A laptop keyboard not working means you press keys and nothing appears on the screen, in the sign-in box or anywhere else. People also search it as "laptop keypad not working", "keyboard not working in laptop" or "my keyboard is not working", and it is one of the most stressful faults because you need the keyboard to fix it.
Do not worry yet. A fully dead keyboard is more often a software fault than a broken part. This page walks from the quickest checks to the ones that need a technician, and tells you how to sign in and click while you work. If only a few keys fail, use some keyboard keys not working instead.
Common causes
1System freeze or a stuck background process
How to tellMouse or pad also lags, and the clock on the screen is not updating
What fixes itLong-press the power key until the laptop is off, then boot it
2Keyboard driver misbehaving after an update
How to tellKeyboard worked until a Windows update or a recent restart
What fixes itUninstall the keyboard in Device Manager and restart so Windows rebuilds it
3Filter Keys or Sticky Keys turned on
How to tellKeys respond slowly, or only when held down for a long time
What fixes itSwitch off Filter Keys in Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard
4Liquid spilled on the keyboard
How to tellTea, water or juice spilled recently, keys feel sticky, or odd letters appear
What fixes itPower off, unplug, turn the laptop upside down and go to a service centre
5Loose or damaged keyboard cable
How to tellStarted after a fall, a knock or a recent repair; touchpad still works
What fixes itA technician reseats or replaces the keyboard cable or panel
6Keyboard works outside Windows only in some cases
How to tellKeys work in BIOS but not in Windows, or the reverse
What fixes itBIOS working means hardware is fine; fix the driver or a setting
How to fix it, step by step
Restart the laptop with the power button
Keep your finger on the power button until the lights go out, then wait a little and start the laptop again. This clears a frozen system that ignores every key. Save nothing first if the screen has fully hung, because there is no way to save.
Unplug the charger and take out USB devices
A faulty USB gadget, a loose dongle or a cheap charger can confuse the keyboard controller. Remove the charger, pull out every USB item and test the keyboard on battery. Reconnect each item in turn to spot the culprit.
Use the on-screen keyboard to keep working
Click the Start button, search for On-Screen Keyboard and open it. It lets you type with the touchpad or a mouse, which helps you enter a password and run the fixes below. If the pointer does not work either, see touchpad not working.
Test with an outside USB keyboard
Plug in any spare USB keyboard. If it types normally, Windows and the ports are fine and the problem is the laptop's own keyboard or its cable. If it also fails, the problem is a driver or a setting.
Turn off Filter Keys and Sticky Keys
Open Settings, then Accessibility, then Keyboard, and turn off Filter Keys. This setting makes Windows ignore quick or short presses, so the keyboard feels dead. Holding the right Shift key for eight seconds can switch it on without you noticing.
Reinstall the keyboard driver
Open Device Manager, open Keyboards, right-click "Standard PS/2 Keyboard" or the entry shown, and choose Uninstall device. Restart. Windows installs a clean driver by itself on the next start.
Run Windows Update and check the BIOS
Let Windows finish any waiting updates, then restart. Then restart again and tap the setup key your laptop prints on its first screen. If the BIOS menu accepts your keys, the hardware is working.
Try System Restore if it broke after a change
If the keyboard failed right after an update or a program install, open Recovery from the Start search and choose Open System Restore. Pick a restore point from before the problem. Your own files stay as they are, but programs installed after that point are removed.
Laptop keyboard not working versus a frozen laptop
Before you blame the keyboard, check whether the whole laptop is stuck. Watch the mouse pointer, or press Caps Lock and look for the little light. If the light does not change or the pointer does not move, the laptop is frozen and the keyboard is just one more thing that cannot respond. A forced restart is the cure. If the Caps Lock light works and Windows is alive but no letters appear, the fault is in the keyboard, its driver or a setting.
You type your PIN and the dots do not appear, but the on-screen keyboard works fine. That tells you Windows is alive and the physical keyboard or its driver needs attention.
Windows laptops, Mac laptops and Chromebooks
The same logic applies to all of them. On a Windows laptop use Device Manager and the Settings steps above. On a Mac, restart, then open System Settings, then Keyboard, and check that nothing odd is switched on; for a stubborn Mac keyboard, an outside keyboard and the maker's authorised service are the routes. On a Chromebook, restart it and try a USB keyboard to see whether the fault is software or the built-in keyboard. Wireless keyboards add one more suspect, the battery, so replace it first.
Spills, dust and other physical damage
Liquid is the most expensive cause. Switch the laptop off at once, unplug the charger, turn it upside down like a tent and leave it for a day. Do not use a hairdryer on high heat or put it in rice. A technician can clean the board before corrosion starts, and the sooner the better.
A spill is usually not covered by warranty. Repair cost goes up when the liquid reached the motherboard, because then it is not just a keyboard swap.
Checking the keyboard in the BIOS
The BIOS screen runs before Windows, so it tells you whether the fault is hardware. Restart and tap the BIOS key shown for a second at start-up; the key differs by make and model. If you can move through the menu using the arrow keys, the keyboard is healthy and you are looking at a Windows setting or driver. If nothing responds there and an outside USB keyboard works, the built-in keyboard or its cable needs repair.
Other input faults often seen together
If the pad and the keyboard both die, suspect a freeze or a failing board. If only the pointer is lost, read mouse not working. For the overall approach to any laptop fault, the laptop not working guide is a good map.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my laptop keyboard not working but the mouse works?
The system is alive, so the problem is the keyboard driver, a setting like Filter Keys, or the keyboard cable. Test with an outside USB keyboard to decide quickly between software and hardware.
How do I fix a laptop keyboard not working in Windows 10?
Restart with the power button, turn off Filter Keys, uninstall the keyboard in Device Manager and restart, then run Windows Update. The steps are almost the same on Windows 11.
Can I unlock my laptop if the keyboard is not working?
Yes. Click the ease of access icon on the sign-in screen and open the on-screen keyboard, or plug in a USB keyboard. Use it only on your own laptop.
Is it worth replacing a laptop keyboard?
In most cases yes, because a keyboard swap is one of the cheaper laptop repairs. The cost changes with the model and whether the keyboard comes as a separate part or fused with the palm rest.
Why does my wireless keyboard not work on my laptop?
Start with the battery and the receiver port, then re-pair it over Bluetooth if it is a Bluetooth model. See bluetooth-based fixes on the Bluetooth page if pairing fails.