Laptop Keyboard Not Working Try These 9 Fixes 2022

In Summary

Some users have reported having problems with their laptop keyboard; the majority of the time, it involves some of the keyboard’s keys not functioning. This problem is frequently brought on by faulty software, incorrect settings, or dirt that has accumulated at the base of your keys. Whatever the case may be, we’ve put together a number of solutions to assist you in fixing the problem. Meanwhile, you should consult an IT expert if the problem is out of your control

However, most keyboard problems can be easily fixed without visiting a service center. This will save you both stress and money if the problem is simple. So, suppose you read this article to find a solution to your keyboard problem without visiting a technician. In that case, we’ll share with you some workarounds to fix the laptop keyboard keys not working issue, their causes, as well as some other keyboard tips.

Common Causes of Keys on Laptop Keyboard Not Working

There are various reasons why laptop keyboard keys don’t work, but one of the most common is that dirt builds up in the keys. Therefore, it’s important to keep dirt away from your desk or the place where you use your laptop, as this is the only way to avoid keyboard problems in this case. It’s also possible that the problem is caused by using outdated or corrupted keyboard drivers on your laptop. This is because the obsolete driver you’re using may contain a bug that’s since been fixed, but since you haven’t updated your driver yet, the bug may eventually cause the keyboard to stop working. You should be aware that incorrect keyboard configuration can also lead to such problems. Perhaps you unintentionally changed the keyboard settings that changed the way some keys work. Also, suppose your keyboard has mechanical problems caused by physical damage, such as being hit with a hard object or certain keys being corroded by water. In that case, the keys may no longer function properly. Considering these and other causes, we’ve listed some solutions that will help fix laptop keyboard keys not working.

9 Ways to Fix Laptop Keyboard Not Working

Want to know how to fix keys on a laptop keyboard that do not work? Here are the best solutions you can try:

Restart your laptop

Before you move on to the other solutions, the first thing you should do when troubleshooting laptop problems is to reboot. This is helpful if your keyboard keys aren’t working properly due to a software error, a simple problem that can be fixed with a simple reboot. This solution will give your computer a fresh start by restarting all system services, drivers, and programs and also flush your computer RAM. So try this solution first and see if the keyboard works after the restart.

Clean your Keyboard

Laptop keyboards usually have very narrow key spacing and travel, which means that the distance between keys is much smaller. Keyboard functionality can sometimes be affected by dust, hair, and other debris. They may have been accumulating for a while, but now that they have gathered so much, they are starting to prevent the keys on your keyboard from working properly. That’s why you must take the time to clean the keys regularly using a can of compressed air and a soft cloth or use a keyboard cover to prevent dirt from getting into the keys. For more help on how to clean a keyboard, read: The Right Way to Clean Your Keyboard, Tablet and Smartphone

Connect with an External Keyboard

Using a spare working keyboard is easy to work around laptop keyboard issues. This way, you can determine if the problem is related to your laptop or just your computer’s keyboard. You could easily conclude that your laptop’s keyboard settings need to be checked if some keys on your external USB keyboard are not working properly. However, if it works properly, you need to clean the laptop keyboard again or have it replaced by an IT professional.

Ensure There is Enough Juice in the Keyboard Battery

If you use a wireless keyboard with your laptop and it needs to be charged, be careful not to use it when the power consumption is too low. Electronic devices usually stop working properly when they are low on power, which could be the case in this instance. So try charging the keyboard for a while and then use it again. Hopefully, it will work properly again. If your keyboard has a replaceable battery, you should replace it after some time. This procedure can also help you.

Uninstall and Reinstall Keyboard Drivers

Drivers are responsible for establishing a connection between the computer and its hardware. Therefore, it’s easy to say that your hardware components won’t work without drivers. If your keyboard isn’t working properly, there may be a problem with your keyboard driver. It’s possible that you haven’t updated the keyboard driver for some time, and that’s why the computer keyboard’s performance is off. To fix this problem, you need to uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver:

Search Device Manager in Windows Search Box and open it.
Navigate to the Keyboards option and double-click it (look for the keyboard icon).
Then, right-click on your keyboard device from the devices listed under the Keyboards category.
Select Uninstall device and wait a few minutes for the process to finish.
After that, restart your computer. On rebooting, a new driver will be installed on your computer.

Run Keyboard Troubleshooter

This solution has worked for many users who have faced the laptop keyboard not working problem, and it might help you as well. Windows has troubleshooting features that help diagnose and fix some computer problems. In this case, you need to run the keyboard troubleshooter, and hopefully, it will fix the keyboard problem. Here is how to do it:

Press Windows + I to open Settings on your laptop.
Select Update & Security.
On the left pane, click on Troubleshoot.
Navigate down on the right pane and tap on the Keyboard option.
Then select Run the troubleshooter.
Wait a few minutes for the troubleshooter to run, and try using your keyboard again. On Mac: If you are using a MacBook, the cause of the issue might be Accessibility Settings. To fix it, open System Preferences > Accessibility, then click Keyboard in the left menu. See if Enable Slow Keys is selected in the Hardware section. If so, unselect Enable Slow Keys. That should hopefully fix the MacBook keyboard.

Enable or Disable Filter Keys

This is another method that has helped several people fix keyboard keys not working:

Open Settings on your computer and click on Ease of Access.
Click Keyboard option on the left pane.
Navigate to the User Filter Keys section; Disable the feature if it’s previously enabled or enable it if it was disabled before.

Check Your Keyboard Layout Settings

The keyboard layout may have been accidentally changed if what you’re trying to type is jumbled with unusual characters. Make sure the layout is correct and correct it if necessary: For laptops running Windows:

Select Settings from the Start menu.
Click Time & Language in the Settings window.
Choose Language from the left-hand pane.
Make sure the correct language is selected in the Preferred languages section, such as English (United States). Click Add a preferred language if it is not already there.
Select the preferred language and then click Options.
The keyboard should match your keyboard type, such as US – QWERTY.

For MacBooks:

Click System Preferences in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Select Keyboard from the menu.
Choose Input Sources from the tabs at the top.
Ensure that the correct keyboard type is displayed on the left (such as US ). If not, check the box for Show input menu in menu bar, then select a language.

Check for Malware or Viruses

Even though it seems silly that viruses can infect laptop keyboards, you should not ignore the possibility of malware and viruses on input devices like keyboards. It is not the virus itself that attacks the hardware but the corrupted driver software installed on the computer that causes errors. When a keyboard is infected with a virus, errors occur, such as the inability to type, switching the language without the user’s permission, and typing letters that are different from the ones the user pressed. Besides reinstalling the keyboard drivers, as suggested in point 5, you can also try running a malware scan with popular software such as MalwareBytes, Windows Defender, Norton, or Avast. These solutions have worked for several users, so one of them should help you out as well.

Final Words

This article has presented many solutions you can try to fix a non-functioning laptop keyboard. However, most remedies will only work if the problem is software-related. If you need to contact a technician to fix the problem, do so, but in the meantime, you can use your on-screen keyboard.

Common Causes of Keys on Laptop Keyboard Not Working#

9 Ways to Fix Laptop Keyboard Not Working#

Restart your laptop#

Clean your Keyboard#

Connect with an External Keyboard#

Ensure There is Enough Juice in the Keyboard Battery#

Uninstall and Reinstall Keyboard Drivers#

Run Keyboard Troubleshooter#

Enable or Disable Filter Keys#

Check Your Keyboard Layout Settings#

Check for Malware or Viruses#

Final Words#

Further Reading:#