---
title: TouchEvent.altKey
slug: Web/API/TouchEvent/altKey
tags:
  - API
  - DOM
  - Mobile
  - Property
  - TouchEvent
  - touch
browser-compat: api.TouchEvent.altKey
---
{{APIRef("Touch Events") }}

## Summary

A boolean value indicating whether or not the <kbd>alt</kbd> (Alternate) key is enabled when the touch event is created. If the <kbd>alt</kbd> key is enabled, the attribute's value is `true`. Otherwise, it is `false`.

This property is {{readonlyInline}}.

## Syntax

    var altEnabled = touchEvent.altKey;

### Return value

- `altEnabled`
  - : `true` if the <kbd>alt</kbd> key is enabled for this event; and `false` if the <kbd>alt</kbd> is not enabled.

## Example

This example illustrates how to access the {{domxref("TouchEvent")}} key modifier properties: {{domxref("TouchEvent.altKey")}}, {{domxref("TouchEvent.ctrlKey")}}, {{domxref("TouchEvent.metaKey")}} and {{domxref("TouchEvent.shiftKey")}}.

In following code snippet, the {{event("touchstart")}} event handler logs the state of the event's modifier keys.

```js
someElement.addEventListener('touchstart', function(e) {
   // Log the state of this event's modifier keys
   console.log("altKey = " + e.altKey);
   console.log("ctrlKey = " + e.ctrlKey);
   console.log("metaKey = " + e.metaKey);
   console.log("shiftKey = " + e.shiftKey);
}, false);
```

## Specifications

{{Specifications}}

## Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}
