###### (This is the legacy documentation for stable SDL2, the current stable version; [SDL3](https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL3/) is the current development version.)
# SDL_GetKeyName

Get a human-readable name for a key.

## Header File

Defined in [SDL_keyboard.h](https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/blob/SDL2/include/SDL_keyboard.h), but apps should _only_ `#include "SDL.h"`!

## Syntax

```c
const char* SDL_GetKeyName(SDL_Keycode key);

```

## Function Parameters

|             |                                                 |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **key**     | the desired [SDL_Keycode](SDL_Keycode) to query |

## Return Value

Returns a pointer to a UTF-8 string that stays valid at least until the
next call to this function. If you need it around any longer, you must copy
it. If the key doesn't have a name, this function returns an empty string
("").

## Remarks

See [SDL_Scancode](SDL_Scancode) and [SDL_Keycode](SDL_Keycode) for
details.

## Version

This function is available since SDL 2.0.0.

## See Also

* [SDL_GetKeyFromName](SDL_GetKeyFromName)
* [SDL_GetKeyFromScancode](SDL_GetKeyFromScancode)
* [SDL_GetScancodeFromKey](SDL_GetScancodeFromKey)

----
[CategoryAPI](CategoryAPI), [CategoryAPIFunction](CategoryAPIFunction)