There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the specific keyboard layout that you are using. However, on most keyboards, the Apps Key is located near the top-left corner of the keyboard. If you are using a standard Microsoft-Oriented Keyboard (MOBILE), then the Apps Key should be located in between the space bar and your left hand cursor key.

Keyboard shortcuts can greatly simplify our work flow, but what do you do when you are told to use a shortcut with an obscure key that you are not even sure is on your keyboard? Today’s SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to help a frustrated reader find the key he is looking for.

Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.

Photo courtesy of Blake Patterson (Flickr).

The Question

SuperUser reader Shaun Luttin wants to know where the Apps Key is located at on Microsoft-oriented keyboards:

Where is the Apps Key located at on Microsoft-oriented keyboards?

The Answer

SuperUser contributor Ramhound has the answer for us:

Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.

The key’s primary function is to launch a Context Menu with the keyboard rather than with the usual Right-Mouse Button. It can be used when the Right-Mouse Button is not present on a mouse.

Some Windows public terminals do not have a Menu Key on their keyboard in order to prevent users from right clicking; however, in many Windows applications, a similar functionality can be invoked with the Shift + F10 keyboard shortcut, or sometimes Ctrl + Shift + F10.

Some laptop computers include a menu function on the Fn Key (usually operated by pressing Shift + Fn), however, this generally invokes functions built into the vendor’s software and is not the same as the key described above. For example, the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard has an Fn Key where the Menu Key is usually found, pressing it together with the Print Screen Key (above Home) produces the Menu Key function.

Programmers using the Windows API can intercept this key by looking for a WM_KEYDOWN message with wParam VK_APPS (defined as 0x5D in winuser.h). It has the key code 117 (0x75).

Source: Wikipedia – Menu Key