Keyboard keys not working can mean one key that never types, a block of keys on the right side, or the whole function key row. The key may be the shift key, backspace, spacebar, enter, an arrow key or a number key, and each has its own usual culprit.
Where the dead keys sit tells you a lot. One key alone is usually dirt or a worn key. A set of keys that die together is usually a setting or a cable. Use the pattern table below, then the steps. If the entire board is silent, go to laptop keyboard not working instead.
Common causes
1Num Lock is off
How to tellNumber pad keys on the right move the cursor or do nothing, but top row numbers work
What fixes itPress Num Lock, or Fn with the key marked NumLk, then test
2Fn Lock reversed the function row
How to tellF1 to F12 change volume or brightness instead of acting as F keys, or the other way round
What fixes itPress Fn + Esc, or the Fn Lock key, and test again
3Filter Keys or Sticky Keys
How to tellKeys need a long press, or Shift seems stuck after five presses
What fixes itTurn the features off in Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard
4Crumbs, dust or sticky residue under the key
How to tellOne key feels hard, mushy or does not click back
What fixes itPower off, tilt the laptop and blow air around the key; wipe the cap lightly
5Wrong keyboard layout or language
How to tellKeys type other symbols than the print on them, such as @ and the double quote swapped
What fixes itSwitch layout with Windows key + Space and remove extra languages
6Failed keyboard membrane or connector
How to tellA full row or column of keys is dead, and a few keys stop after the laptop is knocked
What fixes itTechnician replaces the keyboard panel or reseats the cable
How to fix it, step by step
Find out which keys fail with a key test
Open Notepad and press each dead key slowly. Then press the same keys with Fn held. Note whether the failing keys are one key, a row, or a column, because the steps below depend on it.
Toggle Num Lock and Fn Lock
Press Num Lock once and try the number pad. For function keys, try Fn + Esc, because many laptops use a key with a small padlock on Esc to swap the F row between its media job and its normal job. A tiny light may show the state.
Switch off Filter Keys and Sticky Keys
Go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Keyboard. Turn off Sticky Keys, Filter Keys and Toggle Keys. Filter Keys in particular makes the laptop ignore short presses, which makes keys feel dead.
Check the keyboard layout
Press Windows key + Space to see which layout is active. If a second language or layout was added by mistake, remove it from Settings, then Time and language, then Language and region. A wrong layout makes keys type the wrong symbol, which feels the same as a broken key.
Clean around the stuck key
Switch the laptop off and unplug the charger. Tilt it and blow short puffs of air around the key, or use a soft brush. For a sticky film, dab a cotton bud lightly dampened with a little rubbing alcohol around the edge of the cap, never soaking it. Do not pull keys off a thin laptop keyboard, since the clips break easily.
Restart and reinstall the keyboard driver
Restart once. If the problem stays, open Device Manager, open Keyboards, uninstall the keyboard entry and restart so Windows rebuilds it. A damaged driver can silence only some keys, though that is less common than a setting.
Test in the BIOS and with an outside keyboard
Plug in a USB keyboard and compare. If the same keys fail in the BIOS screen, which opens before Windows loads, the fault is physical. If they work there, it is Windows or a program.
Use a stop-gap while you wait for repair
Open On-Screen Keyboard from the Start search, or plug in a small USB keyboard. You can also type a dead character by copying it and pasting it. It is not pretty, but it keeps work moving.
Keyboard keys not working: the pattern tells you why
| Pattern | Likely cause | Try first |
|---|---|---|
| Number pad only | Num Lock off | Press Num Lock |
| F1 to F12 row | Fn Lock or driver | Fn + Esc |
| One letter key | Dirt or worn key | Clean around it |
| Shift, Ctrl or Alt | Sticky Keys or a stuck key | Turn off Sticky Keys |
| A line of keys | Cable or membrane fault | Technician |
Special cases: shift, space, backspace, enter and arrow keys
The most used keys wear first. A spacebar that only works at the edge, or a backspace that sticks, usually has a worn rubber dome or crumbs under it. A shift key that does nothing may be the Sticky Keys feature taking over. A dead arrow key can be because Scroll Lock is on in a spreadsheet, so press it and test. For the caps lock key, the light may stay off even when it works, so type a word and see.
Your @ key types a double quote. That is not a broken key, it is the wrong layout. Press Windows key + Space and choose your usual one.
Why laptop keys fail more than desktop keys
A laptop key sits on a thin scissor clip over a rubber dome and a flat plastic sheet with printed tracks. That sheet is only a hair thick, so a small bend, a drop of liquid or years of pressure can crack a track and kill every key on it. This is why a whole row can die at once. The keys themselves are usually fine, and the whole keyboard panel gets replaced.
When to book a repair, and what drives the cost
If cleaning, settings and a driver reset change nothing and the BIOS test shows the same dead keys, book a repair. Many laptop keyboards are a separate panel that lifts out, while on thinner models the keyboard is fused to the palm rest, which costs more. Spare part availability for older models also changes the price. Ask the technician to confirm the part before work starts.
Do not pour liquid cleaners over the keys. Wet cleaning that reaches the board can turn a one-key fault into a motherboard fault.
Frequently asked questions
Why are some keys not working on my laptop?
If a group of keys fails together, suspect Num Lock, Fn Lock, Filter Keys or a cable. If just one fails, suspect dirt or a worn key. Test in the BIOS to tell hardware from software.
How do I fix function keys not working?
Try Fn + Esc to swap the function row mode, then update the keyboard driver in Device Manager. Some laptops also have a setting for this in the BIOS.
Why is my shift key not working?
Often Sticky Keys or Filter Keys has taken over. Turn both off in Accessibility settings. If the key still fails in the BIOS test, the key switch is worn.
Why is my spacebar not working properly?
The centre of the bar may be worn, or dust sits under it. Press at the very edge to see if it works there, clean around it, and replace the panel if the dome has gone flat.
Can I fix a dead key without opening the laptop?
Often yes, because the cause is a setting, a driver or dirt. Only a dead row or a cracked track needs a technician to open it up.