Keyboard Malfunction in Windows 11? Here’s the Solution to Unresponsive Characters

Did you find that some keys on your keyboard don’t work? Are you typing but the letters are not appearing on the screen? Well don’t worry, you’re not alone. This post could help you fix this vexing issue.

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Try these fixes

You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.

1. Hard reset your keyboard
2. Check for hardware issues
3. Update your keyboard driver
4. Repair system files

• Tips: Keyboard maintenance

Fix 1: Hard reset your keyboard

If you’re experiencing unexpected behavior like a letter key not working on your keyboard or one functional key not working, you could try a hard reset to fix this issue.

Different brands of the keyboard will provide you with different ways to do a hard reset. You’d better go to your keyboard manufacturer’s official website and ask for help. Here we provide you a general keyboard hard reset guide:

1. Unplug your keyboard and wait for 30 seconds.
2. Hold theESC key on your keyboard and plug it back into your computer.
3. Press the ESC key till you see the keyboard flashing.

Your keyboard should be reset successfully.

If you’re a laptop user, you could follow these steps:

1. Turn off your laptop.
2. Disconnect all theperipheral devices (flash disk, external monitor, etc.) from your laptop.
3. Disconnect thepower cable from your laptop.
4. Remove thebattery from your laptop (if it’s removable).
5. Press and hold thepower button on your laptop for 15 seconds.
6. Install thebattery on your laptop.
7. Connect thepower cable to your laptop.

Now turn on your laptop and see if this fixes your laptop keyboard.
If the steps above didn’t help you, there’s another way you can try:

1. Check thebottom surface of your laptop (or your laptop manual) for apinhole reset button .
2. If you find one, press that pinhole to power reset your laptop.

Now check to see if this works for you.
If the keys are still not working, you could move toFix 2 .

Fix 2: Check for hardware issues

If a hard reset is not working for you, you need to identify whether it’s a hardware issue or a software issue. Follow the steps below:

First, check your keyboard connection, USB port, and layout. Use compressed air to clean your keyboard and see if this fixes your keyboard issue.

If cleaning the keyboard didn’t work for you, you need toboot to BIOS .
If your keys work fine in the BIOS, it means it’s a software issue. You should move toFix 3 .
But if not, you need to consider repair it or replace with a new one. If your keyboard is under warranty, it is recommended that you do not repair it by yourself in case the warranty expires.

Fix 3: Update your keyboard driver

Your letter keys may not be working properly because you’re using the wrong keyboard driver or it’s out of date. You should update your keyboard driver to see if this fixes your keyboard.

There are two ways you can update your driver: manually and automatically.

Option 1 – Manually – You’ll need some computer skills and patience to update your drivers this way because you need to find exactly the right driver online, download it and install it step by step.

OR

Option 2 – Automatically (Recommended) – This is the quickest and easiest option. It’s all done with just a couple of mouse clicks – easy even if you’re a computer newbie.

Option 1 – Download and install the driver manually

You can download the driver from the manufacturer’s official website. You need to search the model you have and find the correct driver that suits your operating system. Then download and install it manually.
The process may take you some time and energy to find and install. So if you want to save some time, you can move toOption 2 .

Option 2 – Automatically update drivers

If you don’t have time or patience to manually update your drivers, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy .

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version, it takes just 2 clicks (and you get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee ):

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
   
3. Click the Update button next to the flagged driver to automatically download the correct version of that driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).

Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)

4. Relaunch your computer and check your keyboard.

Note : If you have any problems while using Driver Easy, feel free to contact our support team at [email protected] .
Be sure to attach the URL of this article if needed for more expedient and efficient guidance.

Fix 4: Repair system files

Sometimes corrupted system files and hardware issues will lead to all kinds of errors. To identify the cause and repair it, you don’t have to check those components one by one but perform a quick automatic system scan.

Fortect is the best tool to scan and repair the system files for you. It specializes in Windows repair and cleaning to get your PC optimized. You can use it to get full visibility of your PC health so that let it repair and replace damaged or missing files on your computer (registry keys, DLL files, etc). It’s like a fresh reinstallation of Windows, but keep your programs, user data, and settings as they are.

1. Download and install Fortect.
2. Open Fortect and clickYes to run a free scan of your PC.
   
3. Fortect will scan your computer thoroughly. This may take a few minutes.
   
4. Once done, you’ll see a detailed report of all the issues on your PC. To fix them automatically, clickSTART REPAIR . This requires you to purchase the full version. But don’t worry. If Fortect doesn’t solve the issue, you can request a refund within 60 days.
   

The Pro version of Fortect comes with 24/7 technical support. If you need any assistance, please contact Fortect support:
Email: support@fortect.com

Tips: Keyboard maintenance

1. Try not to eat, smoke or drink on top of the keyboard to keep it clean.
2. Please do not keep hitting the keyboard vigorously. This will cause damage to the soft glue that supports the keyboard keys.
3. Clean the keyboard regularly. The dust in the button gap will accumulate and result in some malfunction of the keyboard if you didn’t clean the keyboard for a long time.

That’s it! Hope the above information could help you solve the problem. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave your comments below.

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