Don't panic if the keyboard on your laptop doesn't work. What to do in such a case? In many situations, getting rid of this problem can be quite simple. In this case, the brand of the device used does not matter. The reason that caused this breakdown can be completely different: the most basic or quite serious.

Reason 1: the microcircuit burned out

The main reason, which is difficult to foresee in advance, is when the microcircuit burns out. First of all, you should check the touchpad, as well as the ports that are located around the perimeter of the device. It is important to pay special attention to the USB and RJ-45 connector (for cable). When they are not working, you will need to contact a service center. If the warranty period has not yet expired, you must request a replacement. Only a person who has relevant experience in this field can get rid of such a problem.

If the ports are in working condition, we can hope for a positive outcome. The most common cause may also be the cable that connects the motherboard to the keyboard. In such a situation, in order to open access to the socket, it will be necessary to disassemble the laptop. The keyboard is secured using latches, which should be slightly pryed using a plastic card, and then the required module should be removed.

Appearance:

In disassembled position:

• connector for connection;
• plume.

The fasteners that secure the cable may loosen or oxidize after some time. This is possible when there is a humid environment in the work area. To restore working condition, the fasteners should be cleaned and then returned to their original place. In many situations, such actions are quite effective.

Reason 2: inattention

This item will be useful for owners of a separate digital block.

His appearance:

When the numbers on the keyboard are not working, the reason is the inattention of the users of this device. Some of them, due to their carelessness, often press the Num Lock button, which ensures the operation of this block - turns it on and off.

When numbers do not appear on the screen, but the cursor simply moves, you should press this key again. In this case, the indicator should light up, which confirms the working status of the function. It should be taken into account that in certain laptop models, for this purpose, a combination of keys is provided, such as: Fn + Num Lock.

Reason 3: viruses and driver failure

When the breakdown is not related to the hardware, then you should look for it in the software area. Some viruses act in such a way that they can “destroy” the keyboard driver. To check whether this assumption is correct, you should scan your system for the possibility of spyware. After the reboot process, you need to put the drivers in place. In many situations, these actions bring positive results.

What to do when the driver does not want to install or return to working condition? Sometimes it is not possible to remove it in the usual way. In order to get the result, you can try to turn on the keyboard on the device using safe mode.

For these purposes, it is necessary to reboot by periodically pressing F8. Using it, you can call up a menu for selecting additional boot methods. In it you need to select the usual “safe mode”. When the OS starts, you should follow the steps described below.

You need to try to remove the problematic utility or click on “Roll Back”. The last action can bring results in a situation where a driver update was previously carried out, which affected the performance of this device. After this, the previously valid software version must be restored.

Steps to remove:

Open “My Computer” and then click on “Properties”.

We go to the “Dispatcher” and select a special section with a keyboard.

It looks like this in the screenshot:

Right-click on the keyboard and open the “properties” item.

If the driver update is incorrect, click on “Roll Back”. In a situation where the system does not see the keyboard, click on “Delete”. For the latter option, you must have the original drivers on hand, which are provided by the manufacturer of this equipment.

Reason 4: features of some models + prevention

When releasing devices, some manufacturers try to ensure the ideal quality of their work. As a result, when the battery charge is low, certain parts, including the keyboard, may stop working. To restore its full functionality, you need to connect the laptop to the network.

Users who prefer to eat while working should be sure to clean the keyboard from crumbs. To do this, you can use a can with compressed air inside. Thanks to the high pressure, small particles of food that get into the cracks and grooves will be quickly removed. It should be remembered that under no circumstances should you use a damp cloth or screwdriver to get rid of them.

In order to get rid of the problem with a non-working keyboard, you need to carefully read the instructions described above. Initially, you can try to find a way out by checking the software system for viruses, etc. Quite often, spyware is hidden behind system files and disrupts the full operation of the device.

In addition, a combination of keys such as Fn + NumLock, which brings the number pad into operation, can also help. The installation of additional drivers taken from unknown sources can also be considered as a cause of failure. You should be careful when installing software utilities such as MKey, which provide button reassignment. In some situations, the system may perceive them as a threat and exit the working state.

