Keyboard Not Working — Diagnosis and Fix

USB keyboard

• Try a different USB port. Try the back ports directly on the motherboard.
• Test on another PC to rule out keyboard hardware failure.
• Check Device Manager for HID Keyboard Device errors.

Filter Keys trap

Hold Shift for 8 seconds accidentally enables Filter Keys, which makes keystrokes feel unresponsive. Settings → Ease of Access → Keyboard → Filter Keys → Off.

Driver reinstall

Device Manager → Keyboards → right-click → Uninstall. Reboot. Windows reinstalls automatically.

Laptop keyboard

If a spill occurred, power off immediately, remove battery, and let it dry for 48–72 hours inverted. For permanent failures, replacement keyboards for most laptop models are $15–$40 on iFixit.

BIOS / pre-boot not working

If the keyboard works in Windows but not in BIOS: enable Legacy USB support in BIOS settings.