---
title: "KeyEvent"
description: "When a user presses a key on a hardware keyboard, a [KeyEvent] is sent to the item that is
currently focused. Any parent composable can intercept this [key event][KeyEvent] on its way to
the focused item by using [Modifier.onPreviewKeyEvent()]][onPreviewKeyEvent]. If the item is not
consumed, it returns back to each parent and can be intercepted by using
[Modifier.onKeyEvent()]][onKeyEvent]."
type: "class"
---

<div class='type'>Class</div>


<a id='references'></a>

<div class='sourceset sourceset-common'>Common</div>


```kotlin
value class KeyEvent(val nativeKeyEvent: NativeKeyEvent)
```


When a user presses a key on a hardware keyboard, a `KeyEvent` is sent to the item that is
currently focused. Any parent composable can intercept this `key event` on its way to
the focused item by using `Modifier.onPreviewKeyEvent()```onPreviewKeyEvent`. If the item is not
consumed, it returns back to each parent and can be intercepted by using
`Modifier.onKeyEvent()```onKeyEvent`.



## Code Examples

### KeyEventSample
```kotlin
@Suppress("UNUSED_ANONYMOUS_PARAMETER")
@Composable
fun KeyEventSample() {
    // When the inner Box is focused, and the user presses a key, the key goes down the hierarchy
    // and then back up to the parent. At any stage you can stop the propagation by returning
    // true to indicate that you consumed the event.
    Box(Modifier.onPreviewKeyEvent { keyEvent1 -> false }.onKeyEvent { keyEvent4 -> false }) {
        Box(
            Modifier.onPreviewKeyEvent { keyEvent2 -> false }
                .onKeyEvent { keyEvent3 -> false }
                .focusable()
        )
    }
}
```