QWERTY-PT (Portuguese) — Portuguese Keyboard Layout Guide
QWERTY-PT is the standard Portuguese keyboard used in Portugal (and lusophone countries except Brazil). It's a QWERTY layout with a dedicated ç key and multiple dead-key accents for Portuguese's rich set of diacritics (ã, õ, á, é, í, ó, ú, â, ê, ô, à).
QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-US
| Feature | QWERTY-PT | QWERTY-US |
|---|---|---|
ç | Dedicated key (right of L) | Not on layout |
| Dead keys | ´ ~ ^ \` | Not on layout |
@ | AltGr+2 | Shift+2 |
| Punctuation | Some moved | Standard US |
| Enter | Tall | L-shape |
Letter positions A-Z are identical. The major addition is the right-pinky area with ç and accent dead keys.
Where each Portuguese character lives
- ç: dedicated key, right of L (right pinky)
- á: dead key
´+ a - ã: dead key
~+ a - â: dead key
^+ a - à: dead key
\` + a - é, ê: same dead keys + e
- í: dead key
´+ i - ó, ô, õ: same dead keys + o
- ú: dead key
´+ u
The dead-key system handles all Portuguese diacritics consistently.
Practice the Portuguese layout at /qwerty_pt/ or /pt/qwerty_pt/.
QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-BR (Brazilian ABNT2)
Brazil uses its own standard, ABNT2 (QWERTY-BR). Key differences:
- ç position differs slightly
/is dedicated on BR (Shifted on PT)- More keys total on BR (105 keys vs 102)
- Different dead-key default positions
See QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-BR comparison.
Common Portuguese typing patterns
Frequent words:
- não, são, mão, pão, cão — common -ão (tilde) words
- coração, atenção, situação — -ção ending (very common)
- avô, avó — circumflex vs acute distinction
- café, pé, também — stressed -é endings
- fácil, último, número, próximo — common acute words
Building muscle memory for ~ + a/o is the unlock for fast Portuguese typing (since -ão and -ção endings are extremely frequent).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is QWERTY-PT used outside Portugal?
In Lusophone Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde) — mostly yes. Portuguese-speaking Asia (East Timor, Macau) — mixed. Brazil uses ABNT2 instead.
How do I type ç on a US keyboard?
Use US-International layout (AltGr+,) or Alt+0231 on Windows.
Why are there so many dead keys?
Portuguese has 13 different accented vowel combinations. Dead keys are more efficient than 13 dedicated keys.
Is Brazilian Portuguese keyboard the same as Portuguese?
No — Brazilian ABNT2 (QWERTY-BR) is a separate standard. Mostly similar but with subtle differences. See How to type in Portuguese.
Can I write all Portuguese characters fluently with QWERTY-PT?
Yes — the dead-key system covers every accented character. Once the patterns are automatic (4-6 weeks of practice), typing is smooth.
Try it
Practice QWERTY-PT on Typing Hero App — 19 progressive lessons including ç and accent dead keys.
For more: How to type in Portuguese, QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-BR, How to type special characters.