In any case, if these problems arise, you should not despair and immediately buy a new laptop. If necessary, you can find a way out of this situation by connecting a stationary keyboard via the USB connector.

In my practice, there were many cases when the keyboard of a computer or laptop did not work for some reason, and users threw it away or put it in the closet among unnecessary trash.

So, you shouldn’t give up on your typing instrument until you have figured out why the keyboard isn’t working.

Here is a list of reasons why the keyboard may refuse to print to the screen:

• Incorrect connection;
• Discharged batteries;
• Software failure;
• Spilled liquid;
• Malfunction of the internal components of the computer or the keyboard itself.

Almost all of the problems described above can be corrected with your own efforts. The last point is physical damage, which requires the intervention of a specialist, or you will have to purchase a new keyboard.

Well, let's get down to business.

Why doesn't the keyboard on my computer work? We find out the problem and fix it!

The keyboard is wet

If you spill tea or water on the keyboard, be sure to disconnect it from the system unit and dry it properly. If mixed liquids come into contact, such as sweet tea soup, milk, kefir, you should remove the keys and clean them of dirt, and only then dry them. After the work has been completed, connect the keyboard to the computer.

If only the numbers on the right do not work, then perhaps you should press the Num Lock key. It is this button that is responsible for the side numbers and keys such as PgUp, Home, End, PgDn. Read more about all this in the recent issue:

Are all the buttons not working? Simple at first. Did it help? If yes, then the problem is solved and it was a software failure (for example, the system froze). Did not help? Then let's continue to figure it out!

The keyboard can be:

• Wired on PC/laptop;
• Wireless on PC/laptop;
• Built-in on a laptop;

What to do if your wired keyboard doesn't work

1. First of all, press the power button of the keyboard, if there is one.

2. Make sure the USB port is working by connecting the keyboard to other USB inputs. If it is not the USB cable that comes from the keyboard, but a conductor with a PS/2 plug. Then you should check the condition of the PS/2 plug. Here's what USB and PS/2 look like.

It is important that the PS/2 connector matches the plug perfectly. If one of the 6 thin conductors of the plug is not level, then you won’t be able to plug the plug into the connector at all. And if one of the plug conductors is broken, the keyboard will stop functioning. Let a specialist deal with such a breakdown, or buy a new keyboard.

As for the keyboard with a USB cable, try removing it, then inserting it again into another connector. Thus, we will make sure that everything is in order with the entrance and it is not the problem.

A USB keyboard is, of course, much more practical than a keyboard with a PS/2 plug. In addition to the usual convenience of connecting to the system unit. A clear advantage of a USB keyboard is that if you unplug and plug it in while the computer is running, nothing will happen.

But the PS/2 keyboard needs to be connected only when the computer is turned off.

3. When working with the Windows operating system, it may be necessary to reinstall the keyboard drivers in .

Open Device Manager on Windows XP and 7.

To open the device manager using this system element, you need to right-click on the “Computer” icon (in the case of Windows 7) and click on the corresponding tab.

Do everything as shown in the picture below. Go to Start, then do what was prescribed in the instructions above - right-click on the “Computer” tab.

Similar steps must be performed when using Windows XP.

Open Device Manager on Windows 8, 10

Go to any folder, on the left side find THIS COMPUTER. When you right-click on “This PC”, click on “Manage” in the context menu.

Then select Device Manager from the left menu.

4. It would be a good idea to check your system for malware. Use an antivirus. No security software installed? Then download the antivirus using .

Change your keyboard language

If your keyboard keys work but produce different letters than the designated keys, your language or keyboard layout may have been accidentally changed. In this case, try holding down the Shift Alt key combination. Does not help? Then open START and go to SETTINGS. Select "Time & Language" and then "Region & Language". Set the country to “Russia”. Scroll down and make sure that two layouts are supported, the first is Russian, the second is English.

