Keyboard Keys Not Working? Fix It Here

One dead key, a dead row, keys typing the wrong letter or typing twice — each has a different cause, and most are not a broken keyboard. Pick what you see, try the fixes in order, then press every key in the test below.

Updated 8 October 2026

Pick what you see to get the likely cause and fixes in order. Then click the keyboard picture below and press the keys that misbehave.

1 · What is happening?

2 · Try these, in order

Most likely: debris under the keycap or a worn switch — or software swallowing that key.

Press it in the keyboard test below. If it lights up, the keyboard is fine: check remaps, macros and shortcuts.
Remove the keycap if you can and blow out the switch, then press it firmly 20–30 times.
Hot-swap keyboard: swap the switch with an unused key’s. If the fault moves, replace the switch.
Dead on a second computer too: the switch or membrane has failed.

Click the keyboard below, then press every key once. Keys light up while held and stay green once they have worked. Click a key on the picture to mark it as not on your keyboard.

1 · Layout

ISO (UK / EU, extra key by Shift) Mac keys

2 · Press every key

Click here to start testing

Tested: 0/0
Held now: —
Key: —
Code: —
keyCode: —
Double-fires: 0

Key log

Short answer

Press every key in the test on this page. If one key or a small group is dead on two computers, it is the keyboard — debris, a spill or a failed switch. If keys light up in the test but do nothing in an app, it is software: Filter Keys, a remap or the wrong input language. A dead number pad is usually Num Lock; a key that types twice is switch chatter.

How to use it

Pick the symptom. One key, a group of keys, the whole keyboard, wrong characters or doubles — each points somewhere different.
Work through the fixes in order. Settings and connections come first because they take seconds and fix a large share of “dead” keys.
Press every key. The keyboard test below shows which keys reach the computer at all, whatever app or language you use.
Try a second computer. If the same keys fail there, it is the keyboard. If they work, the cause is on the first computer.

One key not working

A single dead key is the easiest fault to fix:

Check it in the test below. If the key lights up, the keyboard is fine and an app, remap or shortcut is swallowing it.
Look under the keycap. On a mechanical keyboard, pull the cap with a keycap puller and blow out the switch. On a laptop, tilt the keyboard and use short bursts of air at an angle — do not force laptop keycaps off.
Press it firmly 20–30 times. Debris often clears after a few presses.
Hot-swap keyboards: swap the switch with one from a key you never use. If the fault moves with the switch, replace it.

Some keyboard keys not working: a row or a group

When several neighbouring keys die together, the cause is usually inside: a spill that reached the circuit, or a damaged trace or ribbon cable. Spills are the most common — even a dried drink can leave a film that breaks the contacts. On a desktop keyboard, a deep clean may revive it. On a laptop, several dead keys after a spill generally means a replacement keyboard.

If the dead group is the number pad, press Num Lock. If it is the F1–F12 row, toggle Fn Lock (often Fn + Esc).

Keyboard not working at all

Try another USB port on the computer itself, and remove any USB hub or adapter.
Wireless: fresh batteries, check the power switch, and re-pair Bluetooth or re-plug the receiver.
Restart — a stuck driver after sleep or an update can stop all input.
On a laptop, try an external keyboard. If it works, the built-in keyboard or its cable is at fault.

To type in the meantime, open the on-screen keyboard in the accessibility settings.

Keyboard typing wrong characters

If a key works but types something else, the hardware is fine and the layout is wrong. The usual culprits:

Input language: a UK layout on a US keyboard swaps @ and ", and moves # and \. Windows switches language with Alt + Shift or Win + Space, which is easy to press by accident.
Num Lock on a laptop: some laptops without a number pad turn U, I, O, J, K and L into numbers while Num Lock is on.
AZERTY, QWERTZ: letters move. The Keyboard Test shows the physical key you pressed and the character your layout produced side by side.

Keyboard typing twice, or keys slow to respond

A key that types two letters from one press is chattering — the switch contacts are bouncing. The keyboard test below flags it automatically. A key that only types when held, or ignores quick taps, is usually Filter Keys on Windows, which is designed to ignore brief and repeated presses and turns on when right Shift is held for eight seconds.

Is it the keyboard or the computer?

Plug the keyboard into a second computer, or a second keyboard into this one. A fault that follows the keyboard is the keyboard. A fault that stays with the computer is a setting, a driver, or software such as a macro tool or remapper. For problems that only show up when several keys are held at once in games, use the Keyboard Ghosting Test.

Settings that make keys look dead

Filter Keys (Windows)

Ignores brief or repeated presses on purpose. Turned on by holding right Shift for eight seconds.

Num Lock and Fn Lock

Num Lock controls the number pad; Fn Lock decides whether the top row sends F1–F12 or media keys.

Input language

A different layout moves symbols and letters, so the right key types the wrong character.

Gaming keyboard locks

Many gaming keyboards have a Windows-key lock or game mode that disables some keys on purpose.

If something goes wrong

Keys stopped working after a spill

Unplug it or shut the laptop down now. Turn the keyboard upside down to drain and let it dry for at least a day. Sticky drinks usually need the keycaps off and cleaning.

Keys light up in the test but do nothing in a game

The keyboard is fine. Check the game’s key bindings, any overlay or macro software, and the Windows-key lock or game mode on gaming keyboards.

Open Keyboard Ghosting Test

Keys respond slowly or only when held

Filter Keys is on. Windows: Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard → Filter keys. Holding the right Shift key for eight seconds also toggles it.

Open Keyboard Latency Test

FAQ

Why are some keys on my keyboard not working?

A single dead key is usually debris under the keycap or a worn switch. A group of neighbouring keys points to a spill or a damaged circuit inside. If the keys work in the keyboard test but not in one app, the cause is a setting or remap, not the hardware.

Why is my laptop keyboard not working?

Restart first — a frozen driver is common after updates. Check Filter Keys and the input language, then try an external keyboard: if that works, the built-in keyboard or its ribbon cable is at fault. Several dead keys after a spill need a repair shop.

Why is my keyboard typing the wrong characters?

The input language or layout does not match the keyboard. A UK layout on a US keyboard swaps @ and ", and AZERTY or QWERTZ move letters. Switch the input language back, and check that a language-switch shortcut (Alt+Shift or Win+Space) did not change it.

Why is my number pad not working?

Num Lock is off — press it once. On laptops without a number pad, Num Lock can turn letter keys into numbers, which looks like the keyboard typing the wrong characters.

How do I fix a key that types twice?

Clean under the keycap and press the key firmly 20–30 times. If the keyboard software has a debounce setting, raise it. On a hot-swap mechanical keyboard, replace the switch; on a laptop, the keyboard usually needs replacing.

Can I fix my keyboard myself?

Often. Settings, Num Lock, the input language and a clean under the keycaps fix most dead keys. Hot-swap mechanical keyboards let you replace a bad switch in seconds. Laptop keyboards with spill damage usually need a replacement part.

How do I type without a working keyboard?

Use the on-screen keyboard. On Windows, open Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard → On-Screen Keyboard. On macOS, turn on the Accessibility Keyboard in System Settings → Accessibility → Keyboard.

Keyboard