Keyboard instructions

[Scotty10]

HP gave me no instructions on the keyboard when I bought this.   None of the online manuals for this laptop show what all the keys do or how to select a certain function or character.   There is some limited info given, such as Windows shortcuts and function/action key descriptions.  The closest thing to a user's manual is a called a "Maintenance and Service Guide," which is not a basic user guide, and it doesn't include a complete keyboard "key."   So please do not refer to that in your response. There is a "User Guide - Windows 10" which only describes the actions keys and a few others.  The "Start Here" guide is no help.   I searched for "keyboard instructions" on HP Support and haven't found a keyboard guide.  Does HP have a guide that describes how to use all the keys?   Some keys have 4 characters on them, but I can't figure out how to type the other characters, after trying holding down the control, function, or alternate keys.  Some  key characters are painted in blue.  For instance, the =/+ key also has 3/4 in blue.   How do I type that?  Other uses of a key are abbreviations or symbols that I have no idea what they mean.   It's ridiculous that HP, et al sell their products without adequate basic instructions.   This came to a head today when I was typing an email and when I tried to insert other letters/words, it was overwriting the next characters to the right.  I looked for an "insert" key which I figured I'd accidentally hit, and found "ins" written in small letters above the "prt sc" key, but messing with it didn't fix the problem.  This made me realize that I didn't know how to use a lot of the keys, and didn't know what a lot of their functions were.  Thanks HP!

[praveen196]

@Scotty10 Welcome to HP Community!

I understand that you are unable to use the blue color keys.

Do not worry. I will try to fix the issue.

First, you have to change the keyboard language to Canadian and you have to select the keyboard layout.

Please refer to the following link.

The same combination of keys will toggle back and forth:

• turn on alternate key/character: Press and hold left ctrl+shift and then tap right shift key once

• turn off alternate key/character: Press  and hold left ctrl+shift and then tap the right shift key twice

Then try press Fn key + blue color key and try.

Keep us posted,

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, 

Give us a virtual high-five by clicking the 'Thumbs Up' icon below, followed by clicking on the "Accept as solution" on this post, 

Have a great day!

[Scotty10]

Thank you, Praveen, for responding.  However, I am confused by your response.  Am I unable to use the characters/functions painted in blue on my keyboard keys without changing my region to Canada?   I am American in the USA.   I did try to see if I could change that setting, but it isn't like the page you referred to.  I have Windows 10 Home, and it doesn't appear to have a separate Keyboard Language or Region setting.  There is a system-wide Region setting, which I believe would change my clock and other things, so I obviously don't want to do that, especially for something that I should be able to do without telling Windows that I'm from somewhere else.   Again, are you saying that I can't use the blue characters/functions on my keys otherwise?  I'm just asking for you to define what characters/functions painted in blue on my keys mean.

Aside from that, you didn't address a complete guide to my keyboard.  You work for HP.   Does that mean that HP doesn't have a guide to its own keyboards?   Where is the insert key?  How do I use it?  Thanks

[praveen196]

@Scotty10

I understand your concerns.

It sounds like you might have a multi-national keyboard, perhaps French Canadian / English. 

In general, this use of multi-national keyboards is not something with which I am familiar.

I can offer the following...

Keyboards

I found these images a long time ago (during the first time I tried to answer a similar question here on the forum):

 '

 

Add symbols of various kinds to a Word document

Open document in Word

category Insert > (way over on the right side of the ribbon) Symbols >

(Opens the Symbol menu)

Select a Font

Drag the lower right corner of the menu down and out to provide a larger view of the symbol choices

OR

Use the scroll bar on the right of the menu to scroll through the choices

Use "arrow keys" on the keyboard or mouse to move around and highlight the different symbols >

When you "land on a symbol" you want to use, click Insert 

NOTE:  If the arrow keys seem to "flop" around and do not let you drop away from the font selector and highlight the different symbols, click the mouse on the scroll and manipulate it a bit > try the arrow(s) again or your mouse again.

 

Once you use a symbol, it becomes available in your "recently used" list.

Speical characters / Symbols - Numlock + Alt + key value

Symbols

Special Characters — Alt Keyboard Sequences

Engage NumLock plus the ALT key plus enter “some number” on the keyboard’s numeric keypad

Examples:  

Numlock on  + ALT key + 172

Enters ¼

Numlock on  + ALT key + 171

½

Have a nice day!!

[Scotty10]

Although the keyboard image in your post has many of the same 3rd characters that I have in blue on the same number keys, the keyboard layout is different from mine.   More importantly, none of the listed methods to type these 3rd or 4th characters on a key work.

Apparently, HP doesn't provide a keyboard key, which is what I asked for.

 I finally figured out how to work the "insert" key, which is what started this inquiry.  I had to press and hold the function key first, then press the "print screen" key.   

The blue 3rd & 4th key characters/functions aren't that important overall, and I don't want to waste more time on trying to figure them out when a keyboard guide is not provided.    Thanks for trying.

[praveen196]

@Scotty10

Thank you for the update.

In the feature, If you have any other concerns. Please get back to us.

We will assist you.

Have a nice day!!