So you went to use your computer, and you discovered that your keyboard is not working anymore. You opened up a simple notepad program and banged away at the keys, but nothing happened. Or perhaps you didn’t get that far… some people discover that their keyboard is not working when they try to enter their username and password on boot up.

Don’t panic. This guide is written to help you out with the exact issue that you’re facing. We go over as many scenarios as possible to fix the most common keyboard issues that users have. So take a deep breath, and let’s dive in.

Hardware Keyboard Troubleshooting

Before you try to mess around with either the hardware or the software, try rebooting your computer. Yes, it’s the age old cliche, ‘Have you tried turning it off and on again?’ But it’s the first piece of advice that people offer because it works. Sometimes, the boot up process does not recognise a device for some reason. Sometimes an OS update needs a second restart. Whatever the case, reboot and try again.

If your keyboard is not working after a fresh boot, we can start looking at the basic keyboard troubleshooting list:

• (Wired or Wireless Dongle Keyboards) Try the same port, then a different port: If you have a USB or other wired keyboard, or your wireless keyboard has a dongle that you need to plug into USB, try to unplug it and plug it back into the same port. If that doesn’t work, try a different port. If you have the option, try an entirely new bank of ports (switching from front to back, or from back to front). If you’re using a USB hub, bypass it and plug directly into the PC’s USB port.
• (Bluetooth or Other Wireless) See if you’re charged up: You might simply be out of juice. Plug your keyboard into the recharger, or if you have the option, try it in wired mode. If it starts working, congratulations, you found one of the easiest fixes on the list.
• (Wired Keyboards) Is your cable hopelessly twisted up: If you untwist the cable on your keyboard and it starts working, don’t celebrate too soon. You probably have a broken or shorted wire somewhere inside the cable’s sheath. Use it for now if you must, but plan on replacing the entire thing as soon as possible. If your keyboard is not working after the untangle, move on to the next thing on the list.
• See if your keyboard has a power or mode switch: Wireless keyboards often have a power switch to save battery life when the keyboard isn’t in use. And some specialist wired keyboards have mode switches for various reasons. Make sure that those switches are in the correct positions.
• Try to connect to another compatible device: If you have another device you can try it on (a laptop for wired, possibly a tablet for bluetooth, etc.), go ahead and give it a shot. If it works on another device, at least you know it’s a software issue and not hardware. If your keyboard is not working on the second device either, and you’ve already tried all of the above options, it might be bad news.

Software Keyboard Troubleshooting

If none of the hardware solutions worked, all is not lost. If you have a backlit keyboard and you still see the lights, that should at least give you a glimmer of hope. If your keyboard has a Caps Lock toggle, and the little light goes on and off when you press the key, that’s also a good sign. It’s time to delve into the software solutions.

• Activate Ease of Access options: There are ways to type with your mouse on a virtual keyboard, which will help you navigate the rest of the process much easier. These options can generally be activated from the login screen as well, depending on your OS version. On the Windows 10 login screen, on the lower right, there’s a round icon with the upper right hand quarter missing. That’s Ease of Access. Or if you boot right to desktop, go to Start, Settings (Gear icon), Ease of Access. On a Mac, it’s in Apple, System Preferences, Accessibility, Keyboard, Accessibility Keyboard, then select Enable Accessibility Keyboard.
• (Bluetooth) Check your Bluetooth pairing: The Bluetooth settings for Windows are in Start, Settings, Devices. At the very top you can see all of your Bluetooth devices. You can remove and re-add your keyboard to see if getting a new pairing will help. On Mac, got to Apple menu, System Preferences, Bluetooth and try the same thing.
• (Windows 10) Remove and re-add keyboard: Keyboard settings for Windows are in Start, Settings, Devices. If you see your keyboard on the list, remove it. Then exit the Control Panel menus and reboot. If your keyboard is working properly on boot, it should let you log in. If you don’t have a login screen, open up Notepad and test it out. Windows may notify you that it’s installing the correct driver. If it wasn’t working before, try again after the driver is successfully installed.
• (Windows 10) Turn off Filter Keys: There are known bugs with Filter Keys. Windows might ignore inputs when certain keyboards initialize if Filter Keys is on. Even if it never happened in the past, a software or firmware update may have triggered the bug. Go to the Search menu and use the virtual keyboard to look for ‘Filter Keys’. About halfway down there’s a slider for Filter keys. Turn it off. Then exit the Settings menu and reboot.
• (Windows 10) Fix Keyboard Wizard: The weapon of last resort in your keyboard repair arsenal. Go to the Search menu and use the virtual keyboard to look for ‘Fix Keyboard’. Click Next and let the Wizard run. If this works, great. If your keyboard is not working after running the Wizard, but you know for a fact that your keyboard is functional because you tried it on another device, it may be time for a fresh Windows install.
• (Mac) Turn off Slow Keys: Go to Apple, System Preferences, Accessibility, Keyboard, then click Hardware. Turn off Slow Keys. Then restart the Mac. If your keyboard is not working after the reboot, try the next fix on the list.
• (Mac) Turn off Mouse Keys: Go to Apple, System Preferences, Accessibility, Pointer Control, then click Alternative Control Methods. Turn off Mouse Keys. Then restart the Mac. If your keyboard is not working after the reboot, try the next fix on the list.
• Check multi-keyboard options: Go to Apple, System Preferences, Keyboard, then click Input Sources. Select “Show Input menu in menu bar”. Open the Input menu. Make sure the correct keyboard layout is selected. If it wasn’t, select the correct one, exit the menu, and reboot.
• (Mac) System Restore: Much like reinstalling Windows, this is the option of last resort. But if you know your hardware is working because you tried it on another device, it might be wise to reinstall MacOS or do a System Restore, because clearly something is messed up.

What if you spilled something on to the keyboard?

In that case, follow our guide on how to deal with spills and clean a mechanical keyboard.

What if Nothing Works?

If you tried everything on the list, including testing the device on another system, and it is completely unresponsive… your keyboard might be dead. Our condolences.

If you need to buy a new keyboard, perhaps consider a cutting edge, high quality keyboard that has your comfort and all of your customization needs in mind. Perhaps a split mechanical keyboard, such as the Hakkei Riven?

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