Find the cause step by step
- Click the box above and press each key. Note the ones that don’t show up.
- Mechanical or gaming keyboard: press several keys together (for example W, A, S, D and Space). All of them should show up.
- Wireless keyboard: fresh batteries or a full charge, the receiver close to the computer and, for Bluetooth, paired before the test.
- MacBook: open this page in Safari or Chrome. Command, Option and Control show up; Fn doesn’t.
- To tell if it’s hardware: on a laptop, test in the BIOS at startup (F2, Del or F1, depending on the brand). If a key fails there too, it’s the keyboard.
Symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop or USB keyboard | The test box above | Note the missing keys |
| Mechanical or gaming | Several keys together | All should show up |
| Wireless or Bluetooth | Battery or charge, and pairing first | Same test |
| MacBook | Safari or Chrome | Fn never shows up on websites |
| No computer | A phone with an OTG adapter | See our page on testing without a PC |
Related questions
How do I test a mechanical keyboard switch with a multimeter?
With the multimeter in continuity mode (beep), touch the switch’s two pins and press the key: it should beep only while the key is pressed. If it doesn’t beep, the switch is bad.
Can I test a laptop keyboard with a multimeter?
Only by opening the laptop: the keyboard is a membrane connected by a ribbon cable, and the test is continuity on the traces, a job for a repair shop. Before that, the test above and the BIOS test already tell you if it’s hardware.
How do I test the keyboard in the BIOS?
At startup, press your brand’s setup key (F2, Del, F1 or Esc) and use the arrows and Enter to move around. If the keys work there, the keyboard is fine and the problem is Windows.
Is the online test safe? Does it record what I type?
The test runs only in your browser and sends nothing. Even so, don’t type passwords into any test site.
How do I test keyboard latency or polling rate?
This page shows which keys register, not their timing. For latency and polling rate, use the keyboard maker’s software or a dedicated polling-rate tester, with the keyboard plugged straight into the PC.
More problems: keyboard test
- A key on your laptop not working: how to test and fix it
- Laptop keyboard not working: what to do first
- Keyboard typing by itself: how to fix it
- Keyboard typing numbers instead of letters: how to fix it
- Keyboard typing wrong characters: @ and " swapped, # turned into £
- Keyboard typing double letters: how to fix it
- Keyboard locked: how to unlock it
- Mechanical keyboard key not working: how to fix it
- USB keyboard not working on your PC: how to fix it
- How to test a keyboard without a computer: use your phone
Updated November 12, 2026.