If you recently bought a pre-built mechanical keyboard and want to upgrade the sound or feel, your first thought is probably, “how do I know what keyboard switches I have?” Before you can buy replacement parts or attempt to lubricate your board, you must identify exactly what hardware is currently sitting under your keycaps.
To know what keyboard switches you have, you must remove a keycap to reveal the plastic stem. The color of the stem tells you the switch type (Linear, Tactile, or Clicky), while the brand name is usually engraved directly into the top plastic housing of the switch.
If you are ready to start customizing your setup, here is the exact 4-step process to identify your current switches and determine if your keyboard can be upgraded.
For the full picture on layouts, switches, and mods, see our complete mechanical keyboard guide.
Step 1: Remove the Keycap and Check the Color
The first step to identifying your switch is looking at the plastic “stem” (the cross-shaped plus sign that holds the keycap).
Use a keycap puller to gently remove one of your letter keys. Look at the color of the plastic stem. In the mechanical keyboard industry, colors are universally used to indicate the physical feel of the switch:
- Red or Black Stem: You have a Linear switch. It travels straight down smoothly with no resistance. (If you want to upgrade these, read our guide to the 5 Best Linear Switches for Gaming).
- Brown or Clear Stem: You have a Tactile switch. It has a physical “bump” halfway down the keystroke.
- Blue or Green Stem: You have a Clicky switch. It has a physical bump and makes a loud, high-pitched clicking noise.
(Not sure which type is best for you? Read our Ultimate Mechanical Keyboard Switches Guide for a full breakdown).
Step 2: Read the Brand Engraving
Knowing the color isn’t enough. A cheap Outemu Red switch feels very different from a premium Cherry MX Red switch. Look very closely at the top plastic housing of the switch (the plastic surrounding the colored stem). You might need to shine your phone’s flashlight on it. You will see a brand name engraved into the plastic.
Here are the most common brands you will find:
- Cherry MX Switches: Some of the most popular and durable switches on the market. They are known for their high quality and are the industry standard that all other brands copy.
- Kailh Switches: A popular alternative to Cherry MX. They are generally less expensive but offer unique variations like the “Kailh Box” design, which protects the switch from dust and water.
- Gateron Switches: Known for their incredibly smooth actuation. Gateron switches are often preferred over Cherry by enthusiasts because they feel less “scratchy” out of the box.
- Razer Green Switches: A proprietary switch made by Razer for their gaming keyboards. They are similar to Cherry MX Blue switches, but with a slightly shorter actuation distance.
- Romer-G Switches: A proprietary switch made by Logitech. They are known for their fast actuation and unique stem design (meaning standard custom keycaps will not fit them).
- Topre Switches: A type of electrostatic capacitive switch. They are generally much more expensive than other types of switches and provide a unique, premium “thock” sound.
Step 3: Check if Your Keyboard is Hot-Swappable
Now that you know what switch you have, you need to know if you can actually remove it.
If your keyboard is Hot-Swappable, you can use a metal switch puller to yank the switch directly out of the circuit board. If your keyboard is Soldered, the switches are permanently melted to the circuit board, and you cannot remove them without a soldering iron.
- How to check: Look at the box your keyboard came in, or search for your exact keyboard model online. If the product page explicitly says “Hot-Swappable,” you are safe to pull the switches out. If it does not say that, assume they are soldered. (If you lost your tools, read our guide on How to Remove Switches Without a Tool).
Step 4: Check for 3-Pin vs 5-Pin Sockets
If your keyboard is hot-swappable, pull one switch out and look at the bottom of it. You will see several pins sticking out.
- 3-Pin Switches: Have two metal pins and one large plastic pin in the center.
- 5-Pin Switches: Have the same three pins, plus two extra tiny plastic legs on the sides.
Look at the empty socket on your keyboard’s circuit board. If the socket only has 3 holes, you can only buy 3-pin replacement switches. If the socket has 5 holes, you can buy either 3-pin or 5-pin replacement switches.
