Engram-en optimized keyboard layout for English

Engram-en is a keyboard layout optimized for comfortable and efficient touch typing in English created by Arno Klein as part of a family of Engram layouts (GitHub).

Try out Engram-en online and install it on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

A peer-reviewed manuscript in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction titled “Optimizing comfortable keyboard layouts using human typing preferences and language-dependent n-grams: the Engram Study” (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2026.2665409) describes the approach to optimizing keyboard layouts, and specifically the development of the Engram-en layout. It is based on language-dependent n-gram frequencies and language-independent typing preferences, using multi-objective optimization informed by crowdsourced typing data. Letters are optimally arranged according to ergonomics factors that promote reduction of lateral finger movements and more efficient typing of high-frequency letter pairs. The most common punctuation marks are logically grouped together in the middle columns and numbers are paired with mathematical and logic symbols.

“Ergonomic” orthonormal keyboard

Staggered/diagonal keyboard

     [{ 1| 2= 3~ 4+  5<  6>  7^ 8& 9% 0* ]} /\
        bB yY oO uU  '(  ")  dD nN gG vV qQ #$ @`
        hH iI aA eE  ,;  .:  tT rR sS cC zZ 
        kK jJ xX wW  -_  ?!  mM lL fF pP