some keyboard keys not working in Word

Question

Hi - I have a french keyboard and the top main row of keys  have 3 functions - 1) some symbols " ( ç etc 2) numbers 1- 0 and 3) other symbols ~#\ etc. To access this third category I have to press Ctrl, Alt and the key all at the same time.

All these 3 functions work well when writing emails (see above), when using Microsoft Excel but not when using Microsoft Word. The last function (3 above) only works with a few keys and will not allow me to print, for example, a # or a @.

Can anyone help with this please - I have reloaded Office and run various diagnostics - nothing works. Thanks

Answer 1

If you type 0040 and then press ALT+x, it will be replaced by @

Likewise 0023 followed by ALT+x will be replaced by #

You can determine the Unicode (hex) code for any symbol via the Symbol dialog

The advantage of using the unicode (hex) code rather than the ASCII code is that it is not necessary for the keyboard to have a numeric keypad, which is required to insert symbols using ALT+the ASCII code.

Answer 2

The pound sign (#) is Unicode 0023 or ASCII 35. You should be able to insert it from the Symbol dialog or using Alt+0035 on the numeric keypad. On QWERTY keyboards, it's Shift+3 (on an AZERTY keyboard, it appears to be Alt Gr+3).

Answer 3

The quotation mark (double prime) " is unicode 2033.

The at symbol (@) is unicode 0040.

If you use Insert symbol for them you can produce AutoCorrect for them.

Or, if you want keyboard shortcuts, create them in you global template if you do not want them stored in normal. Then select one and press Alt+F3 and save it as AutoText with a unique name. Store the AutoText in the same template you are using to store your shortcuts.

Then use the same Customize the Keyboard technique and instead of "Common Symbols" choose Building Blocks and assign keyboard shortcuts to your Building Blocks.

Please don't shoot the messenger! I am a fellow user trying to help you use the Office that is rather than the one that should be. If you assign a rating to my response, please rate my response, rather than what Microsoft is doing to all of us!

The people who can make changes to Word seldom, if ever, read anything that is posted in this help forum.

You can use the Feedback mechanism in Office or post directly to UserVoice to let developers know what you want.

https://support.office.com/article/How-do-I-giv...

If you do, you can include a link to this thread. If you do post in UserVoice, please put a link to that post in this thread so others can more easily find it to vote for it.

Let us know if there's anything else. If you don't have any more questions, feel free to choose a rating. Thanks! (Five stars means helpful, one star means not helpful.)

Answer 4

Hi Tim,

I do not have a French keyboard. I assume you are using the AZERTY layout.

If I understand your question, you want to be able to type certain characters with Ctrl+Alt+1, Ctrl+Alt+2, Ctrl+Alt+3 but that does not work in Word. The reason it would not work in Word is those are assigned in the program to apply Headings 1, 2, 3.

If that is the problem, you should be able to go into keyboard reassignment and assign them in Word, overriding the defaults. If you can specify the symbol you want, you can assign it to the key. Note that these often already have a shortcut key assigned. The headings on buttons will be different in the French version. I hope the screenshot helps.

File > (1) Options > (2) Customize the Ribbon > (3) Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize

(4) Category: Common Symbols (5) pick the symbol (6) click in the box for the new shortcut key and press the shortcut you want (7) assign the shortcut. 

Again, note that there may already be a shortcut for it; yours would be added.

By default, these shortcuts will be assigned to your normal template, which is somewhat fragile and not all that portable/transferable. You may want to create a custom template and save your shortcuts in them. Then that template could be stored as a Global Template by placing it in your Word Startup Folder . The shortcuts would be available in all of your work in Word and could be easily moved to another computer system.

This forum is a user-to-user support forum. I am a fellow user.

I hope this information helps.

Please let me know if you have any more questions or require further help.

You can ask for more help by replying to this post (Reply button below).

Regards

Answer 5

Here with a French Keyboard (AZERTY), # can be inserted by using the right hand ALT (ALT gr) key and the pressing the 3 key and @ can be inserted by using ATL+CTRL+0

Answer 6

Thanks Charles for your suggestions. I have followed through your advice but the 2 characters I am specifically looking for are not included uner common symbols. The # and @. I have done a brief check of other ways of changing the keys but cannot immediately see any way. Any other ideas very welcome; Tim