At Key (@) Not Working? | Quick 10-Second Keyboard Fix

Press Shift + 2, then Shift + '. If one of them prints @ and the other prints ", your hardware is fine — skip to cause 1. If neither prints @, skip to cause 3.

UK and US keyboards swap these two keys: UK has @ on Shift + ', US has it on Shift + 2. Windows loves installing both layouts and switching between them when you fat-finger Win + Space.

Fix (Windows): press Win + Space until the taskbar shows the layout matching your keyboard (ENG UK for a UK board). Then remove the impostor: Settings → Time & language → Language & region → English → Language options → delete the keyboard you don't own.

Fix (Mac): System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit, and keep only your layout. UK Macs type @ with Option + ', US Macs with Shift + 2.

A French AZERTY or German QWERTZ board puts @ on AltGr + 0 or AltGr + Q. If your Z and Y are swapped too, you're on the wrong language entirely — same Win+Space fix, different target. See wrong keyboard layout for the full walkthrough.

Neither combination prints @ anywhere — not in Notepad, not in a browser. Try an external keyboard: if @ works there, the laptop key or its ribbon cable is failing. Meanwhile, copy @ from this page, or open Character Map and search “commercial at”.

@ works in Notepad but not in your game, remote desktop or VM. Those capture keys before Windows sees them — check the app's hotkey settings (Discord, TeamViewer and AutoHotkey scripts are repeat offenders) or use the on-screen keyboard inside the session.