The virtual-key codes provide a hardware- and language-independent method of identifying keyboard keys. Each virtual-key code represents a unique keyboard key and also identifies the purpose of that key. The keyboard driver must provide a translation table that maps keyboard scan codes to the appropriate virtual-key codes.
The complete virtual-key code set consists of 256 byte values in the range 0 to 255. Most, but not all, of the values used by standard drivers are in the range 0 to 127. There is a loose distinction between “standard” keys, which do not vary much, and “OEM” keys, which do vary from keyboard to keyboard.
For full Windows functionality, a keyboard driver must provide the following virtual keys:
| Virtual-key code | Description |
| VK_0 through VK_9 | Number keys (not on numeric keypad): 0 through 9 |
| VK_A through VK_Z | Letter keys: A through Z |
| VK_BACK | BACKSPACE key |
| VK_CONTROL | CTRL key |
| VK_DELETE | DELETE key |
| VK_DOWN | Down direction key |
| VK_END | END key |
| VK_ESCAPE | ESC key |
| VK_F1 through VK_F10 | F1 through F10 keys |
| VK_HOME | HOME key |
| VK_INSERT | INSERT key |
| VK_LEFT | Left direction key |
| VK_MENU | ALT key |
| VK_NEXT | PAGE DOWN key |
| VK_PRIOR | PAGE UP key |
| VK_RIGHT | Right direction key |
| VK_SHIFT | Left and right SHIFT keys |
| VK_SNAPSHOT | PRINTSCREEN key |
| VK_SPACE | SPACE key |
| VK_TAB | TAB key |
| VK_UP | Up direction key |
Shift keys must be available in the combinations unshifted, SHIFT, CTRL, and CTRL+ALT.
Most keyboards, the virtual-key codes VK_INSERT, VK_DELETE, VK_HOME, VK_END, VK_PRIOR, and VK_NEXT are generated on the numeric keypad only if NUMLOCK is off.
If a keyboard has a numeric pad, the numeric keys are frequently used as cur-sor-control and editing keys if NUMLOCK is off. If NUMLOCK is on, the virtual-key codes VK_NUMPAD0 through VK_NUMPAD9 are used for the digits. Keyboards with a DELETE key that also generates the decimal point (period or comma) use VK_DELETE and VK_DECIMAL to distinguish between the two uses of the key.
Keyboards commonly contain various “lock” keys, such as VK_CAPITAL and VK_NUMLOCK. If a keyboard driver generates ANSI characters on the numeric keypad using ALT + numeric-pad keys, it must do this translation only if NUMLOCK is on. The cursor and editing keys on IBM-compatible keyboards do not produce this translation.
Other keys may vary from keyboard to keyboard. The following set of virtual-key codes is generally used for punctuation keys, accented letter keys, and dead keys in the main section of a keyboard:
VK_OEM_1 .. VK_OEM_8
VK_OEM_102
VK_OEM_PLUS, VK_OEM_MINUS, VK_OEM_COMMA, VK_OEM_PERIOD
If a keyboard has more than 16 function keys, the virtual-key codes in the range VK_F17 through VK_F24 should be used for the extra function keys.Windows internally generates the mouse-button virtual-key codes VK_LBUTTON, VK_RBUTTON, VK_MBUTTON, and VK_CANCEL. These virtual-key codes are generated internally by Windows and are never generated by keyboard or mouse drivers.
Keyboard drivers should not generate VK_EXECUTE or VK_SEPARATER.
For keyboards with 122 keys, the mapping for the first 101 keys is the same as described in previous sections.
The function keys F13 through F24 should use VK_F13 through VK_F24.
The remaining keys should be mapped to the following virtual-key codes:
| VK_ATTN VK_CRSEL VK_EREOF VK_EXSEL VK_NONAME | VK_OEM_CLEAR VK_PA1 VK_PLAY VK_ZOOM |
The following table includes the virtual-key codes that are defined for Windows. The key code values 0 and 0FFh are not used.
