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Mechanical keyboards are great. They’re satisfying to type on, offer better response, and are sturdier than membrane ones. But even these robust devices can suddenly stop working, either partially or completely. Here’s what I do when that happens.
1Reconnect the USB Cable or Dongle
If you have a wired keyboard, it’s usually connected to your computer via USB. This also applies if you’re using awireless mechanical keyboardwith a USB dongle. Sometimes, USB ports experience brief power interruptions. When this happens, the device connected to that port may not reinitialize properly, leaving it unresponsive.
This has happened to me more times than I’d like to admit, especially after booting up my PC. My Razer BlackWidow, for instance, sometimes refuses to work. The solution is simple: disconnect the USB and plug it back in. This forces your computer to reinitialize the device.
If that doesn’t work, try a different port. Personally, I skip the first step and switch ports right away—that usually does the trick.
2Reset the Bluetooth Connection
USB ports aren’t in the equation if you’re using a Bluetooth keyboard. Instead, you should reset the Bluetooth connection on both ends.
Start by turning off your keyboard. Then, head to your computer’s Bluetooth settings, remove the keyboard from the list of devices, and turn Bluetooth off and on again. Finally, turn the keyboard back on, set it to pairing mode, and reconnect it to your computer.
Bluetooth devices, especially keyboards and gaming controllers, are notorious for losing connection. The best fix is often to forget the device and pair it again from scratch.
If you encounter a “Try Connecting Your Device” error when pairing, it may be due to an issue with your computer’s Bluetooth. If this happens, refer to our comprehensive guide onresolving the Bluetooth error.
3Reboot Your System
Hardware isn’t the only potential culprit—software plays a big role too. Your operating system uses drivers to communicate with devices like your keyboard, and sometimes these drivers don’t play nice. If a driver hits an error, it might need to be restarted to work properly again.
In addition to drivers, many keyboards come with third-party apps like Logitech G Hub or Razer Synapse. Simply closing and reopening these apps won’t always help, as they have multiple background processes that might not restart cleanly.
The most effective way to reset everything is to reboot your computer, forcing all drivers and applications to restart and hopefully communicate correctly.
4Update or Reconfigure Your Keyboard Software
If the previous steps didn’t solve the issue, it’s time to investigate the software side further. Windows updates are frequent and often make changes that can break device functionality. Hardware developers stay on top of these updates and release firmware patches to keep their devices compatible.
Ensure your drivers and firmware are always up to date to avoid unexpected problems. Also, if you’re using agaming mechanical keyboard, check its extra functionalities like macros or custom keybindings. These can sometimes interfere with normal operation, especially if aspecific key on your keyboard stops working.
For instance, I once had an issue where my “O” key would only register every other press. It turned out my keyboard was stuck in macro recording mode, and the “O” key was bound to pause and resume recording. Disabling macro mode fixed the issue instantly.
5Clean Out the Keyboard
Mechanical keyboards have more key travel than membrane ones, and the keys are perched higher with more space between them. This space can easily accumulate dust, crumbs, and other debris that might interfere with the switches.
Toclean your keyboard, you’ll need to get hands-on. I usually start with a microfiber cloth for the surface, then use cotton swabs to clean around the key switches, and finally, I blast compressed air to dislodge any stubborn debris. Sometimes, you’ll be surprised at how much junk can hide in there.
If none of these solutions work, the problem might be hardware-related. At this point, it might be time to either send the keyboard for professional repair or, if you’re feeling adventurous, break out the screwdrivers and start disassembling it yourself—just be aware that this can be risky.
