One key doesn't work. Why don't the keys on my laptop work? Function buttons do not work

Sometimes users encounter such a problem that part of the keyboard on their laptop does not work. In principle, it happens that the entire keyboard does not work at once, but then, most likely, it just needs to be replaced. But if only some of the buttons stop functioning, everything is somewhat more complicated.

We will consider everything that can be done in this case independently, without the involvement of specialists.

Simple ways to solve the problem

It is not always necessary to do something complicated in order to restore the functionality of a part of the keyboard. Often the problem is solved quite simply. So from the very beginning, do this:

1.Try pressing the Fn and Num Lock keys. It is possible that pressing one of them blocked some buttons on the keyboard.

2. Hold Fn and press Num Lock, then release both buttons. In some cases, this simple method allows you to get the keyboard fully operational.

3. Take a brush and go over all the buttons. It is quite possible that some dust has accumulated under one of the buttons. If possible, also take a vacuum cleaner. On the Internet you can find special vacuum cleaners for small keyboards.

Keyboard vacuum cleaner

4. Restart your computer. In some cases, there may be some minor bug in the system that prevents certain buttons from working.

In most cases, the problem will be minor and can be fixed with one of these steps. If nothing works, move on to the next step.

Fixing a software glitch

It is quite possible that the problem is the malfunction of some programs or services. To check this option and fix the problem, you need to do the following:

1. Boot from safe mode without drivers. To do this, restart your computer and immediately start pressing the F8 button. Select “Safe Mode” from the boot options.


Note: Depending on your system configuration, the boot mode selection button may differ. So try using all the buttons from F1 to F12 if pressing F8 does not help. As a result, a window similar to that shown in Figure 2 should appear.

Options for selecting system boot mode

2. Try to create some kind of document and use all the buttons on the keyboard. You need to check not only those buttons that previously refused to work, but also all the others! If it really is a software glitch, the set of non-working keys may change with each new start.

So, if all the buttons work well, then the problem is really in the operating system. The most likely solution to the problem lies in updating the drivers. The best way to do this is the standard way:

  • Open the “Start” menu (Windows), then “Control Panel”, find “Device Manager” there;

Device Manager in Control Panel

  • open the “Keyboards” item;
  • usually there is only one keyboard, right-click on it and select “Update drivers...” (if there are several keyboards, which is very unlikely, do the same with all of them);
  • select “Automatic search...”;
  • wait until the drivers are found on the Internet, they will be installed automatically.

Updating drivers using the standard Windows method

You can also download and install the DriverPack Solution program. It allows you to scan your entire computer for the latest available drivers. If the keyboard has incorrect (roughly speaking, “broken”) or outdated drivers, you can easily replace them. The usage of this program is as follows:

  • download the program (here is the link);
  • install it and run it;
  • An automatic scan will occur, after which just click on the “Update all” button.

DriverPack Solution Window

Scan the system with your antivirus and remove all detected viruses. You can also use special utilities for this, such as Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free.

If updating and scanning drivers does not help, try rolling back the system to a time when everything worked well.

To do this you need to do this:

  • open the “Start” menu, then “All Programs”, “Accessories”;
  • after that, go to the “Utilities” section and click on “System Restore”;

System Restore item in the Start menu

  • in the window that opens, click “Next”;
  • then select the desired restore point, and here they are sorted by date and time (you need to choose the one that most accurately corresponds to the time when everything was fine);

Selecting a restore point for system rollback

  • Click Next and then Finish.

In principle, you can reinstall the drivers and roll back the system in cases where the keyboard also does not work correctly in safe mode. But in this case, the likelihood that it will help is very small. Most likely, the problem is mechanical, not software, and it needs to be solved by physical intervention in the computer device.

Fixing a physical glitch

In this case, you will have to disassemble the keyboard and see step by step what could have gone wrong. To do this, follow these steps (it is very important to adhere to the exact order in which all actions will be listed below):

1. Turn off the laptop and remove the battery.

2. Take a flat-blade screwdriver and carefully remove all the latches on the plate that holds the keyboard in place. If you don’t see any latches on your laptop, you should pick up the instructions and read what it says about the design of the keyboard and how it is removed. In any case, some kind of fastening mechanisms must be present.

The process of opening the keyboard plate latches

The keyboard plate is attached to the laptop itself using a cable. You will see it immediately.

3. So, if there is obvious damage on it, the cable should simply be removed and replaced with a new one. To do this, take an old cable, go to the nearest electronics store and buy the same one.

Keyboard cable

4. If the cable is not damaged, it still needs to be removed. Under no circumstances should you take the cable by the conductors! You can only grab those plastic parts that attach it to other parts of the laptop. For clarity, Figure 10 shows those parts that can be handled and those that cannot be handled. True, keyboards usually use slightly different cables.

