Windows 11 Keyboard Not Working? Causes and Real Fixes

When your Windows 11 keyboard is not working, the cause is usually one of four things: a connection or power problem, an accessibility setting such as Filter keys, a driver that Windows Update or a crash has broken, or a genuine hardware fault. The fixes below are ordered from quickest to most involved and apply to Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, on both Home and Pro.

Before you start, you need a way to type. The on-screen keyboard lets you keep working with the mouse or touchpad while you troubleshoot.

First: get a working keyboard on screen

• Inside Windows: press Windows key + Ctrl + O, or go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on On-screen keyboard.
• On the sign-in screen: select the accessibility icon at the bottom right and turn on On-screen keyboard, then click the keys to enter your PIN or password.

If the mouse also stops responding, the problem is broader than the keyboard (for example a frozen PC or a USB controller fault). Hold the power button to restart, and if it keeps happening see the Windows 11 troubleshooting guide.

Quick checks for wired, wireless and laptop keyboards

Work through the line that matches your keyboard:

Keyboard type	What to check
USB wired	Plug it straight into a port on the PC, not a hub or monitor port. Try a different port, ideally on the back of a desktop.
Wireless with USB receiver	Replace or charge the batteries, check the on/off switch, move the receiver to a front port closer to the keyboard.
Bluetooth	Check the battery, then remove the keyboard in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices and pair it again.
Laptop built-in	Check whether an external keyboard works. Some laptops have a key combination that locks the keyboard or the function row; check the maker’s manual.

Also check the lock keys. If the number pad does nothing, press Num Lock. If the top row changes volume or brightness instead of sending F1 to F12, your laptop has a function lock; on many models it is toggled with Fn + Esc, but the key differs by maker.

A second keyboard is the fastest diagnostic. If another keyboard works in the same port, the original keyboard or its receiver is at fault. Bluetooth keyboards have their own fixes in our Bluetooth troubleshooting guide.

Turn off Filter keys and Sticky keys

Filter keys makes Windows ignore brief or repeated keystrokes, so a keyboard can seem dead or laggy when it is working perfectly. It is easy to switch on by accident: holding the right Shift key for eight seconds brings up the prompt.

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
2. Turn off Filter keys.
3. Turn off Sticky keys and Toggle keys if they are on.
4. To stop accidental activation, open each option and turn off its keyboard shortcut.

Fix wrong characters and layout problems

If keys work but produce the wrong letters or symbols (for example @ and ” swapped, or Y and Z swapped), the keyboard layout does not match the physical keyboard.

1. Press Windows key + Space to cycle through installed layouts and watch the language indicator near the clock.
2. To remove layouts you do not use, go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region, select the three dots next to your language, choose Language options, and remove the extra keyboards.
3. Add the correct layout there with Add a keyboard.

Some keyboard shortcuts also behave differently when an unexpected layout is active. Our Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts list assumes a standard layout for your language.

Reinstall or update the keyboard driver

When the keyboard works in the firmware setup screen but not in Windows, the driver is the prime suspect.

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Keyboards. You will usually see HID Keyboard Device for USB and Bluetooth keyboards, or Standard PS/2 Keyboard for many laptop keyboards.
3. If a device shows a yellow warning icon, right-click it and choose Uninstall device, then restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the driver at startup.
4. If the problem started after a driver update, open the device’s Properties, go to the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver if it is available.
5. Also check Human Interface Devices and System devices for warning icons. On many laptops the keyboard and touchpad depend on chipset or serial I/O drivers.

Next, install updates in Settings > Windows Update, and look in Advanced options > Optional updates for driver updates. For laptops, download the chipset and input drivers for your exact model from the maker’s support site.

Power-saving and fast startup issues

If a USB keyboard stops working after sleep or a while of inactivity, Windows may be cutting power to the port.

1. In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Open each USB Root Hub entry, go to the Power Management tab and clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

If the keyboard fails only after a shutdown but works after a restart, fast startup may be restoring a bad driver state. Turn it off in Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable, then clear Turn on fast startup.

Find out whether Windows or hardware is to blame

Restart the PC and enter the UEFI/BIOS setup screen (the key varies by maker; you can also use Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings). Try the arrow keys there.

• Works in UEFI setup: Windows is the problem. Try safe mode. If the keyboard works in safe mode, a third-party app or driver is interfering; uninstall recently added keyboard utilities, macro software or remote-control tools.
• Fails in UEFI setup too: it is a hardware fault, so Windows fixes will not help.

If Windows itself seems damaged (other devices misbehave too), run System File Checker from an administrator terminal, and if a recent update triggered the problem, uninstall it from Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates.

When it is a hardware fault

A laptop keyboard that stops working after a spill, a drop or a repair often has liquid damage or a loose ribbon cable. Shut the laptop down, unplug it and do not keep testing it if liquid got in. Check the warranty before opening the case, because some repairs void it, and use the PC maker’s own diagnostics if your model has them. Until it is fixed, an external USB keyboard is a cheap and reliable stopgap.

If keys type the wrong characters rather than nothing at all, the keyboard layout has probably changed; see change keyboard language in Windows 11.

If Shift or Ctrl seems stuck, or short key presses are ignored, Sticky Keys or Filter Keys may have been switched on by accident; see turn off Sticky Keys in Windows 11.