Find the cause step by step
- Press the key in the box above and note whether it shows up.
- Hot-swap: pull the switch with the puller and check its two metal pins. A bent pin misses the socket: straighten it with tweezers and push it in straight.
- Swap the switch with one that works and test again to see whether the fault is the switch or the socket.
- Open the keyboard’s software (the maker’s app or VIA) and check that the key wasn’t remapped or disabled; if possible, restore defaults.
Symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Stopped after swapping the switch | A bent pin or the switch not in the socket | Straighten the pin and push it in straight |
| The fault moves with the switch | Faulty switch | Replace the switch |
| The fault stays in the same spot | Loose socket or solder joint | Resolder the socket or the switch |
| The key does something else | Remapped in the software | Restore defaults in the app |
Related questions
How do I know if my keyboard is hot-swap?
The product page or box usually says “hot-swap”. If the switch comes out with the puller, without desoldering, it is hot-swap.
Can I mix switches from different brands?
Usually yes, if they share the same format (the most common is MX-style, 3 or 5 pins). Check that the board accepts 5-pin switches.
Does cleaning with alcohol fix a key that misses presses?
Sometimes. A little contact cleaner or isopropyl alcohol in the switch and pressing it many times can clear dirt off the contact. If it doesn’t come back, replace the switch.
I replaced the switch and the key still doesn’t work. Now what?
Then the switch isn’t the problem. Move that switch to another position to confirm it works, check whether a pin bent when you pushed it in and whether the socket is loose. If not even a new switch works there, it’s the socket, the solder or the PCB.
A key works only sometimes. Why?
A dirty or worn switch, or a socket that barely holds the pins. Test the key many times above, then reseat or replace the switch.
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
- 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.