Why the keyboard is not working on a Windows 10 laptop

It's super annoying and frustrating when your laptop keyboard suddenly stops responding to keystrokes. You can't log in, write a message, or simply continue working. Before you panic and take your device to a service center, it's worth trying to solve the problem yourself.

The reasons for such a malfunction can vary greatly: from a simple system failure to physical damage. Often, outdated drivers, accidentally activated blocking functions, or malicious software are to blame. Less often, but it does happen, the problem lies in the hardware itself — a cable has come loose or liquid has been spilled.

In this article, we will look at the main and most common reasons why a keyboard may not work, and we will consider step-by-step ways to fix them. Most of these solutions do not require any special knowledge and will help you quickly get your device back up and running.

Launch the virtual keyboard to perform some methods

Since some of the methods we will be discussing may require text input, you will need to use the virtual keyboard, an application pre-installed in Windows. In most cases, this is not necessary, as you will almost always only need to use the mouse and copy text (e.g., commands) using its right button. However, as a temporary replacement for a non-working physical keyboard, we suggest using its virtual version. Find out how to do this in the following article.

More details: Launching the virtual keyboard on a Windows 10 laptop

Method 1: Windows 10 settings

In Windows 10 itself, there are literally two settings that can affect the performance of the laptop's physical keyboard.

1. They are both located in the application “Options”, which you need to call via “Start”.
2. First, go to the section “Accessibility”.
3. In the left pane, find the item “Keyboard” and in the central part of the window, look at the status of the first parameter — “Use a device without a standard keyboard”. If its value “On”, change to “Off” and go to any application that supports text input to check if the problem has been fixed.
4. The second parameter to check is located here as well. Scroll down the list to the “Use input filtering”. Change the current value to the opposite and check again to see if the keyboard is working.

Method 2: Force start the ctfmon process

When the keyboard works normally in Windows (in text editors, messengers) and in BIOS, but does not respond to attempts to enter a password on the login screen, when typing in search and applications from the Microsoft Store, it is more likely that the ctfmon.exe process, which does not start with the operating system, is to blame. This can be changed in a simple way — by adding the appropriate parameter to the registry. However, you should first make sure that there is really something to fix. To do this, run “Task Manager” by right-clicking on the “Start”.

Look for the process there “CTF Loader”.

If it is really missing, do the following:

1. Right-click on “Start” and this time select “Run”.
2. 
3. Type regedit (or copy this command from here and paste it), then click “OK”.
4. 
5. Follow the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run or copy it and paste it into the address bar after clearing it. To navigate to the address, use Enter on the virtual keyboard that is running.
6. 
7. Add the keyboard startup process to startup by right-clicking on an empty space in the center of the window and selecting “Create” > “String parameter”.
8. 
9. Set the name “ctfmon”, after copying this word or typing it on the virtual keyboard. Then double-click the renamed parameter with the left mouse button to open its properties. In the field “Value” add “C:\Windows\System32\ctfmon.exe” and click “OK”.
10. 

We also recommend checking for the presence of a task in “Task Scheduler”.

1. Right-click on “Start” and go to “Computer Management”.
2. 
3. From the list on the left, you need to go to “Task Scheduler”.
4. 
5. Again, expand the folders one by one on the left side “Scheduler Library” > “Microsoft” > “Windows” > “TextServicesFramework”. In the central part of the window, check if the task is running “MsCtfMonitor”.
6. 
7. If not, right-click to bring up the context menu and enable it.
8. 
9. Restart your computer and check the keyboard for functionality.

Method 3: Disabling fast startup

The quick start feature is certainly very convenient, but enabling it can cause various errors. They are most common on laptops, mainly because the startup acceleration technology saves the Windows kernel and drivers to a hibernation file, so the next time the PC is started, it does not create a completely new session. Therefore, it makes sense to disable OS startup acceleration and check whether it has affected the keyboard malfunction.

