ASDFGHJKL

ASDFGHJKL is the sequence of nine letters on the middle row of a standard US QWERTY keyboard, spanning from A to L. The term is commonly used to refer to the keyboard’s home row, the area where typists rest their fingers when starting to type.

In touch typing, the left hand typically covers A S D F, with A under the left pinky and F having a tactile bump to aid orientation, while the right hand covers J K L, with J having a bump for the right index finger. To type the letters in ASDFGHJKL, the left index finger reaches from F to G, and the right index finger reaches from J to H. The sequence thus includes keys typed primarily by the index fingers along with adjacent letters pressed by the other fingers.

This string is commonly used in typing lessons, drills, and software demonstrations as a simple, language-neutral example of home-row typing, since it uses central letters and minimizes finger movement. It serves as a practical practice tool for establishing proper hand position and rhythm before expanding to the full keyboard.

On non-US keyboard layouts, the exact letters occupying the home row may differ, but the concept remains central to touch typing. The ASDFGHJKL sequence illustrates how the home row links the left and right hands across the keyboard.

See also: QWERTY keyboard, home row, touch typing.