# Which key do you press for "Press Any Key"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 26, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742 "2012-01-26T16:02:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/21 "2012-01-28T00:11:41Z")
I don’t know why, and it doesn’t matter if I hit a different key (it’s not like an OCD thing), but I tend to go for the H. ETA: Actually that’s when I need to wake the computer up. I can’t remember the last time it asked me to hit any key. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/22 "2012-01-28T00:22:12Z")
I hit caps lock. And nothing ever happens. . . . ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/23 "2012-01-28T00:27:41Z")
I always press the lonely and forgotten [SysRq key](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_request)… when else are you going to press it? Or better yet, the Pause/Break key, or Scroll Lock Key. Show these guys some love people! ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/24 "2012-01-28T00:29:09Z")
Are there any current programs that tell you to “press any key?” I don’t see why this would be necessary in Windows. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/25 "2012-01-28T02:56:52Z")
“Shift” is the least likely key to actually do anything. It’s the key I use for “Press Any Key” and for waking up my computer. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/26 "2012-01-28T03:17:43Z")
Tab ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/27 "2012-01-28T03:20:42Z")
The space bar because it’s big and obvious. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/28 "2012-01-28T05:05:39Z")
The left control key. Because it can’t screw anything up and it’s easy to hit without looking when my fingers aren’t on the home row. This is mostly for killing the screen saver though. I don’t remember the last time I saw “press any key”. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/29 "2012-01-28T05:10:48Z")
J or F. One of the index finger keys in home row. ---
**Author:** ![Madlife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Madlife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madlife)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/30 "2012-01-28T05:23:13Z")
> [@zagloba](#): > > I let the cat pick a;ljsdf;owiaenv This made me remember a popular Chuck Norris joke: > [@](#): > > Chuck Norris just sucks. If he were as smart and strong it’s claimed, he’d just come here and slam my head on the keyboardasdmsdfvmwefjkmasd To answer the question, I press the space bar. Yeah, boring. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/31 "2012-01-28T06:15:16Z")
Left Ctrl. Because: 1) it is easy access, and 2) it is unlikely to mess anything up that might’ve been running it the background if not pushed in conjunction with other keys. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/32 "2012-01-28T07:29:31Z")
I press one of the arrow keys, or space or one of the ctrls. How I decide which to press depends upon the alignment of the stars and heavenly bodies. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/33 "2012-01-28T08:59:40Z")
I usually just flatten my hand over multiple keys with my closest hand. Not hard, but firmly enough to let my keyboard know I mean business. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/34 "2012-01-28T13:02:05Z")
Usually the space key, but if I’m working with someone and can’t easily reach the key board it might be one of the number keys. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/35 "2012-01-28T13:37:17Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Left Ctrl. Because: 1) it is easy access, and 2) it is unlikely to mess anything up that might’ve been running it the background if not pushed in conjunction with other keys. Plus one. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/36 "2012-01-28T20:15:33Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Are there any current programs that tell you to “press any key?” I don’t see why this would be necessary in Windows. Currently playing Dragon Age II; it tells me to press any key to let it know that I’m back from hunting for a soda and it can display the menu. I generally hit something in the home row of the keyboard. It’s probably the fault of my typing teacher: my hands are still too small to type without moving them around on any standard-size keyboard, but I do tend to keep them in the proper position when at rest. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/37 "2012-01-29T13:39:50Z")
I can’t think of an example in the last 10 years that required the “any” key. I always think of [this](http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20030128), though. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/38 "2012-01-29T13:40:59Z")
> [@cdsilv](#): > > either \ key, because without pressing another key simultaneously is doesn’t “DO” anything…good way to wake up a sleeping computer as welll Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/39 "2012-01-29T15:50:05Z")
I like using ~. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742/40 "2012-01-29T21:31:01Z")
Damn. I must be weird. I have never, ever considered pressing the space bar. It’s a f@cking bar, not a key, damn it! They don’t ask you to press any _bar_, they ask you for a key. Of course, I always choose my house key, because I always carry it around with me. And nothing ever happens, so I usually give up and press some random key on the keyboard. Since I’m right handed, it’s usually in the j to l or u to i or m to , range. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-key-do-you-press-for-press-any-key/610742.md?page=3)