---
name: "kbdinfo"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kbd"
version: "2.10.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kbdinfo"
---

# kbdinfo(1)

read information about keyboard state

## NAME

kbdinfo - read information about keyboard state

## SYNOPSIS

**kbdinfo** \[*options*\] *getmode* \[*text\|graphics*\]\
 **kbdinfo** \[*options*\] *gkbmode* \[*raw\|xlate\|mediumraw\|unicode*\]\
 **kbdinfo** \[*options*\] *gkbmeta* \[*metabit\|escprefix*\]\
 **kbdinfo** \[*options*\] *gkbled*  \[*scrolllock\|numlock\|capslock*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The utility allows you to read and check various parameters of the keyboard and virtual console.

- **getmode**

  Get or check virtual console mode.

- **gkbmode**

  Gets current keyboard mode.

- **raw**

  Raw (scancode) mode. These are the raw codes generated by the keyboard.

- **mediumraw**

  Medium raw (scancode) mode. This is extended medium raw mode, with keys above 127 encoded as 0, high 7 bits, low 7 bits, with the 0 bearing the 'up' flag if needed. 0 is reserved, so this shouldn't interfere with anything else. The two bytes after 0 will always have the up flag set not to interfere with older applications. This allows for 16384 different keycodes, which should be enough.

- **xlate**

  Translate keycodes using keymap. These are the codes generated via the current keysym mapping.

- **unicode**

  Unicode mode.

- **gkbmeta**

  Gets meta key handling mode.

- **escprefix**

  Specifies if pressing the meta (alt) key generates an ESC (\\033) prefix followed by the keysym.

- **metabit**

  The keysym marked with the high bit set.

- **gkbled**

  Get keyboard flags CapsLock, NumLock, ScrollLock (not lights).

- **scrolllock**

  The scroll lock is down.

- **numlock**

  The num lock is down.

- **capslock**

  The caps lock is down.

## OPTIONS

- **-C**, **--console**=*DEV*

  the console device to be used.

- **-V**, **--version**

  print version number.

- **-h**, **--help**

  print this usage message.

## AUTHORS

Written by Alexey Gladkov.

## SEE ALSO

**kbdrate**(1), [**setleds**(1)](/setleds/1.md), [**kbd\_mode**(1)](/kbd_mode/1.md)