A computer keyboard is made up of 256 characters. On the other hand, it is usual for this peripheral to have between 99 and 108 keys. This means that there are keys that help us write different characters, which is why sometimes we encounter problems when it comes to how to put the at sign on the computer keyboard.
If you have a new device, or are using a different computer than usual, it is possible that right now you are looking for the symbol of the at sign and, either you cannot locate it, or you are not able to find the key combination to write it. Don't worry, we will solve your doubts.
The importance of the at sign
The at sign is a graphic symbol that is widely used in the field of new technologies. Although it seems relatively modern to us, the truth is that it is not like that. Not much is known about its origin, but there seems to be agreement when it comes to accepting that already existed in the Middle Ages and that he had a close relationship with commerce.
One of the most accepted theories about its origin is that the symbol It originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the XNUMXth century. It was used to abbreviate the Spanish word “arroba”, which was a unit of weight that measured volumes of agricultural products such as oil or wine.
Initially it was written using a lowercase “a” that was superimposed on a lowercase “o,” a graphic representation that has remained more or less intact to this day.
As time went by, the use of the arroba extended beyond the original commercial use and, with the arrival of new technologies, it became a symbol used worldwide.
Currently, among the most common uses of this symbol are:
- Email addresses. It is used to separate the username from the domain name.
- Social networks. In these channels it is used to mention users when writing a comment. This way we make sure that this person will see the message.
- Programming. Some programming languages use this symbol for different uses. For example, in the C# language the at sign is used to declare attributes and to work with class metadata.
- Web addresses. In URLs, this symbol serves to separate the username and password in cases where access to the page requires authentication.
- Statistics and mathematics. In these cases the “@” represents the mean or average in a set of values.
It is, in short, a very versatile symbol that has great importance in current communications. Therefore, yes or yes we have to know how to put the at sign on the computer keyboard.
How to put the at sign on a Spanish keyboard
The first thing we must do is pay attention to the keyboard in front of us. If it is a large keyboard, due to the importance of this symbol, it is possible that it has a separate key for it or, failing that, that the key that leads us to mark the at sign is clearly visible.
But for some time now, gaming keyboards and compact keyboards have become fashionable. These give priority to basic fabrics for playing or writing and, in some of them, characters like the at sign can go quite unnoticed.
If you have a keyboard in Spanish you will see that it is very easy to know how to put the at sign on the computer keyboard. All you have to do is press the key AltGR which is in the first row of the peripheral, near the space bar, and then press the “2” or “Q” key. Even if you don't see the “@” symbol in the spelling of these keys, try doing it like this.
In most cases this will solve your problem. If not, try this
Trick to write the at sign
Open the Internet browser and search directly for the word “at”. The symbol will appear among the results. The only thing you have to do is a cut-paste and place it in the right place.
It is not the most ideal solution, but it can get you out of trouble if you are in a hurry and are not able to write the at sign with the keyboard.
How to put the at sign on your Windows computer keyboard
If you are using a device with a Windows operating system, there are several ways you can get the at symbol typed:
- Spanish keyboard for Latin America: Alt Gr + Q
- International Spanish keyboard: Alt Gr + 2
- Numeric keypad: Alt + 64 / Ctrl + Alt + 2
How to put the at sign on a Mac keyboard
The options that we can use in this case are the following:
- English keyboard: Alt + G
- MacBook Pro: Alt + 2
- macOS Keyboard: Alt/Options (right side) + 2
Keys to put the at sign on the phone keyboard
With these solutions that we have seen, you already know how to put at sign on your computer keyboard and you have surely already gotten it to work. But we are aware that we increasingly use the mobile phone for our written communications and, therefore, we must also be able to enter an “@” with the Android and iOS keyboard.
How to write the at sign on Android
It's as simple as following these steps:
- Click on the space in which you want to write.
- Select the numeric keypad option.
- The at sign appears available on the left side of the screen.
How to write the at sign in iOS
It is as simple as the previous case. The only significant difference is that when you open the numeric keypad, The at symbol will appear on the right side of the screen.
In the end, there isn't much difference depending on the operating system you use or what your keyboard is like. In most cases, to write the at sign you just have to press a couple of keys and we're done.
We hope we have resolved all your doubts about how to put the at sign on your computer keyboard with this article.