KeyboardEvent: charCode property

The charCode read-only property of the KeyboardEvent interface returns the Unicode value of a character key pressed during a keypress event.

[!WARNING] Do not use this property, as it is deprecated. Instead, get the Unicode value of the character using the key property.

Value

A number that represents the Unicode value of the character key that was pressed.

Examples

HTML

<p>Type anything into the input box below to log a <code>charCode</code>.</p>
<input type="text" />
<p id="log"></p>

JavaScript

const input = document.querySelector("input");
const log = document.querySelector("#log");

input.addEventListener("keypress", (e) => {
  log.innerText = `Key pressed: ${String.fromCharCode(e.charCode)}\ncharCode: ${
    e.charCode
  }`;
});

Result

Notes

• In a keypress event, the Unicode value of the key pressed is stored in either the keyCode or charCode property, but never both. If the key pressed generates a character (e.g., ‘a’), charCode is set to the code of that character; charCode respects the letter case (in other words, charCode takes into account whether the shift key is held down). Otherwise, the code of the pressed key is stored in keyCode.
• charCode is never set in the keydown and keyup events. In these cases, keyCode is set instead.
• To get the code of the key regardless of whether it was stored in keyCode or charCode, query the which property.
• Characters entered through an Input method editor do not register through keyCode or charCode.
• For a list of the charCode values associated with particular keys, run Displaying event object properties and view the resulting HTML table.

Specifications

Browser compatibility