How to Repair My Non-Functional Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanical keyboards are excellent. They provide a gratifying typing experience, superior responsiveness, and enhanced durability compared to membrane keyboards. However, even these durable gadgets may abruptly cease functioning, either partially or entirely. This is my course of action when such an occurrence transpires.

Image: Shutterstock

Reconnect the USB Cable or Dongle

Image: Shutterstock

If you have a wired keyboard, it’s usually connected to your computer via USB. This also applies if you’re using a wireless mechanical keyboard with 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 compels 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 typically does the thing.

Reset 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. Ultimately, reactivate the keyboard, enable pairing mode, and reestablish the connection 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.

Encountering a "Try Connecting Your Device" error during pairing may indicate a problem with your computer's Bluetooth functionality. If this happens, refer to our comprehensive guide on resolving the Bluetooth error.

Reboot Your System

Hardware isn’t the only potential culprit—software plays a big role too. Your operating system utilizes drivers to interact with devices such as your keyboard, and occasionally these drivers may not function harmoniously. 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 efficient way to reset everything is to reboot your computer, causing all drivers and software to restart and hopefully communicate correctly.

Update 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 a gaming mechanical keyboard, check its extra functionalities like macros or custom keybindings. These may occasionally disrupt regular functionality, particularly if a particular key on your keyboard ceases to operate.

For instance, I once had an issue where my "O" key would only register every other press. My keyboard was inadvertently set to macro recording mode, with the "O" key assigned to pause and resume the recording. Disabling macro mode fixed the issue instantaneously.

Clean Out the Keyboard

Mechanical keyboards feature more key travel than membrane ones, and the keys are positioned higher with more space between them. This space can easily accumulate dust, crumbs, and other debris that might interfere with the switches.

To sanitize your keyboard, direct engagement is required. 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.