What Happens When I Press a Key? - Computerphile?

When you press a key on the keyboard, it sends a message to your computer so it knows what letter or action you want.

Your keyboard is like a little singer, when you press a key, it makes a special sound that only your computer can hear. This sound is called electric signals. Each key has its own unique song, and the computer listens closely to figure out which key was pressed.

Once the computer hears the song from the keyboard, it goes to work. It takes that message and shows the letter on the screen, just like when you write in your notebook. If you press Shift, it helps make the letter bigger, like when you use a capital letter at the start of a sentence.

The computer is always listening and working hard so you can type stories, draw pictures, or play games. It's not magic, it’s just a friendly helper that knows exactly what to do!