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I seem to be unable to type the backtick without using an alt code. However, the ~ works fine, and the key can be used as a hotkey in games/programs, just cannot be typed. How would I fix this?

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  • The key types tilda while pressing with Shift key, and types nothing or something instead of backtick (what char?) without Shift? If so check 1) the keyboard-captured programs (autoconverters, autoreplacers, macrodefiners, etc.); 2) keyboard mapping files integrity.
    – Akina
    Dec 13, 2018 at 5:29
  • nothing comes out, where would I find the mapping files?
    – Daikael
    Dec 13, 2018 at 5:39
  • Use Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator to view (and edit if needed) your current keyboard layout.
    – Akina
    Dec 13, 2018 at 5:45
  • it seems that button, regardless of its binding, will not output unless I press it while holding shift, which is odd.
    – Daikael
    Dec 13, 2018 at 5:52
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    If so boot in selective mode (run MSCONFIG), disable some autostart entries (half, then quarter, and so on) and search the entry which cause this strange effect.
    – Akina
    Dec 13, 2018 at 13:36

2 Answers 2

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You seem to be using the US-International layout which has AltGr and several dead keys to type accented characters. It isn't the default keyboard layout for the US

US keyboards

The simplest solution is to change to the US layout which is the default for the USA, and then you can type ` as normal. Just open start menu, type Language to open language settings and remove the US-International layout and select the plain US layout

add language

language list

The US QWERTY layout below the International is the desired one

For more information see

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  • Usually you can change between your keyboard layouts by pressing left Alt + left Shift. By having only 2 layouts / languages active you can be very fast to switch on&off your backtick above the tab key (US layout). Notice: Windows settings allow you to use a different input method for each app window.
    – MattTT
    Sep 25, 2023 at 14:51
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I'm not certain exactly which Keyboard/Language input types this applies to, however, for some of the International layouts, backtick [& also single quote] get special treatment.

Because they can also be used as combining characters, if you type one, then follow it with a vowel, it will combine, so ' then e gives you é, ` then a gives you à etc.
If you don't follow it with anything that can take the accent, it will then generate the character followed by your non-accented letter, which is fine some of the time, but not always what you need.
So...

To get them to print on their own, tap the space bar.

Pic from Win 7 - The US international displays this behaviour, the UK doesn't.

enter image description here

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    @grawity - Never tried til now... first press does nothing, as anticipated, second press then generates two of them. Been testing it some more, it doesn't silently discard, it suddenly generates both chars if the following letter can't take the accent. Only space-bar generates just the required char.
    – Tetsujin
    Dec 13, 2018 at 6:50

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