Key Codes for Function and Special Keys in Applescript
Using Applescript to simulate keypresses can prove handy when doing automation. You can enter regular text with:
tell application "System Events" to keystroke "testing"
This passes a string to the frontmost app. However, you can also simulate single key presses (Function keys, Right arrow, and other Special keys, etc.) such as a Tab:
tell application "System Events" to key code 48
You can also add modifiers, so if you wanted the degree symbol °, which is option+shift+8:
tell application "System Events" to key code 28 using {option down, shift down}
It's not possible to make any sense out of key code assignments; here's an exhaustive list of all Key Codes, including standard ascii keys, Modifier keys, Function keys and other special keys.
| Name | Symbol | Code |
| Zero | 0 | 29 |
| One | 1 | 18 |
| Two | 2 | 19 |
| Three | 3 | 20 |
| Four | 4 | 21 |
| Five | 5 | 23 |
| Six | 6 | 22 |
| Seven | 7 | 26 |
| Eight | 8 | 28 |
| Nine | 9 | 25 |
| A | 0 | |
| B | 11 | |
| C | 8 | |
| D | 2 | |
| E | 14 | |
| F | 3 | |
| G | 5 | |
| H | 4 | |
| I | 34 | |
| J | 38 | |
| K | 40 | |
| L | 37 | |
| M | 46 | |
| N | 45 | |
| O | 31 | |
| P | 35 | |
| Q | 12 | |
| R | 15 | |
| S | 1 | |
| T | 17 | |
| U | 32 | |
| V | 9 | |
| W | 13 | |
| X | 7 | |
| Y | 16 | |
| Z | 6 | |
| SectionSign | § | 10 |
| Grave | ` | 50 |
| Minus | - | 27 |
| Equal | = | 24 |
| LeftBracket | [ | 33 |
| RightBracket | ] | 30 |
| Semicolon | ; | 41 |
| Quote | ' | 39 |
| Comma | , | 43 |
| Period | . | 47 |
| Slash | / | 44 |
| Backslash | \ | 42 |
| Keypad0 | 0 | 82 |
| Keypad1 | 1 | 83 |
| Keypad2 | 2 | 84 |
| Keypad3 | 3 | 85 |
| Keypad4 | 4 | 86 |
| Keypad5 | 5 | 87 |
| Keypad6 | 6 | 88 |
| Keypad7 | 7 | 89 |
| Keypad8 | 8 | 91 |
| Keypad9 | 9 | 92 |
| KeypadDecimal | . | 65 |
| KeypadMultiply | * | 67 |
| KeypadPlus | + | 69 |
| KeypadDivide | / | 75 |
| KeypadMinus | - | 78 |
| KeypadEquals | = | 81 |
| KeypadClear | ⌧ | 71 |
| KeypadEnter | ⌤ | 76 |
| Space | ␣ | 49 |
| Return | ⏎ | 36 |
| Tab | ⇥ | 48 |
| Delete | ⌫ | 51 |
| ForwardDelete | ⌦ | 117 |
| Linefeed ? | ␊ | 52 |
| Escape | ⎋ | 53 |
| Command | ⌘ | 55 |
| Shift | ⇧ | 56 |
| CapsLock | ⇪ | 57 |
| Option | ⌥ | 58 |
| Control | ⌃ | 59 |
| RightShift | ⇧ | 60 |
| RightOption | ⌥ | 61 |
| RightControl | ⌃ | 62 |
| Function | fn | 63 |
| F1 | 122 | |
| F2 | 120 | |
| F3 | 99 | |
| F4 | 118 | |
| F5 | 96 | |
| F6 | 97 | |
| F7 | 98 | |
| F8 | 100 | |
| F9 | 101 | |
| F10 | 109 | |
| F11 | 103 | |
| F12 | 111 | |
| F13 | 105 | |
| BrightnessDown | F14 | 107 |
| BrightnessUp | F15 | 113 |
| F16 | 106 | |
| F17 | 64 | |
| F18 | 79 | |
| F19 | 80 | |
| F20 | 90 | |
| VolumeUp ? | 72 | |
| VolumeDown ? | 73 | |
| Mute ? | 74 | |
| Help/Insert | ? | 114 |
| Home | ⇱ | 115 |
| End | ⇲ | 119 |
| PageUp | ⇞ | 116 |
| PageDown | ⇟ | 121 |
| LeftArrow | ← | 123 |
| RightArrow | → | 124 |
| DownArrow | ↓ | 125 |
| UpArrow | ↑ | 126 |
Note:
The unassigned key codes are:
54, 66, 68, 70, 77, 93, 94, 95, 102, 104, 108, 110, 112
Several of these insert some unidentified control character in some apps.
The few codes with a ? are broken or are unreliable.
Note that because the key codes refer to the physical positions on a keyboard, the result of some key codes will vary when using something other than the standard English ISO keyboard layout.
If you have a French keyboard and are using the French keyboard layout, the key code 0 will produce a "q" instead of an "a", as will the reverse for key code 12.
The key codes that reference modifier and function keys, from "Space" and down on the list, should not be affected by different keyboard layouts.