1. Open “Start”, find the folder “Service — Windows” and expand it. From the results, select “Control Panel”.
2. 
3. Find the section “Power” and enter it.
4. 
5. On the left panel, click on the item “Power button actions”.
6. 
7. For now, disabling the desired item is prohibited, so first click on the link “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
8. 
9. Uncheck the box “Enable quick launch (recommended)”. Please note the caption that states that this does not affect the restart mode, but only the startup of the laptop from scratch.
10. 
11. Turn off and on, rather than restarting the laptop. If this is not the case, you can reactivate fast startup.

Method 4: Troubleshooting drivers

Quite often, the problem occurs as a result of conflicts between the OS and hardware, an incorrectly performed update, or an incorrectly selected driver. Usually, the user does not install such a driver themselves — this is done either by Windows automatically, loading the necessary software from its own repositories, or by a program that installs all drivers for the PC (such as DriverPack Solution). While the first case practically eliminates any malfunctions, the second, on the contrary, increases their likelihood. You can check their availability via “Device Manager”.

Reinstall the problematic keyboard driver

1. RMB on ‘Start’ this will bring up an alternative menu, from which you should go to “Device Manager”.
2. 
3. Expand the category “Keyboards”. Check the lists for items with warnings in the form of a yellow triangle icon with an exclamation mark inside it (sometimes the icon may be red with a cross). If there are none, select the item “Standard PS/2 Keyboard”.
4. 
5. If a device with a notification is detected, try installing the driver for it manually — it may be missing altogether. To do this, right-click and select “Update driver”.
6. 
7. From the options offered, select “Automatically search for updated drivers”.
8. 
9. Wait for the procedure to complete.
10. 
11. Depending on the results, the software may or may not be installed. In the first case, simply restart your PC, and in the second, you will receive a message that the latest version is already installed.
12. If there is no automatic update, try reinstalling the driver that is already on your laptop. To do this, in the same driver update window, instead of the automatic option, select “Find drivers on this computer.”.
13. 
14. Now click on the item “Select a driver from the list of available drivers on your computer”, without changing the path to find it.
15. 
16. Ideally, you will see only one line, which will be called “Standard PS/2 Keyboard”. If there are several lines, select the one mentioned with a mouse click and proceed “Next”.
17. 
18. After a short installation, you will receive a notification that the procedure has been successfully completed. All that remains is to close all windows and restart the device to apply the changes.
19. 

However, this is not the only way to update the driver: you can also update the system (we will discuss this in one of the following methods) or visit the official website of the laptop manufacturer. There, you need to go to the technical support section, which may be called something like “Support”, “Downloads” or something similar. For example, on the HP website there is a tab “Driver-Keyboard, mouse, and input device”, where users are prompted to download two drivers for HID devices. On other companies' websites, this tab may be different, for example “Other”.

Removing the keyboard driver

Some users find it helpful to simply remove the driver without reinstalling it (some have even found it effective to remove the touchpad driver, but this is a one-off recommendation, so please proceed with caution).

1. This procedure can also be performed via “Device Manager”, but this time by selecting the item “Remove device”.
2. 
3. Check the box in the warning window, if there is one, and click “Delete”.
4. 
5. Restart your laptop.

Removing the Elan driver

Users with Elan drivers installed on their laptops have repeatedly experienced keyboard issues. According to their observations, removing this particular driver helps restore the input device's functionality. This software can be uninstalled via “Parameters” > “Applications”. The same can be done through the aforementioned “Device Manager” in the section “HID devices”.

Chipset driver installation

Sometimes, malfunctioning third-party drivers can cause problems with the overall functioning of your laptop. They can fail suddenly, but more often this happens after incorrect installation, as mentioned above, through various driver packs. Therefore, it is best to go to the manufacturer's official website (see the last point of our instructions above, “Reinstalling the problematic keyboard driver”) and find all the system drivers there. For example, HP has a separate category on its website, while other manufacturers may have a section with the same name or “Chipset”.

