My Custom Built Keyboard keep types § and ±, instead of ` and ~

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Level 1

17 points

My Custom Built Keyboard keep types § and ±, instead of ` and ~

Hello,

I currently use my custom built keyboard from KBD on MacOS Monterey ver 12.1.

It's fine on my PC computer, but for some reason, on Mac, that one key below 'esc' button recognizes § and ± instead of ` (backtick) and ~ (tilde), and it's really frustrating. I tried everything on Mac to reset the keyboard recognition, but it didn't work. I tried to assign a new key in Karabiner in Simple modification tab, but I don't see any changes.

Could you help me how to correctly assign the back tick and tilde key when I type on my custom built keyboard? Thank you!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.1

Posted on Jan 24, 2022 10:05 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

johnnykim777 Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 25, 2022 5:26 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Hi Tom,

Nope. there's nothing in between. It's the same format as the usual keyboard.

it's just that one key below "esc" is different. Even though it comes out as ` and ~ in PC, for some reason, it comes out as § and ± in Mac.

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Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

118,704 points

Jan 25, 2022 5:46 PM in response to johnnykim777

johnnykim777 wrote:

It's the same format as the usual keyboard.

it's just that one key below "esc" is different. Even though it comes out as ` and ~ in PC, for some reason, it comes out as § and ± in Mac.

Your Mac thinks it is an ISO type keyboard instead of an ANSI keyboard. See

A custom layout made with Ukelele can fix it if needed. I may have one somewhere already..

https://software.sil.org/ukelele/

Try this.

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Answer 3

johnnykim777 Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 25, 2022 5:47 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Hey Tom,

funny that you mentioned it! I actually tried using Ukelele yesterday. Do you know exactly how it works?

As you see, I tried to include that usual key under esc character but nothing's changing for me yet..

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Answer 4

faith185

Community Specialist

Jan 25, 2022 4:13 PM in response to johnnykim777

Hi johnnykim777,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand that a couple of the keys on your custom keyboard are not typing the correct characters.

You've tried some great steps to isolate this to the keyboard/Mac connection. To isolate further, do you have another keyboard to test with your Mac? If so, do these keys work correctly on another keyboard? If you are able to isolate that this only happens with this particular keyboard, it would be best to reach out to the manufacturer directly.

If this happens with all keyboards when connected with your Mac, test in safe mode to see if the same occurs there. Check out How to use safe mode on your Mac.

Take care.

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Answer 5

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

118,704 points

Jan 25, 2022 5:04 PM in response to johnnykim777

Is your keyboard the ISO type with an extra key between z and shift?

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Answer 6

johnnykim777 Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 25, 2022 5:28 PM in response to faith185

Hi Faith,

Thank you. So, it's not necessarily the keyboard's problem but it's how Macbook recognizes this keyboard and that one particular character differently. When i plug this keyboard in with PC, it's fine. it comes out the regular ` and ~ symbols. It's just only when it's connected with my Macbook, it for some reason recognizes it as § and ±.

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