Table 6.1 Virtual-key Codes
| Name | Value | Comment |
| VK_LBUTTON | 01h | Left mouse button. | |
| VK_RBUTTON | 02h | Right mouse button. | |
| VK_CANCEL | 03h | Used for control-break processing. | |
| VK_MBUTTON | 04h | Middle mouse button (3-button mouse). | |
| 05h through 07h undefined. | |||
| VK_BACK | 08h, | ||
| VK_TAB | 09h, | ||
| 0Ah and 0Bh undefined. | |||
| VK_CLEAR | 0Ch, | ||
| VK_RETURN | 0Dh, | ||
| 0Eh and 0Fh undefined. | |||
| VK_SHIFT | 10h, | ||
| VK_CONTROL | 11h, | ||
| VK_MENU | 12h, | ||
| VK_PAUSE | 13h, | ||
| VK_CAPITAL | 14h, | ||
| 15h through 1Ah undefined. | |||
| VK_ESCAPE | 1Bh, | ||
| 1Ch through 1Fh undefined. | |||
| VK_SPACE | 20h, | ||
| VK_PRIOR | 21h | Page up. | |
| VK_NEXT | 22h | Page down. | |
| VK_END | 23h, | ||
| VK_HOME | 24h, | ||
| VK_LEFT | 25h, | ||
| VK_UP | 26h, | ||
| VK_RIGHT | 27h, | ||
| VK_DOWN | 28h, | ||
| VK_SELECT | 29h, | ||
| VK_PRINT | 2Ah | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_EXECUTE | 2Bh | Never used. | |
| VK_SNAPSHOT | 2Ch | SYSREQ key starting with Windows 3.0. | |
| VK_INSERT | 2Dh, | ||
| VK_DELETE | 2Eh, | ||
| VK_HELP | 2Fh, | ||
| VK_0 | 30h, | ||
| VK_1 | 31h, | ||
| VK_2 | 32h, | ||
| VK_3 | 33h, | ||
| VK_4 | 34h, | ||
| VK_5 | 35h, | ||
| VK_6 | 36h, | ||
| VK_7 | 37h, | ||
| VK_8 | 38h, | ||
| VK_9 | 39h, | ||
| 3Ah though 40h undefined. | |||
| VK_A | 41h, | ||
| VK_B | 42h, | ||
| VK_C | 43h, | ||
| VK_D | 44h, | ||
| VK_E | 45h, | ||
| VK_F | 46h, | ||
| VK_G | 47h, | ||
| VK_H | 48h, | ||
| VK_I | 49h, | ||
| VK_J | 4Ah, | ||
| VK_K | 4Bh, | ||
| VK_L | 4Ch, | ||
| VK_M | 4Dh, | ||
| VK_N | 4Eh, | ||
| VK_O | 4Fh, | ||
| VK_P | 50h, | ||
| VK_Q | 51h, | ||
| VK_R | 52h, | ||
| VK_S | 53h, | ||
| VK_T | 54h, | ||
| VK_U | 55h, | ||
| VK_V | 56h, | ||
| VK_W | 57h, | ||
| VK_X | 58h, | ||
| VK_Y | 59h, | ||
| VK_Z | 5Ah, | ||
| 5Bh through 5Fh undefined. | |||
| VK_NUMPAD0 | 60h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD1 | 61h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD2 | 62h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD3 | 63h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD4 | 64h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD5 | 65h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD6 | 66h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD7 | 67h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD8 | 68h, | ||
| VK_NUMPAD9 | 69h, | ||
| VK_MULTIPLY | 6Ah, | ||
| VK_ADD | 6Bh, | ||
| VK_SEPARATER | 6Ch | Never generated by keyboard driver. | |
| VK_SUBTRACT | 6Dh, | ||
| VK_DECIMAL | 6Eh, | ||
| VK_DIVIDE | 6Fh, | ||
| VK_F1 | 70h, | ||
| VK_F2 | 71h, | ||
| VK_F3 | 72h, | ||
| VK_F4 | 73h, | ||
| VK_F5 | 74h, | ||
| VK_F6 | 75h, | ||
| VK_F7 | 76h, | ||
| VK_F8 | 77h, | ||
| VK_F9 | 78h, | ||
| VK_F10 | 79h, | ||
| VK_F11 | 7Ah, | ||
| VK_F12 | 7Bh, | ||
| VK_F13 | 7Ch, | ||
| VK_F14 | 7Dh, | ||
| VK_F15 | 7Eh, | ||
| VK_F16 | 7Fh, | ||
| VK_F17 | 80h, | ||
| VK_F18 | 81h, | ||
| VK_F19 | 82h, | ||
| VK_F20 | 83h, | ||
| VK_F21 | 84h, | ||
| VK_F22 | 85h, | ||
| VK_F23 | 86h, | ||
| VK_F24 | 87h, | ||
| 88h through 8Fh unassigned. | |||
| VK_NUMLOCK | 090h | NUMLOCK on all keyboards. | |
| VK_OEM_SCROLL | 091h | SCROLL LOCK on all keyboards. | |
| 92h through B9h unassigned. | |||
| VK_OEM_1 | 0BAh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_PLUS | 0BBh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_COMMA | 0BCh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_MINUS | 0BDh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_PERIOD | 0BEh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_2 | 0BFh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_3 | 0C0h | Punctuation. | |
| C1h through DAh unassigned. | |||
| VK_OEM_4 | 0DBh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_5 | 0DCh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_6 | 0DDh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_7 | 0DEh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_OEM_8 | 0DFh | Punctuation. | |
| VK_F17 | 0E0h | F17 key on Olivetti extended keyboard (internal use only). | |
| VK_F18 | 0E1h | F18 key on Olivetti extended keyboard (internal use only). | |
| VK_OEM_102 | 0E2h | < or | on IBM-compatible 102 enhanced keyboard (non-U.S.). | |
| VK_ICO_HELP | 0E3h | Help key on Olivetti extended keyboard (internal use only). | |
| VK_ICO_00 | 0E4h | 00 key on Olivetti extended keyboard (internal use only). | |
| E5h unassigned. | |||
| VK_ICO_CLEAR | 0E6h | Olivetti extended keyboard (internal use only). | |
| E7h and E8h unassigned. | |||
| VK_OEM_RESET | 0E9H | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_JUMP | 0EAH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_PA1 | 0EBH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_PA2 | 0ECH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_PA3 | 0EDH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_WSCTRL | 0EEH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_CUSEL | 0EFH | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_ATTN | 0F0H | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_FINNISH | 0F1H | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_COPY | 0F2H | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_AUTO | 0F3H | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_ENLW | 0F4h | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_OEM_BACKTAB | 0F5h | Only used by Nokia. | |
| VK_ATTN | 0F6H, | ||
| VK_CRSEL | 0F7H, | ||
| VK_EXSEL | 0F8H, | ||
| VK_EREOF | 0F9H, | ||
| VK_PLAY | 0FAH, | ||
| VK_ZOOM | 0FBH, | ||
| VK_NONAME | 0FCH, | ||
| VK_PA1 | 0FDH, | ||
| VK_OEM_CLEAR | 0FEH, | ||