Prohibiting driver installation

Add the parameter

1. “Location” “Device Manager”, ‘properties’
2. If there is a problematic device in the sections “Frameless window” “shortcut” “HID devices”, most likely, it will be the keyboard. Even if it is not there, you won't have to search for the device for long: it is usually located in the first section and is called Method 3: Run in windowed mode.
3. 
4. Go to “Properties” mi Mover is a proprietary tool from Xiaomi's software developers, designed to transfer data to a new device from, in general, any Android device. Contacts are included in the list of object types that this tool quickly and efficiently copies between smartphones, and in general, the algorithm of actions proposed below can be considered one of the most convenient and simple solutions to our task.
5. “Object” “Information”, where from the list “Property” important! Alt or “Bus GUID”. You should press them immediately after attempting to launch Cyberpunk 2077. If the specified combination does not work, specify a special parameter in the game properties. First, open them by right-clicking on the Cyberpunk 2077 shortcut and selecting the item from the context menu that appears the easiest way to run it in this mode is to use the key combination “Copy”. For now, leave this window open and proceed to the next step.
6. The problem in question may occur due to the full-screen mode not working correctly. Accordingly, to fix it, try opening the game in a window, then change the mode in the settings to “Registry Editor”. But if necessary, use solutions from third-party developers or download updates yourself from the Microsoft website. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows.
7. Right-click on the folder And in the field in some cases, the reason for the lack of necessary updates is errors when trying to install them. Sometimes this manifests itself in the appearance of information dialog boxes or an endless verification procedure. If you encounter such problems, open our separate article, in which the author has reviewed all known causes of the error and provided ways to fix them. “Next” > “Section”.
8. Enter “DeviceInstall”. Now right-click on it and create another partition with the name “Restrictions”, and within this section — “DenyDeviceIDs”. The result should be as shown in the screenshot below.
9. In the last folder you created, right-click to bring up the context menu, where you can create “String parameter”.
10. Give it a name «1». Open its properties by double-clicking the left mouse button and in the field “Value” insert that “Class GUID” / “Bus type GUID”, found in Step 3 via “Device Manager”.
11. Switch to “Restrictions”, right-click on an empty space in the center of the window and create “DWORD (32-bit) parameter”, which you will name “DenyDeviceIDs”.
12. Double-click on it with the left mouse button and in the field “Value” display «1».
13. Create the parameter in the same way “DenyDeviceIDsRetroactive”. Leave the value for it as is. «0».
14. Remove the keyboard driver as shown in one of the previous recommendations. Restart your laptop and check if the keyboard is working. If not, go back to “Registry Editor”, in the same place, and delete the folder “DeviceInstall” using the right mouse button. The other values will also be deleted, and the driver will be able to be downloaded again in the future.

Method 5: Checking the OS for viruses

Many users think that this is a trivial and generalized recommendation that is included in every troubleshooting guide. However, in this situation, it is indeed appropriate, as there is known malware that blocks the keyboard, and in this case, a reasonable solution would be to scan the operating system for viruses. If you already have special software installed for this purpose, use it. If you do not have such software, read our other article, which will help you choose the right security software.

More details: Fighting computer viruses

The keyboard on a Windows 10 laptop may stop working for various reasons, ranging from simple breakage to a system failure. Most often, the problem is stuck keys, dust under the keys, or temporary Windows glitches. Sometimes system updates, incorrect settings, or driver conflicts are to blame. In some cases, the keyboard is simply not turned on — for example, the lock has been accidentally pressed. Before you panic, it's worth checking the simplest options: restart your laptop, connect an external keyboard, or clean the keys. This often solves the problem quickly.

Method 6: Checking the UpperFilters parameter value

In “Registry Editor”, which we have already discussed earlier, you can see something else, namely the status of the parameter “UpperFilters”. During certain events, it may get lost, so you should verify or refute this assumption.

1. Open “Registry Editor”, as shown earlier, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E96B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}. Find the parameter there “UpperFilters”. It should have the value “kbdclass”.
2. 
3. If this is not the case, change it manually by opening “Properties” the lines and entering this word there using the virtual keyboard or by copying and pasting.
4. 

There is information that the value of the parameter is disrupted by one of the Kaspersky antivirus updates. If you have it installed and the problem persists even after the fix, install a newer update or disable it until the update is released. Sometimes another feature common to various antivirus programs, responsible for secure keyboard input, causes problems. In this case, you need to disable it without stopping the security software itself.

Method 7: Manage Windows updates

Sometimes users' keyboards stop working immediately after a system update is installed. If you cannot fix this problem with all of the above recommendations, you should roll back the system to the previous state of the computer, restore the system, or even return it to its original state.