5. There, under the keyboard plate, you can find the microcontroller. It's necessary dry and try to remove dust using a vacuum cleaner.

It is quite difficult to explain how to find this microcontroller. To put it simply, this is exactly the device to which the cable is attached. Just in case, when removing the keyboard, go through all the controllers you see. You won’t be able to do anything else on your own without special knowledge. Again, if you see obvious damage to the microcontroller, it is best to replace it.

Laptop with keyboard removed

6. If everything is fine with the cable, you will have to disconnect the keys and clean them. Usually the button can be removed in the standard way - pry it off with the same flat-head screwdriver. Start with the problem buttons. If you see damage underneath, replace the elements that secure the button to the laptop.

The process of removing buttons from the keyboard

7. Try using the keyboard again.

If the problem persists, remove all the buttons and remove the aluminum plate that is located under them. Usually it also has special fastenings that can be removed quite easily. But underneath it is hidden a polyethylene board with traces drawn on it.

Inspect it for obvious damage - if there is any, there are two options: draw new tracks or buy a new board. In any case, go over the board with a vacuum cleaner.

To check the integrity of the tracks, use a tester.

Checking the integrity of tracks on the keyboard board with a tester

To draw the tracks, use a car rear window heating filament repair kit (that’s what it’s called).

If all else fails, your best bet is to have your computer repaired.

The video below clearly shows the process of disassembling a laptop keyboard.

Part of the keyboard on a laptop does not work: what to do and how to fix it - a detailed guide

A common reason why some laptop buttons stop working is because the device's keyboard circuit board tracks are damaged or a significant amount of debris has accumulated. Below we will tell you what to do in this case - how to disassemble the laptop for cleaning, restore damaged tracks and eliminate other, including software, reasons why the above-mentioned malfunction may occur.

If the laptop keyboard was flooded

If, as a result of negligence, the keyboard of the device has been flooded, it is important to quickly turn off the power to the device, remove the battery and clean and dry it, after first disconnecting the input device. If you neglect cleaning, then over time some of the tracks may rot, as a result of which you will have to make quite complex repairs - one or more buttons may simply stop working.

Let's look at how to disassemble a laptop for cleaning in the case described above:

  1. Turn off the power and remove the battery.
  2. Remove the data input device by:

Removing the buttons and cleaning the keyboard

To remove a key without damaging the device, you usually need to lightly press it from above and pry it from below with a thin screwdriver. It all depends on the laptop model. The buttons here are attached with latches to the so-called. elevator.

The number of fasteners can be from three to four. In the first case, only one connection will be movable - upper or lower, in the latter - both connections will be movable. We are primarily interested in the fixed connection of the elevator. It is from this side that you will need to pry if you want to snap it off safely. Most often, fixed connections are located in the lower part. Then simply pull the tool up.

After dismantling all the buttons, you can proceed directly to cleaning. You can work with simple wet wipes. You can also use various cleaning liquids, with the exception of aggressive ones - acetone, etc., which can easily damage the circuit. After removing all contaminants, reassemble the device - this must be done in the reverse order.

There will also be no particular difficulties with installation:

  • Lower the key pad onto the spring element in the center;
  • press it strictly vertically down until it clicks.

The device will begin to operate normally if the cause of the malfunction was accumulated debris. Otherwise, the likely cause may be defective traces on the board. You can also repair them yourself if the damage is not very extensive.

Restoring tracks on the keyboard board

In the case of faulty tracks, the device will have to be completely disassembled. It will be necessary to repeat all the described steps, and then dismantle the elevators. They are shown in the photo below.

There should be no difficulties with the last action, since they are removed quite simply, especially from the fixed side.

Once all the elevators from the data input device have been removed, it will be possible to remove the data input device part from the aluminum substrate.

The polyethylene board with tracks is also removed. On older laptops, you will also need to remove the plastic edging. Before doing this, it is advisable to heat the part with a regular hairdryer. Subsequently, during the assembly stage, regular superglue can be used to secure the plastic and restore the fastenings.

Next we will work with a polyethylene board on which tracks are drawn. The problem is that the trace board contains two plates, so to begin the repair, these layers also need to be separated:


New paths are drawn directly on top of the rotten ones, but the entire area will need to be thoroughly cleaned of dirt before this. After the renewed track has dried, it will definitely need to be “ringed”. The polyethylene part can be collected no earlier than an hour and a half after carrying out the described actions.
Next, the repaired layer is placed on an aluminum substrate, and on top is a part with spring elements. You can check its functionality now by connecting it to a PC and opening, for example, a regular notepad. If everything works fine, continue assembling the device, remembering to turn off the power to the laptop before doing so.

