The
shift key is a
modifier key on a
keyboard, used to type
capital letters and other alternate "upper" characters. There are typically two shift keys, on the left and right sides of the row below the
home row. The shift key's name originated from the
typewriter, where one had to press and hold the button to shift up the case stamp to change to capital letters; the shift key was first used in the
Remington No. 2 Type-Writer of 1878; the No. 1 model was capital-only.