At some point in your PC using life, you may experience shift keys that behave as if they adhere to the rest of the keyboard.
While inconvenient and somewhat embarrassing, this is a fairly common problem for most users who spend a lot of time typing on the computer. Whether caused by external sources or just a simple software configuration error, this post will discuss ways to fix this issue.
Common Indications of Shift Key Not Working Problem
1. Shift Key Not Working Along with Other Keys
There are times when you will notice that your shift key is not working. It happens along with other keys on the keyboard as well. One of the things you should do when this happens is to try using a different keyboard and see if it works. If it does not, you may need to change your entire keyboard to be effective.
2. When Most Keyboard Keys Stick or just Won't Cypress
If you find yourself in such a situation where your keys stick, you will find that it might be a mechanical issue with your keyboard and your shift key. You may want to replace this to avoid having such problems in the future.
3. When Most Keyboard Keys Stick or Just Won't Cypress
This can happen for various reasons, but it's usually caused by a loose connection between the keyboard's keys and the motherboard. If this happens to your keyboard, it would be wise to replace it immediately before more damage occurs.
4. When Some Keys are Not Recognized
One of the most common symptoms of a shift key not working is only some of the keys being recognized. For instance, when pressing shift + 2 or @ doesn't work, it's probably because the keyboard doesn't remember the right side SHIFT key.
5. The Entire Key Board Doesn't Respond.
It may sometimes happen after you've spilled something over your keyboard or if you've had a drink while using your laptop. The good news is that this can be easily solved by simply cleaning up your keyboard with a damp cloth or using a vacuum cleaner to suck out any dust that may have gotten into the spaces between your keys.
6. The Keyboard Characters Do Not Match
This is another example of the shift key not working problem. When you press the Shift keys, nothing appears on the screen, or the characters that occur do not match what you have typed. For example, when you press capital “A,” a small “a” appears, or there's no output. This indicates that your keyboard keys are not functioning correctly.
1. Run Safe Mode
If the problem only occurs in certain programs, it may be related to software conflict problems (for example: if you encountered it when typing in Word but not in Notepad). Running Safe Mode can help you determine if this is the case. Here is how to:
Step 1: Go to Start and choose Settings.
Step 2: Click Update & security.
Step 3: Click Recovery, then click Restart now under Advanced startup.
Step 4: Click Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Start-up settings, and then Restart.
2. Disable Sticky Key Feature
Sticky keys allow you to press a modifier key (i.e., Ctrl, Alt, Shift) and have it stay active until another key is hit. It is designed for people with physical limitations but can be turned on by mistake when pressing the shift key five times in a row by mistake.
The good thing is that it can be easily turned off, as indicated above. This fix has been known to work for many cases of the Shift key not working.
To disable this feature:
Step 1: Go to the Control Panel
Step 2: Accessibility options
Step 3: Go to the Keyboard tab
Step 4: Make sure the Use Sticky Keys option is unchecked.
3. Check Your Keyboard Drivers
You may find that your shift keys aren't working on your Windows computer due to faulty keyboard drivers installed on your system. Follow these steps to check the drivers.
Step 1: Right-click your PC and open properties
Step 2: Click Device Manager
Step 3: Find keyboards under the device manager.
Step 4: Right-click the standard PS/2 keyboard and then click uninstall the device.
4. Check Your Hardware
If you're having problems with your keyboard, the first thing to do is check your hardware. It's possible that a physical object might be blocking the shift key or that the key is stuck in a pressed-down position. Start by checking around the area of the shift key to see if you can spot anything that might be interfering with its functionality. If this doesn't work, follow this process:
Step 1: Plug off the keyboard's USB from the PC
Step 2: Turn the keyboard upside down gently.
Step 3: Look for any debris or dust inside the hole near the spacebar. Make sure that there is no dust or debris present on your keyboard. If there is any, clean it out and plug in your keyboard again.
5. Check Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center software.
This software allows you to program mouse buttons with certain commands, such as opening specific programs when pressed. The Mouse and Keyboard Center software has similar functions for your keyboard's keys.
In some instances, this program may interfere with particular keys' normal functions when pressed simultaneously with another key or button on your mouse. Try uninstalling this program to see if this solves your problem–you can always reinstall it later if needed.
6. Use the Latest Drivers
The first thing you should do when installing Windows 10 is checked for updates or download the latest drivers for your hardware. This ensures that your hardware is compatible with Windows 10 and will run the best. Suppose you do not have access to newer versions of hardware drivers.
In that case, you will need to use an upgrade assistant tool from Microsoft to update your driver manually before proceeding with the installation.
Wrap Up
It goes without saying that when you are trying to solve a problem with your computer, many things can cause pain and potentially many ways to solve it. Your approach depends on your skill level and how much time and effort you want to commit to solving the issue.