Check for obvious causes that may be causing the problem.

But before you start disassembling and cleaning the keyboard, first make sure that the reason why several buttons stopped working is not caused by your carelessness or other obvious things. For example, if the laptop does not respond to pressing numbers, check that you have not accidentally touched the Num Lock, which is responsible for disabling this block. Some laptop models support a combination of Fn and Num Lock.

Sometimes problems with devices can also be software. For example, the driver responsible for its operation may be damaged due to exposure to a virus. The first step in this case is to scan the system with a standard antivirus, or it can be one of the specialized utilities, for example, the free Virus Removal Tool from Kaspersky Lab. Then reinstall the necessary drivers.

Temporary replacement for the physical keyboard

To be able to download an antivirus program on the Internet and perform some other basic operations on a laptop without a physical keyboard, you can use a virtual one. You can activate it through “Start”:

  • in this menu, select the accessibility section;
  • Click on the line “On-screen keyboard”.

To enter the required characters, simply click on them with the mouse. Starting from the eighth version of Windows, instead of the standard screen one, you can use a special touch gadget for a laptop or tablet. It works without a touch screen - clicks are also made with the mouse.

Activation occurs as follows:

  • by clicking the mouse, call up the context menu of the taskbar (bottom bar of the screen);
  • select “Properties” from the menu;
  • in the taskbar properties, open “Toolbar”;
  • Check the “Touch keyboard” option and click “Apply”.

Now that at least the virtual keyboard works, you can download the necessary drivers from the manufacturer’s website and remove the faulty driver in the device manager. If you are having difficulty finding the program you need, you can download one of the free so-called. driver packs with a huge database of fresh drivers. You can use products such as DriverPack Solution or Slim Drivers - they will carry out all the necessary updates automatically.

Causes

Let's list the main reasons why some keyboard buttons do not work on a laptop:

  1. contacts are damaged by corrosion;
  2. the rubber shock absorber is worn out;
  3. some foreign object got under the button.

Easy way

To restore the functionality of the information input device (any part of it), there is no need to panic, thinking that the situation could not be more complicated. In most cases, it can be solved very simply, namely:

  1. press Fn and Num Lock in turn, then release both;
  2. use a brush/special vacuum cleaner to remove accumulated dust/debris;

Problem with the digital part of the keyboard

The information input device (or rather, its right side, where the mathematical symbols are located) is called “digital”. With its help, you can type any notation and even perform a number of mathematical operations.

Why don't the numbers on the right side of the keyboard work, and how can I fix the situation? There are several reasons, and therefore solutions:

  1. Disabling the digital part.

    2. Press Fn + Num lk or Num lk (Num Lock) and everything will work.

  2. The settings are incorrect.

    3. Click "Start", then - "Control Panel", and then like this: "Ease of Access" → "Ease of Access Center" → "Make the keyboard easier to use" → Control the mouse with the keyboard" → "Enable pointer control from the keyboard" (checkbox remove)→ “OK”.

What about some keys that don't work?

Let's look at why some buttons on the keyboard (in particular, F1-F12) do not work.

If you are the owner of a laptop, then know that Fn is responsible for turning on the keys. If nothing has changed, try to solve the problem through the "Office" button. You may also need to reinstall the drivers.

Instead of numbers - letters

The PC can also throw up the following situation: why some keys on the laptop do not work (or rather, letters are printed instead of numbers). It also happens: in the Latin register, digital and alphabetic symbols appear immediately, but in the Cyrillic layout - extraneous characters. What do they do in such cases?

We proceed like this: you need to disable the digital mode using Num Lock and Fn. You must press at the same time. Look at the result. The letter designations should return.

Or so. In the “Accessibility” section in the control panel, you need to disable the checkbox for controlling the mouse cursor.

Now it’s clear why some keyboard buttons do not work on the laptop. If not, then you cannot do without service center specialists.

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The keyboard on my laptop has stopped working: what's wrong?

Even one sticky button can ruin your mood, let alone when the entire keyboard stops showing signs of life. You can react in different ways: take the laptop for repair, buy a new input device, or connect a USB keyboard.

Before taking decisive action, the cause of the problem must be determined. Batterion company specialists explained how built-in laptop keyboards break down (batterion.ru/keyboard).

The most common types of breakdowns are:

1. The button fell out. This usually happens if you hit the keys with all your might or drop your laptop. The problem is solved by putting the fallen part back in place (you should hear a click when the latch fits into the grooves). When the mount is broken, you can buy a new key and install it in the input device.

