Find the cause step by step
- Press a few keys in the box above. If they show up, the keyboard works and some lock is on.
- Keys only work if you hold them: turn off Filter Keys (or hold the right Shift for 8 seconds again).
- Windows key doesn’t work: on a gaming keyboard, look for game mode or “Win Lock” (often Fn + Windows) and turn it off.
- In Excel the arrows move the sheet: press Scroll Lock (ScrLk) or, if your keyboard doesn’t have it, open the On-Screen Keyboard (osk) and click ScrLk.
Symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You have to hold keys down | Filter Keys | Turn it off under Accessibility › Keyboard |
| Shift, Ctrl or Alt stay “stuck” | Sticky Keys | Turn it off; pressing Shift 5 times toggles it |
| Windows key dead | Gaming keyboard Win Lock | Fn + Windows or the game mode button |
| Arrows scroll the sheet in Excel | Scroll Lock on | Press ScrLk |
| Nothing shows up in the test | A physical or connection problem | See “laptop keyboard not working” |
Where to find it on your device
- Filter Keys and Sticky Keys: Settings › Accessibility › Keyboard.
- On-Screen Keyboard: Windows key › type osk › Enter.
Related questions
Why did my keyboard lock by itself?
Usually a shortcut pressed by accident: holding Shift too long, pressing Shift 5 times or an Fn combination. After turning the lock off, you can disable those shortcuts in the same accessibility settings.
How do I turn off the Filter Keys shortcut?
In Settings › Accessibility › Keyboard › Filter keys, turn off the keyboard shortcut option.
My keyboard only locks in one game. Is it broken?
Probably not. Many gaming keyboards block the Windows key in game mode, and some games capture the keyboard while they are open.
How do I unlock the keyboard on an HP, Dell or Lenovo laptop?
Most models have no brand-specific lock: turn off Filter Keys, check for an Fn shortcut that turns off the keyboard or touchpad and, if nothing works, hold the power button for 15 seconds and start again.
How do I unlock the keyboard on a Mac?
Check System Settings › Accessibility › Keyboard for Slow Keys and Sticky Keys and turn them off. If a MacBook keyboard doesn’t respond at all, shut it down and start it again; if it still fails, try an external keyboard to rule out hardware.
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
- 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
- How to test a keyboard: online, mechanical, wireless, MacBook and BIOS
Updated November 12, 2026.