Troubleshooting options for wireless keyboard problems

1. Check the batteries. Maybe you inserted them the wrong way around. Perhaps they are already discharged and it is time to recharge or replace them.

2. Update your wireless connection. As system administrators and computer help consultants like to say: pull it out and put it back in. Disconnect the keyboard and the receiver, if there is one at all. Then disconnect it from the computer. It would be a good idea to turn off other wireless devices if they are nearby. Then reconnect the receiver to the computer, and only then connect the keyboard.

When using the Bluetooth module built into your computer, check whether it is turned on and in visible mode.

3. Just as in the case of wired keyboards, reinstall the keyboard driver and run security software.

The last way to solve the problem with a wired and wireless keyboard is to connect it to another computer. If it doesn’t work there either, then there is a high probability that it is broken. In such a situation, take it for repair or return it to the store under warranty. An extreme case is buying a new keyboard. It's not too expensive, so the purchase won't put a big dent in your pocket.

Why doesn't the keyboard on my laptop work?

1. Check the charge level. Perhaps it was because of the discharged battery that the laptop keyboard stopped working. It happens that the laptop turns on at a minimum charge level, but the keyboard keys no longer work. Basically, connect the charger.

2. Just like in the previous two cases, when using a Windows system, reinstall the keyboard driver and scan for viruses.

Cleaning a laptop from water or other liquid is much more difficult than cleaning a wired or wireless keyboard. If you are an average or even an advanced computer user, then it is far from certain that you will be able to fix the laptop on your own. After all, it will first be necessary to detect damage that has occurred as a result of spilled liquid.

Reboot your laptop

If you followed the advice above, you've already done this, but just in case: have you tried turning it off and on again? A reboot fixes thousands of problems, as my old IT manager used to say. If you can't use your touchpad or mouse to restart your computer, simply press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds to turn off your computer, and then turn it back on. If this doesn't solve the problem, try booting into Safe Mode and see if that works - it won't solve the problem permanently, but it will help you determine whether the keyboard is faulty or not.

On a computer, few will envy. And, as often happens, such troubles most often happen precisely when reports are being submitted, typing is being done during the battle for the fate of the world in the next computer game, etc.

On the other hand, the question “why the keyboard doesn’t work on a computer” is not asked too often, since with the beginning of the “USB era” many “childhood diseases” in this area of ​​​​computing devices are a thing of the past. In light of this, a broken keyboard is a reason for a kind of pride in one’s “luck.”

Connection

All modern keyboards use a USB serial bus interface to connect to the motherboard. It has a number of advantages over the discontinued PS\2 standard, among which we can especially note the possibility of “hot replacement”. That is, the user can theoretically, when the system unit is turned on, connect and disconnect the plug to the corresponding free connector. And many people take advantage of this, especially owners of portable computers. In such a case there are two negative points. Firstly, it was noticed that frequent switching of the device leads to the fact that the spring-loaded contacts in the plug lose their elasticity, resulting in poor performance (the power or data line disappears).

It is not surprising that this is followed by the question “why the keyboard on the computer does not work.” Thus, with frequent connection, the plug wears out and requires replacement. Secondly, sometimes when a device was hot-swapped, it failed, so this opportunity should not be abused. To check the contacts, you need to disconnect the keyboard plug and carefully reconnect it, gently shaking it in the connector. Sometimes it is possible to return the contacts with a needle to their previous spring-loaded state.

Electrical problems

Like any other USB device, the keyboard receives power directly from the port. And since the features of the internal implementation of the bus are such that several connectors are connected to one control chip at once, when powerful devices (with a current of 500 mA) are turned on, their functionality is not guaranteed. The solution is simple: if the question arises “why the keyboard does not work on the computer,” then you need to disconnect all USB devices except the most necessary ones and check their functionality.

If there are a large number of simultaneously used USB peripherals, you need to use an intermediate splitter with an external source. Also, quite often the problem with USB is observed in old computers and laptops, the power supplies and other elements of which have exhausted their service life and do not produce the required voltages. The solution is similar to the above. And, of course, do not forget that the fault may be in the connector itself: to check, you need to connect the plug to another USB port.

