AZERTY-FR (French) — A Complete Guide to the French Keyboard
AZERTY is France's official keyboard layout — significantly different from QWERTY. The first row reads AZERTY instead of QWERTY (A and Q swapped, Z and W swapped). Plus the number row requires Shift for digits. Bizarre to QWERTY users but essential for French speakers.
What's different from QWERTY
Letter swaps
- A and Q swapped (A in QWERTY-Q position, Q in QWERTY-A position)
- W and Z swapped (Z in QWERTY-W position, W in QWERTY-Z position)
- M moved (right of L, where
;is on QWERTY-US)
Number row inversion
- Numbers require Shift by default
- Direct presses give symbols/letters (è, ç, à, etc.)
- Backwards compared to QWERTY-US
Punctuation
.requires Shift on AZERTY-FR;,:,?,!in different positions
Why AZERTY is so different
Historical accident
- Early French typewriters used various layouts
- AZERTY emerged as French standard
- Designed before universal QWERTY dominance
- No clear reason for specific arrangement (anti-jamming for French letter frequencies)
Maintained for tradition
- Generations of French typists trained on AZERTY
- Network effects like QWERTY
- Can't easily switch millions of typists
Modern criticism
- Number row inversion is genuinely awkward
- Common letters (M, E) inefficiently placed
- AFNOR proposed reform (2019) with limited adoption
French-specific characters via direct keys
Direct (no Shift)
- à — direct key (where
0is on QWERTY-US) - ç — direct key
- è — direct key
- é — direct key (where
2is on QWERTY-US) - ù — direct key
Via dead key (^ then vowel)
- â, ê, î, ô, û — circumflex accent
- ä, ë, ï, ö, ü — diaeresis (less common in French)
Via dead key (~ then vowel)
- Less commonly used in French
Common French typing patterns
Frequent words
- de, la, le, et, à, en, qui, que, pour, dans — common short words
- bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît — politeness
- avoir, être, aller, faire — common verbs
- Paris, Marseille, Lyon — proper nouns
Heavy accent usage
- é, è, à, ç in many common words
- café, été, déjà, après, ça
- Practice direct keys for these
Apostrophes
- l', d', n', s' — contractions everywhere
- Apostrophe is direct key (no Shift needed)
Touch typing tips
- Forget QWERTY positions for A, Q, Z, W, M
- Always Shift for numbers (most painful adjustment)
- Direct accented letters — drill à, é, è, ç specifically
- Apostrophe usage — common in French contractions
- Circumflex dead key for â, ê, î, ô, û
Target: 50-65 WPM in 6-8 weeks (slower learning curve than QWERTY).
Practice the layout
Practice French on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons designed for AZERTY-FR.
AZERTY vs alternatives in France
AZERTY-FR (default)
- 99% of French keyboards
- Educational standard
- Workplace standard
bépo (Dvorak-French)
- Optimized French layout
- <1% adoption
- Niche hobby
QWERTY-US
- Some French tech workers prefer
- Programming-friendly
- Must switch back for French content
AFNOR 2019 (revised AZERTY)
- Updates AZERTY with better symbol access
- Limited adoption so far
- Future official standard?
French outside France
Belgium
- Uses AZERTY-BE (different from FR)
- See AZERTY-FR vs AZERTY-BE
Switzerland (French-speaking)
- Uses QWERTZ-CH (combined French/German)
- NOT AZERTY
Canada (Québec)
- Uses QWERTY-CA-French variant
- Different from AZERTY entirely
Africa (Francophone)
- Mostly AZERTY-FR
- Some local variants
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is French keyboard so different?
Historical AZERTY arrangement predates QWERTY dominance. Designed for French letter patterns.
Will I ever match my QWERTY speed?
Yes, after 3-6 months of dedicated practice.
Most painful adjustment?
Number row requires Shift. Bizarre at first.
Belgian French same?
AZERTY-BE differs slightly from AZERTY-FR. See AZERTY-FR vs AZERTY-BE.
Should I switch to bépo?
Only if dedicated French typist with months to invest. Most stick with AZERTY.
Best app to learn AZERTY-FR?
Typing Hero App — 19 lessons, free, no signup.
Master French AZERTY
Practice AZERTY-FR layout — Typing Hero App, free, no signup.
For more: How to type in French, AZERTY-FR vs AZERTY-BE, How to choose a keyboard layout.