Search...

Sign In

Input and Output Devices

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025

An input/output (I/O) device is any hardware that enables a human user

or another system to communicate with a computer. As the name
suggests, these devices can both receive data (input) from the user or
another source and deliver data (output) from the computer. Essentially,
an I/O device bridges the computer and external entities, facilitating
seamless data exchange.

Input and Output Devices

1. Input Devices
Input devices are the devices that are used to send signals to the
computer for performing tasks. The receiver at the end is the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), which works to send signals to the output
devices. Some of the classifications of Input devices are:

Keyboard Devices
Pointing Devices
Composite Devices
Game Controller
Visual Devices
Audio Input Devices

Some of the input devices are described below.

Keyboard

The keyboard is the most frequent and widely used input device for
entering data into a computer. Although there are some additional keys
for performing other operations, the keyboard layout is similar to that of a
typical typewriter.
Generally, keyboards come in two sizes: 84 keys or 101/102 keys but
currently keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are also available for
Windows and the Internet.

Keyboard

Types of Keys

Numeric Keys: It is used to enter numeric data or move the cursor. It

usually consists of a set of 17 keys.
Typing Keys: The letter keys (A-Z) and number keys (09) are among
these keys.
Control Keys: These keys control the pointer and the screen. There are
four directional arrow keys on it. Home, End, Insert, Alternate(Alt),
Delete, Control(Ctrl), etc., and Escape are all control keys (Esc).
Special Keys: Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, NumLk, Tab, etc., and Print
Screen are among the special function keys on the keyboard.
Function Keys: The 12 keys from F1 to F12 are on the topmost row of
the keyboard.

Mouse

The most common pointing device is the mouse. The mouse is used to
move a little cursor across the screen while clicking and dragging. The
cursor will stop if you let go of the mouse. The computer is dependent on
you to move the mouse; it won't move by itself. As a result, it's an input
device.
A mouse is an input device that lets you move the mouse on a flat
surface to control the coordinates and movement of the on-screen
cursor/pointer.
The left mouse button can be used to select or move items, while the
right mouse button when clicked displays extra menus.

Mouse

Joystick

A joystick is a pointing device that is used to move the cursor on a

computer screen. A spherical ball is attached to both the bottom and top
ends of the stick. In a socket, the lower spherical ball slides. You can
move the joystick in all four directions.

Joystick

The joystick's function is comparable to that of a mouse. It is primarily

used in CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and playing video games on the
computer.

Track Ball

Track Ball is an accessory for notebooks and laptops, which works on

behalf of a mouse. It has a similar structure to a mouse. Its structure is
like a half-inserted ball and we use fingers for cursor movement.
Different shapes are used for this like balls, buttons, or squares.

Light Pen

A light pen is a type of pointing device that looks like a pen. It can be
used to select a menu item or to draw on the monitor screen. A photocell
and an optical system are enclosed in a tiny tube. When the tip of a light
pen is moved across a monitor screen while the pen button is pushed, the
photocell sensor element identifies the screen location and provides a
signal to the CPU.
Light Pen

Scanner

A scanner is an input device that functions similarly to a photocopier. It's

employed when there's information on paper that needs to be
transferred to the computer's hard disc for subsequent manipulation. The
scanner collects images from the source and converts them to a digital
format that may be saved on a disc. Before they are printed, these
images can be modified.

Scanner

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

An Optical Mark Reader is a device that is generally used in educational
institutions to check the answers to objective exams. It recognizes the
marks present by pencil and pen.

Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR stands for optical character recognition, and it is a device that reads
printed text. OCR optically scans the text, character by character turns it
into a machine-readable code, and saves it to the system memory.

Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

It is a device that is generally used in banks to deal with the cheques

given to the bank by the customer. It helps in reading the magnetic ink
present in the code number and cheque number. This process is very fast
compared to any other process.