Return to previous version

Within 10 days after installing a global update, Windows allows its users to revert to the previous OS build if the current one is unstable. It is no secret that almost all recent updates to this OS have many bugs and flaws, causing users all sorts of difficulties. If you have just installed a major update that changes the system version (for example, from 1903 to 1909) and it has “broken” your keyboard, roll back. Perhaps the developer will fix some bugs very soon, and you will be able to update again.

You can only perform this procedure if you have not deleted the Windows.old folder!

1. Go to Open, from there — in “Update and Security”.
2. 
3. Switch to “Restore” use the panel on the left to switch to “Start” “properties” And in the main part of the window, find the block.
4. 
5. This RTX 20 series card is now available on Ozon for 60,000 rubles, which is much cheaper than the Super version.
6. 
7. Select any reason, preferably a real one, and go to “Next”.
8. 
9. If you decide that you have had enough updates, disable the update check by clicking the button “No, thank you”.
10. 
11. Read the information and click Switch to the tab.
12. 
13. Make sure you remember the password you are using (if any).
14. 
15. Proceed to the immediate rollback of the build by clicking on “Return to an earlier build”.
16. 
17. Tab, the restoration will begin. You will need to wait for it to complete.
18. 

Read more: What to do if updates are not installing in Windows 10 Method 1.

More info: Uninstall updates in Windows 10

System recovery

The simplest and often most effective method is to restore the system. Many people know how to return to a previously created restore point on their own, but if you have not yet used this feature, you can learn how to do so at the following link.

More info: Roll back to a restore point in Windows 10

Windows 10 update

Quite often, not only recovery but also updates can fix malfunctions. Before resorting to radical measures that delete Windows files (and more), install all updates: there is a chance that this simple manipulation will fix all problems with the device's performance.

More info: Installing Windows 10 updates

Original state

When nothing else helps, you can try restoring the system to its original state. This is not the most pleasant operation, since you will then have to reinstall some applications and restore various system settings.

More details: Restoring Windows 10 to its original state

An alternative to this option is to restore the device to its factory settings, which will perform a clean installation of the system while preserving some user data. We have already discussed what exactly will be deleted and how to perform such a reset in the article linked below. This option is more likely to fix a software glitch, if there is one.

More details: Restoring Windows 10 to factory settings

Method 8: Physical repair

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to repair a device using software methods: if the problem is caused by a physical issue, it can only be fixed with appropriate measures. If you do not have sufficient technical knowledge, you should definitely contact a service center, where they will help you find the source of the problem and fix it. For example, if liquid has been spilled on the keyboard, it is quite possible that the microchip or connecting cable has been damaged, and in simpler cases, some keys may stick, for example, due to the properties of the liquid (sweet drinks will cause the keys to stick and be difficult to press, etc.). Of course, you can always disassemble the laptop yourself to clean it from spilled tea, soda, or dust, but there is no guarantee that this will help, and you may not be able to disassemble and reassemble the laptop. The link below provides a general guide on how to disassemble a laptop yourself, but we still advise against doing so without the necessary level of knowledge and confidence in your own actions.

In more unfortunate situations, the cable may be inoperable due to being bent (this occurs when opening and closing the laptop), and the microchip, like any electronic component, may simply burn out. In addition, the cable may simply come loose, in which case it will be enough to plug it back into the connector for the keyboard to work again. As you can see, we do not provide any recommendations or instructions for repair, as this process depends strictly on the brand and model of the device. If you want to try to fix it yourself, use the special videos on YouTube that will help you disassemble your laptop.

As you can see, there are a number of reasons why your laptop keyboard might not be working, ranging from a simple system glitch to hardware failure. The main thing is not to panic and to take a step-by-step approach.

Start with the simplest solutions: restarting your computer, checking the key combination for locking, and updating drivers. Often, these simple steps are enough to quickly get everything back to working order.

If simple methods don't work, it's a sign that the problem may be deeper. In this case, especially if you are not confident in your abilities, the best solution would be to contact a service center. Specialists will accurately determine what the problem is — whether it's a malfunction of the operating system or the physical keyboard itself.