---
title: characters
framework: uikit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
path: uikit/uikey/characters
---

# characters

A string that represents the text value of the key combined with any active modifier keys.

## Declaration

```swift
var characters: String { get }
```

## Discussion

Discussion When the user holds one or more modifier keys, this property contains the modified characters according to the rules of the particular modifier keys. For example, if the user holds Shift while pressing a letter button on a Latin keyboard, this property contains a capital letter.

## See Also

### Getting key characters

- [charactersIgnoringModifiers](uikit/uikey/charactersignoringmodifiers.md)