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Copyright

K

K

Don’t use; use KB.

K–12

Note en dash (Option-Hyphen): K–12 education.

KB (n., adj.)

Abbreviation for kilobyte. KB equals 1000 bytes in the context of file size or storage capacity, and 1024 bytes in the context of computer memory. For guidelines about spelling out abbreviations, see abbreviations and acronyms.

Noun: In the noun form, use a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. The preposition of is necessary before the unit that the value quantifies.
800 KB of memory
Adjective: Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.
a 687 KB file

kbit (n., adj.)

Abbreviation for kilobit. For guidelines about spelling out abbreviations, see abbreviations and acronyms.

Noun: In the noun form, use a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. The preposition of is necessary before the unit that the value quantifies.
256 kbit of memory
Adjective: Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.
256 kbit device

kbit/s

Standard international abbreviation for kilobits per second. See also Names and unit symbols for units of measure and abbreviations and acronyms.

KB/s

Abbreviation for kilobytes per second. For guidelines about spelling out abbreviations, see abbreviations and acronyms.

Kbyte

Don’t use; use KB. See also KB (n., adj.).

Kerberos

A network authentication protocol.

keyboard equivalent

Don’t use; use keyboard shortcut.

keyboard focus

The location where your actions take effect when you use the keyboard. When you use VoiceOver, the keyboard focus can be different from where the VoiceOver cursor is focused.

keyboard icon

Not script symbol or script icon. Refers to the small icon associated with each keyboard layout. These icons are used in the Input menu and the Text Input section of Keyboard settings.

keyboard shortcut

Use instead of keyboard equivalent. See also key, keys.

keychain, Keychain Access

A keychain stores certificates and passwords for servers, internet resources, and apps. Users create keychains by using the Keychain Access app.

key-down (adj.)

Note hyphenation.

key, keys

You press a key on a keyboard or tap a key on a touchscreen; you type a character, word, or phrase.

In general, don’t use articles and the word key in references to keys. Ease the user into this construction by using the and key the first time you mention a keystroke.

First occurrence: Press the Control key.

Thereafter: Press Control.

Modifier keys: Capitalize the names of modifier keys.
Control key, Option key, Shift key, Command key, Esc key
Punctuation keys and nonalphanumeric keys: When a punctuation key or nonalphanumeric key is used in a combination keystroke, or as a modifier for the word key, capitalize the key name. (However, use lowercase for punctuation marks and nonalphanumeric symbols in other contexts.)
Option-Shift-Hyphen
Press the Hyphen key.
Type a hyphen.
Placing the punctuation mark or symbol in parentheses after the spelled-out key name is optional, but be consistent within a document.
Shift-Command-Tilde (~)
Keyboard shortcuts using combination keystrokes: In combination keystrokes, use hyphens to signify that the user should hold down the first key or keys while pressing the last key. Don’t use a hyphen if each key should be pressed and released separately. Be sure to explain this convention on first use.
Control-Shift-N
Esc N
Capitalize but don’t italicize or use code font for letters used as key names.
Command-C
Command-X
If there’s more than one modifier key, use this order: Fn (function), Control, Option, Shift, Command. When a keyboard shortcut includes a mouse or trackpad action, use lowercase for the mouse or trackpad action.
Option-click
Option-swipe with three fingers
Two-word key names: When referring to more than one key, use the full name of each key.
Correct: the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key
Incorrect: the Right or Left Arrow key
Keys labeled with two characters: When a key with two characters is used in a keyboard shortcut, identify the key by the lower of the two characters, unless the Shift key is part of the shortcut. If the Shift key is part of the keyboard shortcut, identify the key by the upper of the two characters.
Correct: For more information, press Shift-Command-Question Mark.
Incorrect: For more information, press Shift-Command-Slash.
When the Shift key and a key with two characters are in a combination keystroke, always show the Shift key as part of the keyboard shortcut (don’t show only the upper of the two characters and assume that the user will know to press the Shift key).
Correct: To increase the Loupe diameter, press Option-Shift-Plus Sign.
Incorrect: To increase the Loupe diameter, press Option-Plus Sign.
If one of the characters on the key provides a mnemonic for the action of the command, you can identify the key by that character.
To remove keyword presets 1 through 8, press Option-Shift-1, Option-Shift-2, and so on.
Key graphics: With graphic representations of combination keystrokes (in tables, for example), use the plus sign (+) instead of a hyphen between keys.
Escape and Function: Spell out the key names Escape and Function (the Fn key on laptop computers and wireless keyboards) when you introduce them. In subsequent references, it’s OK to abbreviate them as Esc and Fn.
First occurrence: Press the Esc (Escape) key.
Thereafter: Press Esc.
Don’t abbreviate any other key names, except when space is very tight (in table headings, for example).

Apple Style Guide

K