With the variety of actions it covers, a keyboard malfunctioning is the worst thing that could happen to a user. If you found yourself in a similar situation, here’s how you can fix your keyboard that is not typing.
Why is My Keyboard Not Typing Letters?
Fixes for Your Malfunctioning Keyboard
Now that we’re past diagnosing the problem, let’s move on to fixes. Depending on the severity of the problem, there are several fixes. You might, however, have to change your keyboard if the damage is beyond repair.
External Keyboard Incorrectly Plugged: If your external keyboard isn’t working properly, it is likely not correctly plugged in. If it is loosely connected, your device fails to establish a connection with the keyboard. Battery Low: If you use an external keyboard that runs on batteries, your device may be running low on power. Most devices slow down or stop working when they’re low on battery to save energy. Accidental Spillage/ Hidden Debris: Did you recently drop your favorite drink on your keyboard? Although cleaning up the keyboard’s surface might seem to do the job, it is possible that the liquid seeped into the device. Repeated Pounding: Are you a gamer who uncontrollably pounds on your keyboard keys? Hitting the keys on your keyboard excessively hard can damage it. The PC cannot read the commands prompted by the user through a damaged keyboard. Outdated Driver (Windows): The Keyboard Driver is the gateway that allows communication between the keyboard and the PC. If your driver is not updated, your PC might not recognize your keyboard and fail to read the information you type. A missing or corrupted driver may also lead to a similar problem. Low Keyboard Sensitivity: Most devices have the option of turning the keyboard sensitivity up or down. This mechanism allows your keyboard to respond according to the force the keys pressed. It is possible that you accidentally left the sensitivity setting at low if the keys aren’t being read at normal pressure. Operating System Not Updated: Leaving your system un-updated will cause your peripheral devices to crash. New updates usually have fixes for bugs that exist in the previous update. An un-updated operation system may be why your keyboard may not be working.
Plug Your Keyboard Properly
Make sure that your external keyboard is plugged into your PC correctly. Most keyboard devices use USB or PS/2 ports. If you’re using a wireless keyboard, restart your Bluetooth and try connecting again.
Change Batteries
When the batteries start to get low on a wireless keyboard, the system will have issues when recording a button press. Only when you press a button by force does it record. If you face issues such as this, try changing the batteries inside the wireless keyboard to fix the issue. Most wireless keyboards use AA batteries. However, some use AAA batteries as well. Change them depending on the type of keyboard you use.
Clean Your Keyboard
If you suspect fallen debris on your keyboard, it’s best to try cleaning your keyboard first. Follow these steps to clean your keyboard safely:
Run Keyboard Troubleshooter
You can run the keyboard troubleshooter for your device to identify and fix the issue with your hard drive. This is especially helpful if you’re having issues in diagnosing the issue with your keyboard. Follow these instructions to run the Keyboard Troubleshooter:
Disable Filter Keys
Windows has a special feature that can set the keyboard sensitivity, named Filter keys. Enabling filter keys can ignore short and repeated keypresses. Windows added this feature for people who suffer from random seizures. However, when you enable this feature, the OS will not detect a key press unless you press it for a long time. This may be why your keyboard may seem like it is not typing.Follow the steps mentioned below to disable filter keys.
Uninstall Recently Installed Application
Any application that may tinker with the keyboard baseboard may also cause the keyboard not typing issue. An application that controls RGB or changes the polling rate of the keyboard has direct access to the keyboard’s internal board. If you use these applications, especially the ones that are unauthorized, there is a chance that it might damage the system files.Furthermore, if you see the keyboard malfunctioning after installing these applications, try uninstalling them to see if it fixes the issue.
Update Keyboard Driver
It is necessary to update your keyboard driver to maintain communication between your keyboard and PC. Follow these instructions to update your keyboard driver on your laptop with Windows OS:
System Update
Update your operating system to ensure the bugs from the previous update are fixed. Follow these steps to update your system or check for new updates: For MacFor WindowsFor Chromebook
Adjust Keyboard Sensitivity
You can increase the keyboard sensitivity for your laptop for the keys to be pressed easily. Follow these steps to adjust your sensitivity: For Mac For Windows For Chromebook
Disable USB Selective Suspend
Windows cuts off the power supply to the USB port that is not in use to save power. However, if the USB keyboard stays idle for a long time, it gives the OS the impression that the USB port is not in use.When this happens, the device connected to the USB port will not work. You can use the device again once you reconnect. However, you can disable this feature altogether as well.
Enable On-Screen Keyboard
This solution is the most effective when you have to get something typed as soon as possible. To enable an on-screen keyboard, follow these steps: For MacFor WindowsFor Chromebook
