The laptop keyboard getting unresponsive while you are in the middle of getting your work done can be utterly frustrating. Fortunately, the fix can be easy and quick once you have found out what issue exactly is causing your keyboard to malfunction. So, don’t rush to the repair shop just yet, because the solution might just be at your fingertips.
There are multiple reasons that can cause your laptop keyboard to freeze, some of them can be accidental, some might be an outcome of some carelessness on your part. Sometimes the problem might not be as big you could be wondering it to be, by that we mean that a simple restart may be able to fix that.
How to Unfreeze Laptop Keyboard
So, it’s obvious that you need to identify the culprit first before being able to find a way to get rid of that. This article will make you go through all the common issues that can cause the keyboard of your laptop to freeze up, and the easy and quick fixes to those issues. Hopefully, you will be able to identify the problem from those mentioned below and then fix it.
1. Restart the Laptop
This is the most simple and straightforward solution to unfreeze a locked keyboard but an effective one nonetheless. At times, some problematic application or program causes the keyboard to freeze, and rebooting the system will close that program or application unfreezing the keyboard.
This will also work if the software, drivers, or firmware has some error that has locked the keyboard. Restarting the laptop can eliminate that error. If the normal method of using the touchpad or mouse does not work, you can press and hold the power button of the laptop to restart the system.
2. Turn Off the Filter Keys
Make sure that the filter keys are disabled, or you have not mistakenly enabled them, that could also be the reason your keyboard is locked. They are enabled to lock the keyboard to avoid any accidental and unwanted touches. Holding down the right ‘shift’ key for 8 seconds enables the filter keys, there will be a beep and a message box will appear on the screen, and your keyboard will be locked. They are likely to be turned on accidentally. You can disable the keys the same way, do that and see if that fixes the problem.
3. Run the Windows Troubleshooter
Windows Troubleshooter can also fix the problem of an unresponsive keyboard. It is a built-in tool provided by Windows 10 to find and fix common problems. It can diagnose the one with your keyboard as well. Also, follow the steps if the troubleshooter suggests any.
4. Clean the Keyboard
Cleaning a keyboard is not just crucial for hygienic purposes, it can cause some mechanical or hardware problems as well as freezing the keyboard. It’s important to take care of that on a regular basis, which will increase the keyboard’s longevity as well. if you don’t, and you find your keyboard acting up, it’s high time to give it a good cleaning.
The laptop is carried everywhere, and the keyboard is used a lot so it’s highly likely it will get untidy, which, if not treated regularly, can cause problems later. The keys of a dirty keyboard can get stuck or stop working, spills can also be a cause. So, clean your keyboard thoroughly and see if that works to unfreeze the laptop keyboard.
Of course, the keyboard cleaning is going to require some caution. Use compressed air and be careful in some areas. Keyboard cleaning kits also come, with cleaning solutions and brushes designed to specifically clean the keyboard with all the safety that it needs.
5. See if There is Any Physical Damage
This one is a serious problem, one you cannot fix but have to invest in a new laptop. Some physical damage like broken keys or damage in the laptop housing can cause mechanical problems, making the keyboard unresponsive. Check and see if the keyboard suffers from physical damage, inspect all the keys for any cracks and check whether or not they respond.
6. Update the Keyboard Drivers
Outdated keyboard drivers can also be a reason behind an unresponsive keyboard. there might be a problem with the compatibility of the drivers or they can be corrupted causing connectivity issues between the keyboard and the computer. In that case, you need to update the drives.
If updating the keyboard device drivers doesn’t work, you need to uninstall and then reinstall them. Find the right version of the drivers to install, one which does not have bugs or compatibility issues with your laptop. After updating or reinstalling the keyboard drivers, restart the laptop and see if the keyboard is working.
7. Disable any External Keyboards
If you have connected an external keyboard with your laptop, it can disable the default keyboard, and the laptop will not recognize it. Make sure that the external keyboard you connected is disabled and turned down, especially if it uses a Bluetooth connection since it can automatically connect. Check in the Device Manager and ensure that only the default keyboard is connected.
8. Turn off Cortana
Cortana, if enabled, can sometimes hinder the other operations happening on the laptop. It might also cause your laptop keyboard to freeze, check by turning Cortana off and see if that fixes the problem.
Related Keyboard Guide: How to reset Logitech Keyboard | How to reset Corsair keyboard
Conclusion
Consult this article the next time your laptop keyboard starts acting up, or if you are currently facing the problem. The fixes listed above, on how to unfreeze the laptop keyboard, are going to be of great help and hopefully help you find and fix the problem quickly. If none of the above solutions work, unfortunately, then you might be having a major problem. In that case, you need to visit a repair shop or consult the customer service of the manufacturer.