2. The cable responsible for transmitting signals from the keys to the motherboard has broken. In this case, the input device stops responding to touches altogether. A hardware problem requires a qualified repair, although sometimes it is cheaper and easier to buy a new keyboard. This can be done on the Batterion laptop components website: batterion.ru.

3. Some keys on the laptop do not work - the most common type of keyboard malfunction. The main reason is clogged contacts. The keyboard needs to be cleaned. There are many tools for this: defender wipes and special brushes, a USB vacuum cleaner, a can of compressed air, and Velcro gel. If superficial cleaning does not help, you need to disassemble the keyboard. This task requires accuracy and dexterous hands, otherwise it is easy to break the fragile latches.

4. The conductive paths are shorted. In 90% of cases, corrosion of tracks occurs due to liquid spilled on an open laptop (sweet tea, coffee, juice). There is little chance of fixing the keyboard at home, but you can save your laptop from more serious problems. First aid for a laptop after such a “disaster”:

  • immediately disconnect the computer from the network and remove the battery;
  • blot the keyboard with paper napkins;
  • dry the keypad with a hairdryer (cold air mode);
  • take the laptop to a service center - they will disassemble it, dry it completely and, if necessary, restore the damaged tracks.

Rules for caring for buttons: “Klava” will thank you

And now - some professional tips for the future on how to properly use and care for the keyboard.

  1. Clean the surface of the keyboard panel regularly: wipe off the dust with special wipes once a week.
  2. Do not clean keys with alcohol or abrasive solutions - they corrode the paint and contacts.
  3. Eating and drinking while using a laptop is taboo! The minimum distance from coffee to laptop is 20 cm.
  4. Treat the buttons with care: do not hit them, but press them.
  5. Check the surface of the input device before closing the laptop. A forgotten pen or paper clip can damage the monitor and button contacts.

When the keys on a Packard Bell, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, Samsumg, or HP laptop do not work, the situation is not very pleasant.

Usually the first thing that comes to mind is to take it to a service center. But don't rush. You can fix a lot of things yourself.

It is very bad when some function keys on a laptop (packard bell, acer, asus, toshiba, Lenovo, Samsumg HP - Compaq) do not work due to faulty tracks.

You can draw them yourself, but the work is delicate and not everyone can do it.

Almost every (modern) laptop (keys) can be disassembled and seen what’s what.

There is no need to completely disassemble the laptop; the keys can be removed one at a time. A good way to remove the keys was suggested to me by my son (2 years old) - with a fly swatter.

After hitting the keyboard, six keys jumped out of their sockets on their own, and remained completely undamaged. I just wouldn't recommend using this method.

Some keys will not work if there is dust underneath them. In this case, you need to clean it. You can try to blow it out (without removing it) with strong air pressure, but usually this does not help - you will have to remove it.

Typically, the keys on a laptop consist of three elements: a pad, a lift and a spring element and are connected by latches.

If you can easily lift them with a thin screwdriver, you can remove them. After this, clean the platform and install it back. There is no difficulty in this - it is available to everyone, you don’t have to be afraid.

The situation is much worse if the keys were filled with liquid that damaged the tracks - most will have to send their laptop for repair.

If one or more keys do not work, and it is impossible to restore functionality on your own, then you can assign their functions to others that are practically not used. Yes, it's inconvenient, but you can use it for a while.

Remember, if some keys on the laptop do not work, then any of them, you can assign absolutely any function yourself.

This can be done manually by changing the register (this is difficult and not everyone can do it) or use a simpler method by downloading the special AutoHotkey program.

This program is not the only one, but if it exists, then you won’t need others. On the right side there are keys that are used very rarely, and most people do not pay attention to them at all.

Assign them the missing functions, attach stickers with the designation (so as not to make mistakes) and use them until you decide what to do with the keyboard in the future.

  • By the way, there are also online services and special programs with which you can check (test) the keyboard for errors. You can download the program or use online resources

Also keep in mind that keyboards are not expensive, one might say they cost pennies, and you can easily connect an external keyboard to a laptop or netbook, and not just change it. It's just inconvenient to take it with you.

When you are not working on a laptop, there is another way to solve the problem - use a virtual one.


To call the virtual keyboard, click “start” (Windows logo, at the very bottom left), then find and click “all programs” at the bottom, scroll the menu to the very bottom and select “standard”, then go even lower and click “special features”

After that, find the virtual keyboard and launch it - there will be no difficulties. For those who write little (only in Yandex or Google) this option can be used even on an ongoing basis.

In any case, now you know what to do when the keys on a Packard Bell, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, Samsumg or HP-Compaq laptop do not work.