Symbols and numbers

Step by step

1. Click the Start button! Look at the bottom of this practice computer: the dark strip there is its taskbar. In the middle of it, click the Start button (four blue squares). The main menu opens just above it. If you see two taskbars, use the one inside this page.
2. Click "Notepad". In the menu that opened, click the "Notepad" tile (a square with a small picture and its name under it): the app opens in its own window.
3. Type "Wow! 50% off?". Click in the white page of Notepad first. Symbols like ! and % and ? are printed on the TOP half of a key: hold down Shift (⇧, on the left of the keyboard) and press that key (the ! is on the 1 key, the % on the 5 key, the ? on the / key, at the bottom right). Type "Wow! 50% off?" this way.
4. Type the number 2026. The numbers are on the top row of the keyboard, above the letters: just press them, without Shift. You can also use the number pad on the right side of the keyboard. Type "2026" now (press the keys 2, 0, 2 and 6, one after the other).
5. Close this window. You are done with this window, so close it: click the ✕ button at the top right corner of the "Notepad" window (on its title bar, the strip at the top). The window disappears.

These steps are written for SafePC, a pretend Windows-style computer in your web browser. On your own computer, the buttons and menus may look a little different, but the idea is the same.

More lessons in The keyboard

• Capital letters
• Type an email address
• Copy and paste with the keyboard
• Undo a mistake: Ctrl + Z