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Vertical bar / pipe: |
On most Windows keyboards, hold Shift and press the key labeled and |. The key’s physical location depends on your keyboard layout: it is usually above Enter on a US keyboard and to the left of Z on a UK keyboard.
What is the vertical bar?
The character | is called the vertical bar, vertical line, or pipe. It is commonly used in Command Prompt, PowerShell, programming languages, and technical documentation.
Do not confuse it with the forward slash /, backslash , broken vertical bar ¦, lowercase l, or uppercase I.
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- Find the key labeled
and|. - On a standard US ANSI keyboard, it is normally directly above Enter.
- Hold Shift and press that key.
The result should be |. Laptop and compact keyboards may place the key slightly differently, but the printed | legend is the best guide.
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How to type it on a UK keyboard
- Find the key labeled
and|. - On a typical UK ISO keyboard, it is normally immediately to the left of Z.
- Hold Shift and press the key.
The shortcut is usually still Shift + the backslash/pipe key, but the key is in a different physical position. On many UK keyboards, the key above Enter contains # and ~, not the pipe symbol.
Check the active Windows keyboard layout
Windows generates characters according to the selected keyboard layout, not only the symbols printed on your physical keyboard. A US keyboard configured as UK, or a UK keyboard configured as US, can therefore produce an unexpected character. Microsoft explains how layouts determine the characters generated by key presses in its keyboard-input documentation.
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- Press Windows + Spacebar.
- Check the layout shown, such as
ENG US,ENG UK, orUnited States-International. - Select the layout that matches your physical keyboard.
- Try the pipe shortcut again.
You can also select the layout indicator on the taskbar. Windows supports multiple layouts, and Windows + Spacebar can switch between them accidentally.
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Fix a mismatched keyboard layout
In current Windows, open Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Open the options for the relevant language, then add, remove, or select the appropriate keyboard layout. Microsoft notes that you can add an alternate keyboard layout without necessarily installing a complete language pack; see its keyboard-layout instructions.
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Common causes of a mismatch include a laptop purchased in another country, multiple English layouts installed, a remote-desktop session using another layout, or a virtual machine with different keyboard handling.
Use the On-Screen Keyboard
The On-Screen Keyboard is both a fallback and a useful diagnostic because it shows which characters Windows expects from the active layout.
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Windows 11
- Open Settings.
- Go to Accessibility > Keyboard.
- Turn on On-Screen Keyboard.
- If a simplified layout appears, choose General to display the full keyboard.
- Hold or select Shift, then click the key displaying
|.
Windows 10
- Open Settings.
- Go to Ease of Access > Keyboard.
- Turn on Use the On-Screen Keyboard.
- Display the full keyboard and select the key showing
|.
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, but these instructions remain useful for computers still running it. See Microsoft’s On-Screen Keyboard guide.
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- Laptop: Look for
and|near Enter, Backspace, or the left Shift area, depending on the regional layout. - 60% or compact keyboard: The key may be on an Fn layer. Check the keycap legends or the manufacturer’s manual; there is no universal Fn shortcut.
- No printed pipe symbol: The character may use a secondary function, or Windows may be set to a different layout.
- Programmable keyboard: Firmware or configuration software may have remapped the key.
- External keyboard: Confirm that its physical regional layout matches the Windows layout.
Other ways to enter |
Copy and paste it
If you only need the character once, copy this:
|This is also useful with a damaged keyboard or when working through a remote desktop or virtual machine.
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Try Alt+124
On many Windows applications, you can hold Alt, type 124 on a real numeric keypad, and release Alt:
Alt + 124 = |This is a commonly used fallback, not a guaranteed method. It may require Num Lock, a built-in numeric-keypad layer, or a physical numeric keypad, and may behave differently in terminals, remote sessions, or particular applications. The number row above the letters usually does not substitute for a numeric keypad.
Remap a key with PowerToys
If you need the pipe frequently and a key is inconvenient or defective, Microsoft PowerToys Keyboard Manager can remap an unused key or shortcut. PowerToys must be running for the remapping to work. Microsoft documents limitations, including password screens and some elevated applications. See the PowerToys documentation and Keyboard Manager documentation.
Why does the pipe matter in Command Prompt and PowerShell?
In command-line environments, | is an operator that passes or combines output between commands. For example, a command may use it to send one command’s output into another command. Replacing it with /, , or ¦ will not produce the same result.
If the shortcut works in Notepad but not in a terminal, remote-desktop client, or virtual machine, the program or session may be intercepting the key. Check the layout indicator inside the active session and test the On-Screen Keyboard there if available.
Quick Recap
Quick troubleshooting checklist
- Find the key marked
|. - Use the location for your layout: above Enter on US keyboards, or left of Z on typical UK keyboards.
- Press Windows + Spacebar and confirm the active layout.
- Test the character in Notepad.
- Use the On-Screen Keyboard to see Windows’ expected key mapping.
- Try Alt+124 with a numeric keypad.
- Copy and paste
|if you need an immediate result.
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