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Summary
Laptop keyboards are finicky devices that seem to have a mind of their own—that’s because your laptop treats them as such. Thankfully, you can often get it to start working again with a simple Windows trick. So, let’s look at a few easy solutions before you take it to a local repair shop.
Do a Quick Restart
Did the keyboard just stop working at random? Before you try more time-consuming solutions, let’s firstgive the laptop a quick reboot. This solution can save you from a world of hurt, as the keyboard may have stopped working because of a random software or driver issue in the operating system. The reason why this solution works is because it clears all temporary instructions and data stored on your laptop, allowing it to start anew.
Reinstall the Keyboard Drivers
Driversare a type of software that allows your hardware and operating system to communicate—essentially translators for your laptop keyboard and operating system. Driver issues most often pop up after you update orreset the operating system, but any number of things can make them stop working.
An easy way to reinstall drivers on Windows is to open the Start menu, scroll down to the “Windows System” folder, andopen the “Control Panel.”
Open “Hardware and Sound,” then click on “Device Manager” under Devices and Printers. Once you’re in theDevice Manager, expand the “Keyboards” section by clicking on the arrow next to it. You might see multiple keyboard devices in the list, like in the screenshot below. Right-click each of them one by one and click “Uninstall Device.”
After this, reboot your system, and the driver should be installed automatically. If it still doesn’t work, or if you just want to verify all keys work as intended, go to your manufacturer’s website and download the keyboard drivers specific to your laptop model.
Disable Filter Keys
Filter Keysis an accessibility feature in Windows that makes your laptop ignore repeated keystrokes. It can sometimes cause issues with the keyboard and make it completely unresponsive. To disable it, open the Start menu and click on the gear icon to open Settings. Click on “Ease of Access.”
Click on “Keyboard” under the Interaction section on the left, scroll down to Use Filter Keys, and disable “Ignore brief or repeated keystrokes and change keyboard repeat rates.” While you’re in the menu, you may also want to disable “Use Sticky Keys” and “Use your device without a physical keyboard” to see if that gets the keyboard working.
Run the Windows Keyboard Troubleshooter
Windows has a set of troubleshooters that automatically detect and fix problems. It’s always worth a shot, especially if you suspect that it’s a software-related issue and reinstalling drivers didn’t help.
Open the Start menu and click on the gear icon to open Settings. On Windows 10, go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters > Keyboard > Run the Troubleshooter. If you’re on Windows 11, open System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters > Keyboard > Run. From here, just follow the on-screen prompts to troubleshoot the keyboard.
Check the Keyboard Layout
Does the keyboard actually work, but the letters on-screen don’t correspond to the keys on your keyboard? There’s a good chance your keyboard input language has changed. To change it back to your preferred language, open the Start menu and click on the gear icon to open Settings, and open “Time & Language.”
To change your keyboard layout on Windows 10, go to “Language.” Select your language under Preferred Languages and click on “Options.” If you don’t see your language, you may add it by clicking on “Add a Language,” then click on “Options.” Click on “Add a Keyboard” and select your preferred layout.
On Windows 11, go to “Language & Region.” Select your language or, if it’s not there, click on “Add a Language” and install it first. Next, click on the three-dot menu icon and select “Language Options.”
Scroll down until you see the Keyboards menu, then click on “Add a Keyboard” and select your preferred layout.
It’s Cleaning Time
An often overlooked reason laptop keyboards stop working is dirt that builds up over time or, worse, corrosion. Be honest, have you everspilled a drinkover your laptop keyboard? Maybe you thought it didn’t cause any issues because the keyboard didn’t stop working right away. But it can cause the circuit board traces underneath to corrode slightly, which means the keyboard can no longer transmit signals to your computer. In some cases, only a small part of the keyboard stops working—that’s what happened to me.
Unfortunately, a quick swipe with a microfiber cloth over the keys won’t do much. Try using a soft bristle toothbrush around the keys and then blasting the keyboard with a can of compressed air to dislodge the dirt. For a more thorough clean, you’ll have totake the keys out one by one and clean underneath themwith cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol. The exact method you use to pop the keys out depends on your laptop model, so it’s best to check model-specific instructions online to avoid breaking anything.
Taking keys out of your laptop keyboard is a labor-intensive process that can permanently damage your laptop. It’s best to get it done by a professional if you don’t want to take any risks.
If your laptop is a 2-in-1 with a detachable keyboard, an easy fix you’re able to try is to remove the keyboard and clean the gold contact pins on both the keyboard and display with isopropyl alcohol. Let it air dry for 15 minutes before putting it back on.
Boot Up in Safe Mode
Sometimes, a program you installed or evenmalwarecan make your keyboard stop working. Safe Mode in Windows allows you to boot the system with only essential drivers and programs. While this isn’t a permanent solution, it can at least point you to the issue.
You can find the Safe Mode optionby opening the Start menu > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery on Windows 10. On Windows 11, go to the Start menu > Settings > System > Recovery. Under Advanced Startup, click on “Restart Now.” This will take you to a troubleshooting startup menu, where you can select Safe Mode. If the keyboard works now, then it means aprogram running in the backgroundis likely causing the issue.
If All Else Fails, Try an External Keyboard
If none of the solutions above worked, or if the keyboard is beyond repair, there’s no harm in hooking up an external keyboard via a USB cable. While it’s not an ideal solution, look at it from the bright side—you can use the opportunity to hook upa small mechanical keyboardand enjoy a superior typing and gaming experience. This isn’t even an inconvenient solution if you do most of your laptop work at a desk.
