Microsoft is considering adding a dedicated Office key to keyboards. The new key would provide additional keyboard shortcuts for Office apps, including the ability to quickly share documents and files. Microsoft has been conducting a survey with testers of the Office key, spotted by WalkingCat, and is getting feedback on how the dedicated key operates.
Microsoft appears to suggest the key will replace the secondary Windows key on the right-hand side of a keyboard, or the dedicated menu key. Microsoft’s survey, which requires a work or school Microsoft account to access, includes questions around Office key shortcuts, and asks whether testers would like to see this dedicated key on laptops. Microsoft appears to be testing the concept with its latest Windows 10 May 2019 Update.
Microsoft has had dedicated Windows keys on its range of keyboards for 25 years now, since the introduction of the Microsoft Natural keyboard in 1994. Most keyboards that have adopted the 104 / 105-key layout include these two Windows keys and the additional menu key, as Microsoft will not certify keyboards for Windows use without the Windows flag keys.