Why Do We Use the QWERTY Keyboard?
The QWERTY keyboard layout is one of the most recognisable design standards in modern computing. It is sometimes criticised as being inefficient and outdated, yet remains the dominant keyboard layout more than 150 years after its creation.
The QWERTY keyboard is a relic of the typewriter era; an example of how technology is shaped not only by engineering, but also by human habits, training, and the need for shared standards.
Origins of the QWERTY layout
The QWERTY keyboard was developed in the early 1870s by Christopher Latham Sholes, an American inventor who created one of the first commercially successful typewriters. The layout takes its name from the first six letters in the top row of keys: Q-W-E-R-T-Y.
Early typewriters used mechanical arms (typebars) that struck an inked ribbon to imprint letters onto paper. When adjacent keys were pressed rapidly in succession, the typebars could collide and jam together. To reduce this problem, Sholes and his collaborators experimented with rearranging the keyboard layout so that commonly used letter combinations were spaced farther apart. The goal was to balance typing speed with mechanical reliability.
The QWERTY layout gained widespread use after it was adopted in the 1870s by Remington, a major typewriter manufacturer. As typing schools emerged and office work became more formalised, QWERTY became the layout that people were trained on. Once large numbers of typists learned QWERTY, switching to a different layout became costly and impractical. Employers preferred workers who were already trained, and typists invested time and effort into mastering the layout. This created a strong incentive to maintain consistency.
Why it survived into the computer age
By the time the mechanical limitations were eliminated with the introduction of electric typewriters, QWERTY was already deeply entrenched. When computers replaced typewriters, the keyboard layout was retained, almost unchanged. Software, hardware, training materials, and workplace practices were all built around QWERTY. Changing the layout would have required retraining millions of users with little immediate benefit.
Alternative layouts, such as Dvorak and Colemak, were designed to improve efficiency and reduce finger movement. Studies showed that these layouts did offer advantages in some circumstances, but they were never widely adopted because of the dominance of QWERTY and the costs associated with changing.
Correcting Myths and Misconceptions
- The layout was not designed to slow down typists
- It was not created randomly
- It is not the most efficient layout possible
- Its survival is not due to technical superiority
QWERTY persists because of historical momentum, standardisation, and the value of compatibility.
The QWERTY legacy today
Today, QWERTY remains the default layout on computers, laptops, tablets, and even touchscreen keyboards. Its influence extends across languages and regions, with local variations adapted to different alphabets and symbols.
The QWERTY keyboard is a clear example of how early design decisions can shape technology for generations. Once a standard becomes widely adopted, replacing it is far more difficult than improving it.
