getch-getwch.md

title	description	ms.date	api_name	api_location	api_type	topic_type	f1_keywords	helpviewer_keywords
_getch, _getwch	API reference for _getch and _getwch; which get a character from the console without echo.	3/8/2023	_getch _getwch _o__getch _o__getwch	msvcrt.dll msvcr80.dll msvcr90.dll msvcr100.dll msvcr100_clr0400.dll msvcr110.dll msvcr110_clr0400.dll msvcr120.dll msvcr120_clr0400.dll ucrtbase.dll api-ms-win-crt-conio-l1-1-0.dll	DLLExport	apiref	getwch _getch _getwch	characters, getting from console getch function _getwch function console, reading from _getch function getwch function

_getch, _getwch

Gets a character from the console without echo.

Important

This API cannot be used in applications that execute in the Windows Runtime. For more information, see CRT functions not supported in Universal Windows Platform apps.

Syntax

int _getch( void );
wint_t _getwch( void );

Return value

Returns the character read. There's no error return.

Remarks

The _getch and _getwch functions read a single character from the console without echoing the character. To read a function key or arrow key, each function must be called twice. The first call returns 0 or 0xE0. The second call returns the key scan code.

These functions lock the calling thread and so are thread-safe. For non-locking versions, see _getch_nolock, _getwch_nolock.

By default, this function's global state is scoped to the application. To change this behavior, see Global state in the CRT.

Generic-text routine mappings

Tchar.h routine	_UNICODE and _MBCS not defined	_MBCS defined	_UNICODE defined
_gettch	_getch	_getch	_getwch

Requirements

Routine	Required header
_getch	<conio.h>
_getwch	<conio.h> or <wchar.h>

For more compatibility information, see Compatibility.

Example

// crt_getch.c
// compile with: /c
// This program reads characters from
// the keyboard until it receives a 'Y' or 'y'.

#include <conio.h>
#include <ctype.h>

int main( void )
{
   int ch;

   _cputs( "Type 'Y' when finished typing keys: " );
   do
   {
      ch = _getch();
      ch = toupper( ch );
   } while( ch != 'Y' );

   _putch( ch );
   _putch( '\r' );    // Carriage return
   _putch( '\n' );    // Line feed
}

abcdefy

Type 'Y' when finished typing keys: Y

See also

Console and port I/O
_getche, _getwche
_cgets, _cgetws
getc, getwc
_ungetch, _ungetwch, _ungetch_nolock, _ungetwch_nolock