from pynput import keyboard def on_press(key): try: print('alphanumeric key {0} pressed'.format( key.char)) except AttributeError: print('special key {0} pressed'.format( key)) def on_release(key): print('{0} released'.format( key)) if key == keyboard.Key.esc: # Stop listener return False # Collect events until released with keyboard.Listener( on_press=on_press, on_release=on_release) as listener: listener.join() #key.__str__# ...or, in a non-blocking fashion: #listener = keyboard.Listener( # on_press=on_press, # on_release=on_release) #listener.start()