There’s a Reason for Those Bumps on Your Keyboard’s J and F Keys

Technology seems to constantly change these days. We can hardly keep up! Yet as laptops become smaller and screens become bigger, one thing always seems to remain the same: the keyboard.

Research says that the average American spends anywhere between seven to 10 hours per day staring at a screen. Still, we bet there’s one thing about your computer that you’ve never noticed before. On every keyboard of every make and model ever, the J and F keys have little ridges on the bottom. They’re also the only two keys that sport these funny bumps. What’s the deal?

Turns out, they’re an age-old tool that’s meant to help you position your hands correctly when you type. Being mindful of these grooves improves your efficiency at the keyboard, increasing your typing speeds so you don’t have to constantly glance down at your hands. (By the way, this is what’s making your computer super slow—and how to fix it!) The F and J keys are the perfect location for the ridges because they’re a natural place for people to rest their index fingers. (That’s also why there’s a bump on #5 on your keyboard’s number pad.)

According to proper typing etiquette, your fingers should stay hovering over “the Home row” at all times, with the four fingers of your left hand (minus your thumb) placed on the ASDF keys, and those on your right hand placed on JKL;. Then, as you type, your fingers should move above and below the “Home” letters, always moving back to their initial positions after typing. The F and J keys are marked with their funny little ridges for more efficient navigation, experts say. For more keyboard shortcuts, check out our definitive list on the how exactly those F1 – F12 keys work.

Now, you can sound super cyber-savvy at your next cocktail hour. Throw in these computer jokes, too, while you’re at it. You’re welcome!