Software glitch

Modern operating systems use a driver control program to interact with the keyboard. Sometimes it stops working correctly. As a result, the user cannot understand why the keyboard on the computer does not work. You need to use the mouse to go to the “Device Manager” and try to update the driver in the “Keyboards” item. If this does not help, then you need to remove the device using the appropriate command and reconnect the keyboard to the computer - the Plug&Play mechanism should work.

Settings incident

In modern motherboard BIOSes there is an item that allows you to refuse to use USB by setting the Disable mode. If for some reason this happens, then you need to find an old PS/2 keyboard, use it to enter the BIOS (Del button immediately after turning on the power) and enable USB. Another option is to reset the settings to their initial state by closing the corresponding Clear CMOS jumper on the board (its exact location is indicated in the instructions). Beginners are sometimes faced with the fact that the keyboard on the right does not work. This can be caused by accidentally pressing the NumLock button, which switches the modes of the right numeric keypad. If the indicator of the same name is on, then you need to press the button again to switch it to another state.

Instructions

The main reasons for such a malfunction lie in a hardware failure or software error. Checking the hardware version is very simple - check the plug on your keyboard and the connection connector. If everything is visually in order, replace the keyboard with a working one and reboot the computer. If you continue to be unable to use this device, you should check the version of the software fault.

First, try rebooting the machine. Perhaps the operating system will localize and fix the software glitch. Try reinstalling the keyboard. To do this, in the “System Properties” window of the “System” item “Control Panel”, find the “Hardware” tab. Click the "Device Manager" button. In the "Device Manager" window, select the "Keyboard" item and delete it, close the "Device Manager". Then enter the “Hardware Installation” item and run the “Setup Wizard”. Click Next and wait for the installer to detect the keyboard. The OS will indicate that the keyboard is detected and functioning by turning on the Num Lock indicator light. If the program displays a message that the installation of new devices is complete and prompts you to reboot, then click the “No” button, since the keyboard is already functioning. Also click the “Finish” button in the “Found New Hardware Wizard” window and exit the “System Properties” menu.

One possible problem could be that the operating system does not detect the required driver. To reinstall the driver, go to the website of your keyboard manufacturer, select the desired model, download the archive and unpack it. As a rule, such drivers come with their own installation program, and then you just need to run the file. If there is none, you will have to launch the “Device Manager”, select the “Update Driver” command and specify in manual search mode the path to the directory in which the unpacked driver is located. The computer must be restarted after installation.

Often, a non-functional keyboard is a consequence of a virus program that has taken up residence in your machine. A characteristic sign of this is the failure of the mouse, as well as the touchpad. Check your system with an antivirus program. It is better not to rely on free utilities that promise instant success and a cure for your computer. Use reputable and well-known antiviruses. The chances of success with such security are much higher.

A very real reason for a keyboard failure may also be the lack of BIOS connection. This failure is especially common on machines with a built-in keyboard. Correcting the situation can be quite simple. As your computer boots, enable the BIOS. Find the tab with a list of input and output devices. Select USB Controller and turn on Enabled. Enable the same mode for the USB Keyboard Setup item. Exit the BIOS with confirmation to save the new settings. If none of the above helped you, contact the service center.

The problem when the keyboard on a computer or laptop does not work is not uncommon. This situation is faced by both beginners and experienced users who have been working on a computer for many years. Let's figure out how to find a solution to the problem when the keyboard stops working, the keys stick or does not respond to pressing.

What could be the reasons for the breakdown and their solutions?

I decided to write an article in the form of points so that you can go through them and find out why the keyboard does not work.

There is information on the blog when the keyboard on a laptop stopped working: “”.

1. Beginner users usually immediately rush into panic and forget about the most trivial things. The very first thing you need to check is whether the keyboard is connected to the system unit (directly to the motherboard).

