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=== Modifier keys ===
[[File:CtrlWindowsAlt.jpg|thumb|The [[Control key|Control]], [[Windows key|Windows]], and [[Alt key|Alt]] keys are important modifier keys.]]
[[File:Space-cadet.jpg|thumb|A [[Space-cadet keyboard]] has many modifier keys.]]
[[Modifier key]]s are special keys that modify the normal action of another key, when the two are pressed in combination. For example, {{keypress|Alt|F4}} in Microsoft Windows will close the program in an [[active window]]. In contrast, pressing just {{keypress|F4}} will probably do nothing, unless assigned a specific function in a particular program. By themselves, modifier keys usually do nothing.
The most widely used modifier keys include the [[Control key]], [[Shift key]] and the [[Alt key]]. The [[AltGr key]] is used to access additional symbols for keys that have three symbols printed on them. On the Macintosh and Apple keyboards, the modifier keys are the [[Option key]] and [[Command key]], respectively. On [[Sun Microsystems]] and [[Lisp machine]] keyboards, the [[Meta key]] is used as a modifier and for Windows keyboards, there is a [[Windows key]]. Compact keyboard layouts often use a [[Fn key]]. "[[Dead key]]s" allow placement of a [[diacritic]] mark, such as an accent, on the following letter (e.g., the [[Compose key]]).
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