QWERTY, AZERTY or QWERTZ: which keyboard suits your refurbished MacBook?
With a refurbished MacBook, the keyboard layout matters just as much as the specs. We explain the four most common layouts so you know exactly what you're choosing.
In short
With a refurbished MacBook, the keyboard layout matters just as much as the specs. The most common layouts are QWERTY NL (standard in the Netherlands), QWERTY US (popular with developers), AZERTY (Belgium/France) and QWERTZ (Germany/Austria). At iMac and More we only supply MacBooks with a QWERTY NL or QWERTY US layout.
It's not always a given that your new MacBook has the keyboard layout you're used to. In practice, it can be really frustrating to buy a MacBook that turns out to have, say, a German keyboard (QWERTZ). Even if you don't type much, and even if you can touch type, there's always a moment where it trips you up.
In this article we explain the four most common layouts, so you know exactly what you're choosing.
QWERTY NL — the standard in the Netherlands
This layout is the most common in the Netherlands — most MacBooks sold by Amac or Apple are also supplied with it. The letters follow the classic QWERTY order, and the special characters are adapted for Dutch use. For example, the @ symbol sits on the number 2 key, and the slash is next to the Enter key. For most Dutch Mac users, QWERTY NL is the most desirable layout simply because everyone is used to it. At iMac and More we only sell our MacBooks with a QWERTY NL or QWERTY US layout, since most of our customers live in the Netherlands and prefer this type of keyboard.
QWERTY US — originally from the United States
This layout (QWERTY US) is most widely used in the United States. It largely matches the QWERTY NL (Dutch) keyboard, though there are a few small differences — such as the horizontal Enter key versus the vertical Enter key, and a handful of punctuation marks positioned slightly differently. Some of our customers specifically ask for this because QWERTY US is more convenient for certain types of users, such as developers, programmers and designers.
AZERTY — mostly used in Belgium and France
The AZERTY keyboard layout was developed for French-speaking users and is very popular in Belgium and France. It's actually a completely different arrangement of both letters and punctuation, and isn't common in the Netherlands. iMac and More doesn't sell this type of keyboard. However, you'll often see this layout in other webshops — if it isn't clearly stated, it's worth checking beforehand so you're not caught out.
QWERTZ — the standard in Germany and Austria
This layout is very common in Germany and Austria. Here too, different punctuation marks are used than we're used to in the Netherlands. Germany also uses an alphabet that includes ü, ö, ä and ß — these letters also appear on a QWERTZ keyboard.
Overview: the four layouts compared
| Layout | Popular in | Special keys | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| QWERTY NL | Netherlands | Accents, € symbol | Dutch-language use |
| QWERTY US | US, international | Handy for code characters, very close to QWERTY NL | Developers, creatives, Dutch/English speakers |
| AZERTY | Belgium, France | A/Q and Z/W swapped, different punctuation | French speakers |
| QWERTZ | Germany, Austria | Y/Z swapped, ü ö ä, different punctuation | German speakers |
Which layout should you choose?
For most Dutch users, QWERTY NL is the most logical choice. If you work a lot with code or international software, QWERTY US might suit you better. Coming from Belgium, or working mostly in French or German? Then you'll already know which layout fits you.
At iMac and More we always clearly state which keyboard layout a device has. As mentioned, we work exclusively with QWERTY NL and QWERTY US, so you always know exactly what you're buying. Browse our full range of refurbished MacBooks, or get in touch if you're unsure — we're happy to help you make the right choice.
Ready to choose your refurbished MacBook?
We only supply QWERTY NL and QWERTY US — clearly stated with every device.