Keyboard Sizes Explained: 100%, TKL, 75%, 65%, 60% and 40%
Keyboard "sizes" describe which groups of keys a board keeps and which it drops. Here is what each common size includes, what you give up, and who each one suits.
A standard keyboard is built from a few blocks: the main typing area with letters and numbers, the function row (Esc and F1 to F12), the navigation cluster (Insert, Home, Page Up and friends), the arrow keys, and the numeric keypad. Smaller keyboards remove or squeeze these blocks to save space. The percentage is a rough measure of how much of a full-size board remains, not an exact count.
The sizes at a glance
Key counts vary between manufacturers, so treat these as typical rather than exact.
| Size | Typical keys | What it drops | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% (full size) | 104–105 | Nothing | Number entry, spreadsheets, office work |
| TKL (80%) | 87–88 | Numpad | More mouse room without losing any standard keys |
| 75% | About 84 | Numpad; nav cluster squeezed into one column | Compact boards that keep the function row |
| 65% | About 66–68 | Numpad and function row; keeps arrows | Small desks, programmers who use arrows a lot |
| 60% | About 61 | Numpad, function row, arrows and nav keys | Portability, minimal setups, gaming |
| 40% | About 40–50 | Everything above, plus the number row | Enthusiasts comfortable with layers |
100% (full size)
The full-size layout has everything: function row, navigation cluster, arrow keys and a numeric keypad. It is the default on most office desks for good reason. If you type numbers all day, nothing beats a dedicated keypad. The cost is width: the numpad pushes your mouse further out, which some people find uncomfortable over long sessions.
TKL, or tenkeyless (80%)
A tenkeyless keyboard is a full-size board with the numpad removed, and nothing else changed. Every other key stays in its usual place, which makes TKL the easiest smaller size to switch to. Gamers like it because the mouse sits closer to the keyboard and shoulders stay more relaxed.
75%
A 75% keyboard keeps the function row and arrow keys but packs everything tightly, with little or no gap between blocks. The navigation keys are reduced to a single column on the right edge, so Insert or Print Screen may need an Fn combination. Many 75% boards also add a rotary knob in the top-right corner, usually for volume.
65%
A 65% board drops the function row but keeps dedicated arrow keys and a short column of navigation keys such as Delete, Page Up and Page Down. Function keys move to an Fn layer, usually on the number row. It is a popular middle ground: compact, but you don't have to learn new habits for arrow keys.
60%
A 60% keyboard is just the main typing block. There are no arrows, no function row and no navigation keys. All of those live on layers, typically reached by holding Fn. That makes 60% boards light and easy to carry, but you will need to learn where the layered keys are, and they can be awkward for tasks that use arrow keys constantly.
40%
A 40% board removes the number row as well, leaving roughly the letter keys, a few modifiers and a split or shortened space bar. Numbers, symbols and everything else are on layers. It is the most compact common size and the steepest learning curve, mostly loved by enthusiasts who customise their key mappings.
ANSI vs ISO
Size describes which keys a board has. Layout standard describes their shapes. The two you will meet most often are:
- ANSI, common in the US: a wide, single-row Enter key, a long left Shift, and the backslash key above Enter.
- ISO, common in the UK and much of Europe: a tall, L-shaped Enter key spanning two rows, a shorter left Shift, and one extra key next to it, which is why ISO full-size boards have 105 keys instead of 104.
Most of the size names above exist in both ANSI and ISO versions. Keycap sets are usually made for one or the other, so check before buying replacement caps.
Other sizes you might see
- 96% or 1800-style: a full keyboard with the numpad kept, but the gaps closed up.
- HHKB: a 60% variant with Ctrl where Caps Lock usually is, backslash and backtick at the end of the number row, Backspace one row down in their usual place, Fn beside the right Shift, and no Ctrl keys on the bottom row.
- Split and ergonomic boards: the typing area is split in two halves for a more natural wrist angle.
- Alice-style: a 65% or 60% board with the two halves angled toward each other in one case.
How to choose
- You enter a lot of numbers: full size, or a TKL plus a separate numpad.
- You want more mouse room but no new habits: TKL.
- You want compact but still use F-keys: 75%.
- You use arrows constantly but rarely F-keys: 65%.
- You travel or want the smallest common board: 60%, or 40% if you enjoy layers.
Testing a keyboard of any size
BoardCheck has an on-screen layout for each size in this guide, plus 96% and HHKB, in both ANSI and ISO. Pick yours under Layout in the Customize panel (the palette icon in the header) so the board on screen matches the one on your desk, then follow our keyboard testing checklist. If you press a numpad key while using a smaller layout, BoardCheck shows a numpad so that key can be tested too.
Open the keyboard tester