1. Disconnect the keyboard for a while (5-10 seconds) and connect it again.

1. If your keyboard suddenly stops working, try restarting your computer. Sometimes restarting Windows helps.

1. Nowadays it is very popular to use wireless keyboards and mice. If you have previously used wired keyboards and now have a wireless one, then I remind you that batteries do run out and need to be recharged from time to time.

1. All modern keyboards are connected through a special connector called a USB port. If there is a free USB port, then try connecting the keyboard to it. If all ports are busy, disconnect the printer or any other device to check the USB port for functionality by connecting a keyboard there.

1. If you have children at home, then it makes sense to check for unnecessary items in the connector or in the system unit (motherboard) itself. I once witnessed a situation where there was paper or chewing gum in the USB port, and therefore the keyboard stopped working.

1. It is possible that the keyboard has already done its job. To check if it works for you, you can go to your neighbors and ask them to connect your keyboard to their computer. If the keyboard works, then there is something wrong with your computer. You may have a spare keyboard, then connect it to your computer.

1. If the keyboard only partially prints, you may be unable to type numbers that are on the right side of the keyboard. If so, then press the "Num Lock" button.

1. What should I do if the keyboard does not work, but you have already done all the methods described above? If you have an old-style keyboard called PS/2 (piss in half), then pay attention to the legs. They may be curved or one of the legs may be completely absent. These legs may bend when connecting the device in a hurry, but they do not bend on their own. If there is no leg, then you will have to change the keyboard; if it is curved, then you can correct it with improvised means, for example, a screwdriver or a knife.

For the future, you should know that the purple connector is designated as the keyboard, and the green connector is the mouse.

1. If there are food crumbs in the keyboard or you simply dropped it or hit it, then it makes sense to disassemble it. If you use the keyboard for a long time or if it gets hit, the rubber inside may slip off. When you disassemble the keyboard, you need to adjust and clean the rubber, if necessary.

Wipe the rubber with a dry cloth, and the keyboard itself can be wiped with a damp cloth.

When disassembling the keyboard, it is important for novice users not to forget where all the keys were. In order not to get confused about the location of the keys, you can find a photo on the Internet that will be identical to your keyboard. Also, when disassembling, you can put the keys on the table in the order they were or take a photo with your cell phone.

1. If the USB keyboard does not work, then you can look in the BIOS to see if it is disabled. But there is one caveat: to enter the BIOS we need a keyboard that will work on this computer. There is an exit. You need to take a PS/2 keyboard or a USB to PS/2 adapter. By connecting PS/2 you can now use the keyboard. Go into the BIOS and switch USB Keyboard Support to Enabled. We also make sure that the USB Controller is Enabled.

1. Another reason for the keyboard to fail is that the driver on the computer, which is responsible for the proper functioning of the keyboard, has stopped working. In such a situation, there are a number of steps you can take to try to troubleshoot the problem yourself.

Firstly, you can do a system restore or roll it back to the date when the keyboard worked normally. Stretch your memory to remember the approximate date ;).

Secondly, try updating the keyboard driver. To do this, go to “Device Manager” and find our keyboard. Right-click and select "Update drivers..."

1. If when you purchased your keyboard it came with a disk with drivers, you need to install them. Before installation, remove old drivers.

When the keyboard does not work: you now know what to do and how to find out the reason. Just in case, go through all the points; perhaps you missed some of them.

Keys do not work in a program or game

Users who like to play games sometimes encounter a problem when some of the keys do not work.

If the keyboard works, but after entering a program or some game, some keys refuse to work. In this case, it would be appropriate to first look at the assignment of the keys. If you are not satisfied with how they are set, then look for their settings in the game itself. In some games you need to save all changes, so don't forget about it.

Usually all hotkeys in programs are the same, but there are exceptions. To change them, find the key settings in the program itself. Change the part of the hotkeys that you are not happy with to the ones you are familiar with.

If your keyboard doesn’t work, and you’ve tried everything I’ve said here, then you can buy the most ordinary keyboard, since their cost is not high.

Do you like to eat on your laptop? Then this video is for you: