | Shift + 5 | Shared as Shift+5 on both layouts, so it is relatively unlikely to cause confusion. |
| & | Shift + 7 | Shift + 6 | Typed with Shift+7 on the US layout, but Shift+6 on the JIS layout. Worth noting since it appears frequently as an operator. |
| ' | Dedicated key (right of ;) | Shift + 7 | Exists as its own dedicated key to the right of the semicolon key on the US layout, but is typed with Shift+7 on the JIS layout. Frequently used for quoting in SQL and code, making it an easy source of confusion. |
| ( | Shift + 9 | Shift + 8 | Typed with Shift+9 on the US layout, but Shift+8 on the JIS layout. |
| ) | Shift + 0 | Shift + 9 | Typed with Shift+0 on the US layout, but Shift+9 on the JIS layout. |
| = | Dedicated key (right of 0) | Shift + - (ほ) | Exists as its own dedicated key to the right of 0 on the US layout, but is typed with Shift plus the "ho" key on the JIS layout. One of the most common mis-taps in coding and spreadsheets, where the equals sign is used constantly. |
| ~ | Shift + ` | Shift + ^ (へ) | Typed as Shift plus the backtick key at the top-left on the US layout, but Shift plus the "he" key (the caret key) on the JIS layout. Frequently needed for regular expressions and home-directory paths. |
| ` | Dedicated key (top left) | Shift + @ (left of ＾) | Exists as its own dedicated key at the top-left on the US layout, but is typed with Shift plus the key to the left of @ on the JIS layout. Easy to overlook, yet needed for Markdown code blocks. |
| [ | Dedicated key (right of P) | Dedicated key (right of @) | Exists as its own dedicated key to the right of P on the US layout, but to the right of @ on the JIS layout. A symbol that appears often in array notation in code. |
| ] | Dedicated key (right of [) | Dedicated key (right of [) | Sits to the right of the [ key on both layouts, so the position itself is close, but note that the surrounding keys shift as a result. |
| \ | Dedicated key (right of ]) | ¥ key (left of Backspace) | Exists as its own dedicated key to the right of ] on the US layout, but on the JIS layout there is a dedicated key labeled "¥" to the left of Backspace. In Japanese input it is commonly displayed as a yen sign. |
| : | Shift + ; | Dedicated key (right of L) | Typed as Shift plus the semicolon key on the US layout, but exists as its own dedicated key to the right of L on the JIS layout. Frequently used for object key syntax in code, making the positional gap stand out. |
| _ | Shift + - | Shift + \ (ろ) | Typed as Shift plus the hyphen key on the US layout, but Shift plus the "ro" key (the backslash key) on the JIS layout. Worth watching out for since it appears constantly in snake_case variable names. |
| Enter | Wide single-row key | L-shaped double-height key | A single-row, horizontally elongated key on the US layout, but typically an L-shaped (backwards-L) key spanning two rows on the right side of the JIS layout. Because the key's size and shape differ, switching to a third-party keyboard can feel unfamiliar at first. |
| Space | Longer (no conversion keys) | Shorter (muhenkan and henkan keys on either side) | On the US layout the space bar is long and there are few other dedicated keys nearby, whereas on the JIS layout there are dedicated "Muhenkan" (non-conversion) and "Henkan" (conversion) keys flanking the space bar, used to toggle Japanese input. Typing Japanese on a US-layout PC usually requires configuring an OS-level shortcut instead. |
What Is the US vs JIS Keyboard Layout Comparison Table?
Computer keyboards broadly fall into two layouts: the "JIS layout," which adds extra symbol keys and dedicated keys to support Japanese text input, and the "US layout," the standard layout used throughout the English-speaking world. When buying an imported PC or reinstalling an operating system, it is common to be caught off guard by symbol keys sitting in different places than expected on a JIS layout.
This tool lets you check, for major symbol keys such as @, ", and [ ], exactly where each one sits on the US layout versus the JIS layout — both as a comparison table and as side-by-side virtual keyboards. You can even type on your physical keyboard and watch in real time which layout your system is currently interpreting it as.
How to Use the US vs JIS Comparison Table
- Find the symbol you want to check in the list or with the filter Look up the symbol or key name in the table to see how its position differs between the US and JIS layouts. Typing a symbol into the filter box narrows the list down instantly.
- Compare positions visually on the virtual keyboards Look at the US and JIS virtual keyboards side by side to see exactly where the key you are interested in sits on each one.
- Press the actual keys to check how they are being recognized Click the output box, then type on your physical keyboard. The key you press is highlighted on both virtual keyboards, letting you confirm which layout your computer currently thinks is connected.
- Read the notes for each symbol Check the "Note" column for each symbol to learn about the typical situations where mis-taps commonly occur.
Tips for getting more out of it
- When buying a laptop from an overseas retailer, always confirm whether it uses a US layout or a JIS (Japanese) layout — the physical key positions cannot be changed afterward.
- On macOS you can switch between US and JIS layout recognition under System Settings > Keyboard, but be aware this setting may not always match the actual labels printed on the keycaps.
- Many programmers prefer the US layout because its symbol key placement feels more consistent and easier to reach, while the JIS layout has the edge for quickly toggling Japanese input.
- A common hybrid setup is a laptop with a built-in JIS keyboard paired with an external US-layout keyboard for daily typing.
- If Windows misidentifies your keyboard layout, you can manually correct the keyboard type from the Control Panel's language settings.
Ways to Use the US vs JIS Comparison Table
Checking before buying an imported laptop
Look up where the symbol keys sit on the US layout before you buy, so you can picture what typing Japanese will actually feel like.
Diagnosing keyboard layout setting problems in your OS
When pressing @ produces the wrong symbol, this table helps you work out whether it is a settings mistake or an actual keyboard malfunction.
Deciding whether to switch layouts while learning to program
Comparing the placement of symbol keys side by side helps you decide whether switching to a US layout is worth it for your coding workflow.
Identifying the layout of a secondhand or hand-me-down keyboard
If you are not sure which layout a used keyboard uses, you can cross-check the printed keycap labels against this table to find out.
Keyboard Layout Glossary
- JIS layout
- A keyboard layout based on the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS X 6002). It includes dedicated keys for Japanese input, such as half-width/full-width toggle, conversion (Henkan), and non-conversion (Muhenkan).
- US layout
- The standard keyboard layout used throughout the English-speaking world. It has no keys dedicated to Japanese input, and its Enter key is a single wide row rather than an L-shape.
- IME
- Short for Input Method Editor — software that converts typed input into multi-byte characters such as Japanese kanji and kana. It can be used on a US-layout PC as well, once configured.
- Half-width/full-width key
- A dedicated key found on the JIS layout that toggles Japanese input on and off. It has no equivalent on the US layout, so a keyboard shortcut must be used instead.
- Backslash key
- A key present on the US layout. On the JIS layout, the equivalent position is occupied by the "ro" key, which is often labeled with the yen sign (¥) instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Side Note — Why Does the JIS Layout Still Survive in Japan?
The JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) layout, formally JIS X 6002, was established in the 1970s as a Japanese national standard. It builds on the US layout while adding dedicated keys needed for Japanese text entry — such as half-width/full-width toggle, "Muhenkan" (non-conversion), and "Henkan" (conversion) — and enlarges the Enter key to reduce mis-taps. While the US (English) layout became the near-universal global standard, languages like Japanese that rely on a distinct kana-to-kanji conversion input method continued to benefit in practice from dedicated conversion keys, which is why the two layouts have coexisted for decades.
This layout difference is a frequent topic of debate in software development. While the JIS layout makes toggling Japanese input easy, the symbols used constantly in programming (such as { }, [ ], and ;) tend to feel more cramped than on the US layout, and much overseas programming educational content and technical literature assumes a US layout — which is part of why many engineers in Japan deliberately choose a US-layout keyboard. It is not uncommon for Japanese IT companies to issue external US-layout keyboards to their engineers for exactly this reason.
When the OS's keyboard layout setting and the physical keyboard's actual layout disagree, a classic problem occurs: pressing @ produces a " instead. This happens because the physical position of a symbol key never changes, but which character gets typed depends entirely on which layout the OS thinks is connected — a scenario often encountered when plugging a used or salvaged keyboard into a different PC. Knowing the positional relationships in this comparison table lets you quickly tell whether you are simply dealing with a layout-recognition mismatch or an actual hardware fault.