Vänsterskift

Vänsterskift is the Swedish name for the left SHIFT key found on computer keyboards. The key is located on the left side of the main keyboard area, below the Caps Lock key and above the Left Control key. It is part of the standard QWERTY layout that was introduced in the 1960s for typewriters and later adopted for computer keyboards. The key’s primary function is to alter the output of other keys: when pressed simultaneously with a letter key, it types the corresponding capital letter; when used with a symbol key, it produces the alternate, often higher‑scoped character found on that key’s keycap. In many operating systems the key also serves as a modifier for shortcut commands; for instance, pressing Vänsterskift along with the letter C copies selected text to the clipboard.

The key is identified by a small “⇧” symbol on its keycap. Although the name “Vänsterskift” is used in Sweden, the terminology is similar in many other languages, each using an equivalent word for “left shift” (e.g., “Left Shift” in English, “Shift Gauche” in French). In typographic contexts the term “vända skift” refers to the process of changing the shift state of a typewriter. The function of the shift key was essential in early computing to maximize the number of distinguishable inputs from the limited number of physical keys on a keyboard.

Modern keyboards may include additional features such as keylocking or programmable layers, but the fundamental purpose of the Vänsterskift key remains the same: to modify the behavior of other keys and to provide quick access to capital letters, punctuation, and system shortcuts.