North-facing switch

North-facing and south-facing describe which direction a switch's internal LED slot faces once mounted on the plate, referring to the position relative to the top of the keyboard rather than the switch itself. In a north-facing switch, the light-emitting diode sits toward the far edge of the keyboard, away from the typist.

This orientation affects compatibility with certain keycap sets, since some thicker or more sculpted keycap legends can catch on the stem of a north-facing switch and produce a slightly scratchy feel, an issue that is less common with south-facing switches. It can also change how evenly backlighting shines through a keycap's legend depending on where the LED sits relative to the printed character.

When buying keycaps, especially third-party sets with detailed sculpting or shine-through legends, check whether they are listed as compatible with north-facing or south-facing switches, since a mismatch does not stop a keyboard from working but can create stem rattle or uneven lighting. Most enthusiast custom keyboard kits are built south-facing specifically to sidestep this issue.