OS Manuals

/usr/bin/loadkeys

Linux keyboard tools

From kbd 2.10.0-r4 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running loadkeys --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: loadkeys [option...] [mapfile...]

Options:
  -C, --console=DEV       the console device to be used.
  -a, --ascii             force conversion to ASCII.
  -b, --bkeymap           output a binary keymap to stdout.
  -c, --clearcompose      clear kernel compose table.
  -d, --default           load default.
  -m, --mktable           output a 'defkeymap.c' to stdout.
  -p, --parse             search and parse keymap without action.
  -s, --clearstrings      clear kernel string table.
  -u, --unicode           force conversion to Unicode.
  -q, --quiet             suppress all normal output.
  -t, --tkeymap[=SHAPE]   output a text keymap to stdout.
  -v, --verbose           be more verbose.
  -V, --version           print version number.
  -h, --help              print this usage message.

Default keymap: defkeymap.map
Available shapes:
  2  - default output;
  4  - one line for each keycode;
  8  - one line for each (modifier,keycode) pair;
  16 - one line for each keycode until 1st hole.

Report bugs to authors.
Options (14)
OptionDescriptionSource
-C, --console DEVthe console device to be used.help
-a, --ascii --asciiforce conversion to ASCII.help + man
-b, --bkeymapoutput a binary keymap to stdout.help
-c, --clearcomposeclear kernel compose table.help
-d, --defaultload default.help
-m, --mktableoutput a 'defkeymap.c' to stdout.help
-p, --parse --parseloadkeys searches and parses keymap without action.help + man
-s, --clearstringsclear kernel string table.help
-u, --unicodeforce conversion to Unicode.help
-q, --quiet --quietloadkeys suppresses all normal output.help + man
-t, --tkeymap SHAPEoutput a text keymap to stdout.help
-v, --verbosebe more verbose.help
-V, --version --versionloadkeys prints version number and exits.help + man
-h, --help --helploadkeys prints its version number and a short usage message to the programs standard error output and exits.help + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.