Bar Code Reader

A bar code reader is a device that reads data that is bar-coded (data that
is represented by light and dark lines). Bar-coded data is commonly used
to mark things, number books, and so on. It could be a handheld scanner
or part of a stationary scanner. A bar code reader scans a bar code image,
converts it to an alphanumeric value, and then sends it to the computer
to which it is connected.
Bar Code Reader

Web Camera

Because a web camera records a video image of the scene in front of it, a
webcam is an input device. It is either built inside the computer (for
example, a laptop) or attached through a USB connection. A webcam is a
computer-connected tiny digital video camera. It's also known as a web
camera because it can take images and record video. These cameras
come with software that must be installed on the computer toevery
broadcast video in real-time over the Internet. It can shoot images and
HD videos, however, the video quality isn't as good as other cameras (In
Mobiles or other devices or normal cameras).
Web Camera

Digitizer

Digitizer is a device that is used to convert analog signals to digital

signals. It converts signals into numeric values. An example of a Digitizer
is a Graphic Tablet, which is used to convert graphics to binary data.

Microphone

The microphone works as an input device that receives input voice

signals and also has the responsibility of converting it also to digital
form. It is a very common device that is present in every device which is
related to music.

2. Output Devices
Output Devices are the devices that show us the result after giving the
input to a computer system. Output can be of many different forms like
image, graphic audio, video, etc. Some of the output devices are
described below.

Monitor
Monitors, also known as Visual Display Units (VDUs), are a computer's
primary output device. It creates images by arranging small dots, known
as pixels, in a rectangular pattern. The amount of pixels determines the
image's sharpness.
The two kinds of viewing screens used for monitors are described below.

Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor: Pixels are minuscule visual

elements that make up a CRT display. The higher the image quality or
resolution, the smaller the pixels.
Flat-Panel Display Monitor: In comparison to the CRT, a flat-panel
display is a type of video display with less volume, weight, and power
consumption. They can be hung on the wall or worn on the wrist.

Flat-panel displays are currently used in calculators, video games,

monitors, laptop computers, and graphical displays.

CBSE Class 9 Syllabus Maths Notes Class 9 Science Notes Class 9 History Note Sign In

Monitor

Television

Television is one of the common output devices which is present in

everycan house. It portrays video and audio files on the screen as the
user handles the television. Nowadays, we are using plasma displays as
compared to CRT screens which we used earlier.
Printer

Printers are output devices that allow you to print information on paper.
There are certain types of printers which are described below.

Impact Printers
Character Printers
Line Printers
Non-Impact Printers
Laser Printers
Inkjet Printers

Printer666

Impact Printer
Characters are printed on the ribbon, which is subsequently crushed
against the paper, in impact printers. The following are the characteristics
of impact printers:

Exceptionally low consumable cost.

Quite noisy
Because of its low cost, it is ideal for large-scale printing.
To create an image, there is physical contact with the paper.

Character Printers
Character Printer canto produce print only one character at a time. It is of
two types.
Dot Matrix Printer
Daisy Wheel

Line Printers
Line Printers are printers that have the capability to print one line at a
time. It is of two types.

Drum Printer
Chain Printer

Non-Impact Printers
Characters are printed without the need for a ribbon in non-impact
printers. Because these printers print a full page at a time, they're also
known as Page Printers. The following are the characteristics of non-
impact printers:

Faster
They don't make a lot of noise.
Excellent quality
Supports a variety of typefaces and character sizes

Laser Printers
Laser Printers use laser lights to produce. dots which will produce
characters on the page.
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are printers that use spray technology for printing papers.
High-quality papers are produced in an Inkjet printer. They also do color
printing.

Speakers

Speakers are devices that produce sound after getting a command from a
computer. Nowadays, speakers come with wireless technology also like
Bluetooth speakers.
Projector

Projectors are optical devices that have the work to show visuals on both
types of screens, stationary and moving both. It helps in displaying
images on a big screen. Projectors are generally used in theatres,
auditoriums, etc.

