People who struggle with laptop keyboard issues often try every possible remedial measure to diagnose the issue. However, what they do not know is that to understand the solution, they must discover the problem. Once the exact issue is revealed, they can easily tackle the laptop keyboard not working issue. The first step is to check if there is any internal issue with your keyboard. For instance, people often go for keyboard drivers download for windows as well as iOS to maintain optimum performance of their laptop keyword. While this is a preventive measure, sometimes, people who avoid such steps face an assortment of software and hardware that may cause the keyboard to go haywire. With this said, let us look at the most tried and tested tips to use when your laptop keyword is not working properly.
What to do when your laptop keyboard is not working properly?
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The first and the most obvious thing you can do is restart your laptop and enter the BIOS or UEFI. This step doesn’t demand the use of your laptop keyboard. Moreover, doing this will flush out your laptop’s memory and restart all your drivers, programs, and other utilities that may help restore your computer’s proper functioning. However, if you cannot navigate through your keyboard BIOS, the problem could lie in the hardware.
On the other hand, if you are able to navigate through BIOS and other keys without any hassle, then the problem could be related to your software. In either of the cases, you’re not completely out of luck. Before you go to customer service or a local repair center to rectify your laptop keyboard not working properly, try to run the below-given troubleshooting tips to solve the problem at home.
- Reinstall your keyboard driver
Often when someone installs a third-party software or does not properly turn it off, they may face driver problems. In such a situation, it’s advisable to open the start menu and enter ‘device manager,’ and then enter the keyboard settings. In case any of the items have a yellow exclamation mark at the right of them in this section, then you might have an issue. However, if you see no exclamation points, it is better to right-click on the keyboard menu and uninstall the driver. It’s time for you to reboot your PC, and your operating system will automatically get the original drivers of the keyboard that will make it function properly. In addition to this, you should also verify if all the drivers are updated and install the updates to your operating system.
- Reset your keyboard settings
There are settings options available in your operating system for the keyboard that help you with issues. However, these may become the root cause of your keyboard not functioning properly in case of a malfunction. Thus, you can follow these steps to turn them off.
- Open the ‘control panel’
- A window will open where you have to enter ‘keyword’ in the top left corner.
- From the list of options that you see, start adjusting elements such as Blink Rate and Character Repeat as per your convenience.
Filter Keys is another vital setting that may cause issues for your keyboard. To verify smooth functioning-
- Look for ‘ease of access’ under settings
- Keep scrolling until you find the filter key option
- Turn it off if it on and then press OK to approve.
- Ensure your laptop battery is not overheating
Although it doesn’t happen very frequently, a laptop battery that is under the keyboard may have issues because batteries have a tendency to overheat. If your laptop has a removable battery, you can unplug the battery before plugging in the power cord. Try turning on your laptop with only AC power and without the battery attached.
You might only need to replace your battery if your keyboard starts functioning normally after removing the battery. However, make sure you purchase the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) batteries from the laptop’s maker. We do not advise you to buy batteries from third-party sellers for safety concerns.
- Clean your keyboard thoroughly
Sometimes what appears to be a significant hardware issue is actually a simple issue. For instance, if only some of your keys are malfunctioning, it’s possible that dirt and debris may be obstructing their proper operation.
Start by cleaning the keys with a microfiber cloth or a small brush to see if there is just any dirt under the keycaps. You are attempting to remove any debris that may have become lodged there. Additionally, use rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth to gently but entirely wipe away any stuck-on grime or dried liquids. Blast a can of pressurised air into the spaces between keys for the most thorough cleaning.
- Check your connection
Many times when keyboards stop working properly, they work intermittently while it is not connected to the motherboard. In such case, it becomes difficult to figure out the exact problem. But when you know about such problems you can eliminate the outer case and retry connecting the ribbon cable on the keyboard bottom. If you’re new to this problem, you can reach out to your laptop manufacturer website and learn how to disassemble the laptop. This way, you can connect the keyword with the ribbon cable. In case you’re scared to play around with your keyboard, you can take it to the service centre and allow the professionals to fix it.
- Consider changing the keyboard layout
Your language, keyboard layout, or chosen language may have accidently changed if you are having trouble with your favourite keys producing the desired letters.
By typing “Language” into the Start Menu’s search bar, you can access the Windows language settings panel and resolve issue. You can navigate to the list of languages by clicking on it. Then click the “Options” option after selecting the language you want to use. For example, most US users will probably select English (United States). On the following page, check that US QWERTY is shown under keyboards, and then delete any other keyboard layouts that you don’t use.