Plotter

Plotter is a device that helps in making graphics or other images to give a

real view. A graphic card is mandatorily required to use these devices.
These are the pen-like devices that help in generating exact designs on
the computer.

Braille Reader

Braille Reader is a very important device that is used by blind users. It

helps people with low vision or no vision to recognize the data by
running their fingers over the device to understand easily. It is a very
important device for blind persons as it gives them the comfort to
understand the letters, alphabets, etc which helps them in study.

Video Card

A video Card is a device that is fitted into the motherboard of the

computer. It helps in improvising digital content in output devices. It is an
important tool that helps people in using multiple devices.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Global Positioning System helps the user in terms of directions, as it uses

satellite technology to track the geometrical locations of the users. With
continuous latitudinal and longitudinal calculations, GPS gives accurate
results. Nowadays, all smart devices have inbuilt GPS.
Headphones

Headphones are just like a speaker, which is generally used by a single

person or it is a single-person usable device and is not commonly used in
large areas. These are also called headsets having a lower sound
frequency.

3. Input-Output Devices (Hybrid Devices)

Some devices can act as both input and output tools, making them very
versatile. These devices let you send data to a computer and receive
processed results from it. Unlike regular input or output devices, hybrid
devices improve functionality, efficiency, and user interaction by
combining both capabilities

They are commonly used in modern computing for:

Data storage
Communication
Seamless interaction

Here are some key examples of input-output devices:

Touchscreen

A touchscreen is a device that acts as both an input and an output tool.

As an output device, it shows information like a regular monitor. But it
also works as an input device because you can interact with it directly by
touching the screen.

Touchscreens are commonly used in:

Smartphones
Tablets
ATMs
Kiosks
They let you navigate, select, and control functions without needing a
mouse or keyboard. Advanced touchscreens, like capacitive and resistive
types, can detect multiple touches at once.

External Hard Drive

An external hard drive is a storage device that can both store and retrieve
data. You can save files onto it (output) and access or modify them later
(input). These drives connect to your computer using USB, Thunderbolt,
or other interfaces.

External hard drives are commonly used for:

Backing up important data.

Transferring large files between computers.
Adding extra storage space.

Unlike the storage inside your computer, external hard drives are
portable. This means you can easily move large files between different
computers.

USB Flash Drive

A USB flash drive is a small, portable storage device that can both send
and receive data. When you copy files onto the flash drive, it acts as an
output device, storing the information. When you access or transfer those
files to another computer, it acts as an input device, providing the data to
the system.

USB flash drives are popular for several reasons:

They are compact and easy to carry around.

They can store a lot of data.
They are simple to use.

People commonly use USB flash drives to:

Transfer files between computers.
Create bootable operating systems.
Serve as emergency backup storage.

These versatile devices have made computing more efficient and

convenient. Their ability to act as both input and output devices enhances
productivity across various tasks.

Comment S samee… Follow 35

Article Tags : Computer Science Fundamentals School Learning Class 9

Explore
Basics of Computer

Application Software

System Software

Networks & Internet Protocols

Programming Languages

Corporate & Communications Address:

A-143, 7th Floor, Sovereign Corporate
Tower, Sector- 136, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
(201305)
Registered Address:
K 061, Tower K, Gulshan Vivante
Apartment, Sector 137, Noida, Gautam
Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, 201305

Company Explore
About Us POTD
Legal Job-A-Thon
Privacy Policy Blogs
Contact Us Nation Skill Up
Advertise with us
GFG Corporate Solution
Campus Training Program

Tutorials Courses
Programming Languages IBM Certification
DSA DSA and Placements
Web Technology Web Development
AI, ML & Data Science Programming Languages
DevOps DevOps & Cloud
CS Core Subjects GATE
Interview Preparation Trending Technologies
Software and Tools

Videos Preparation Corner

DSA Interview Corner
Python Aptitude
Java Puzzles
C++ GfG 160
Web Development System Design
Data Science
CS Subjects

@GeeksforGeeks, Sanchhaya Education Private Limited, All rights reserved