How to turn on the keyboard on a laptop - causes of problems and solutions

12/23/2016 windows | for beginners | laptops | programs

This instruction details several ways to disable the keyboard on a laptop or computer running Windows 10, 8 or Windows 7. This can be done either using system tools or using third-party free programs, both options will be discussed below.

I’ll answer the question right away: why might this be needed? The most likely scenario when you may need to completely disable the keyboard is when your child is watching a cartoon or other video, although I do not rule out other options. See also: How to disable the touchpad on a laptop.

How to disable individual keys?

Sometimes it is necessary to “disable” not the entire keyboard, but only individual buttons. How to do it? Let's look at a couple of options:

• You need to disable the number keys on the right side of the keyboard. It's simple. Press and hold the Fn and NUM LOCK buttons. On some devices, you only need to press the second key. Sometimes you can disable the numeric part of the keyboard using the “Fn+F11” combination.
• Sometimes you need to disable hotkeys. To do this, press the combination “Win ​​+ R”. In the window, enter “gpedit.msc”. Then click OK. Go through the menu tree to “User Configuration”. Next we need the “Administrative Templates” subsection. In it, click on “Windows Components”. Next, look for “Windows Explorer”. On the right we find “Disable Windows key combinations + X”, click on it 2 times. In the window that opens, check the “Enable” box. Click OK and reboot the laptop.

Windows Tools

Standard Windows tools allow you to make keys in the shortest possible time. The user must carry out diagnostics. If we consider the priority ways to turn on the equipment, turn on the BIOS.

You can test the numeric keypad by using hotkeys. The BIOS entrance can be hidden behind “Del”, “F9”. While in the system, it is important to place your fingers on the numeric keypad and try out the down, up, and side arrows. If a laptop is recalled, then the problem lies in the operating system.

Dispatcher

If you are wondering how to enable the keyboard on an HP laptop, you should take a closer look at Device Manager.

Launch options:

• Computer properties;
• The combination Win + R.

Laptop owners are interested in how to enable the digital layout. However, not everyone knows how to find computer properties. If the Windows operating system is installed on it, you need to select the button on the desktop. When the “my computer” icon appears, you should call up the content menu. Now it’s clear how to find settings on a laptop, but it happens differently.

If there is no icon on the desktop, you should follow a different scenario:

• Calling a conductor;
• Go to the left control panel;
• Search for the “my computer” icon;
• Call the dispatcher.

In order not to agonize over the question of how to connect an input device for a long time, it is easier to select the combination Win + R. A small window appears and the text devmgmt.msc is inserted in the active field.

The keyboard appears below the audio devices on the screen. The following positions are visible at the top of the screen:

• File;
• Action;
• View;
• Reference.

To get to the desired device, you need to expand the position. To do this, it is important to click on the “arrow to the right” icon.

By calling the contact menu, the following options appear:

• Update;
• Delete;
• Configuration;
• Properties.

The properties display not only the driver, but also general information. You can immediately know the manufacturer and location details. If the equipment is operating normally, the text “active state” appears. Information about the latest changes is read by events. The owner of the equipment, first of all, should be interested in information about driver installation. Perhaps the latest version was superfluous. In this case, a rollback occurs and you can forget about the difficulties.

Instructions:

1. Properties.
2. Driver tab.
3. "Update" button.

Command line

Where to find the command line on a laptop, how to enable the keyboard? To do this, it’s easier to go to Start and then enter the command rundll32 keyboard, disable. This translates from English as disabling the data input device. To understand on a laptop how to re-enable the keys, there is the rundll32 keyboard, enable option. The text must be re-inserted into the command line and then you can activate the data input device again.

Group policies

It happens that the keyboard on the laptop does not print. The problem can be solved by rebooting. Group Policy is applicable for this.

Instructions using the example of an Acer laptop with the Windows 10 operating system:

1. Login to start.
2. Execute command.
3. System Explorer.
4. PowerShell command.
5. Management console.
6. Group editor.

If the keyboard on your laptop is disabled, you need to find the equipment and reboot.

Third party programs

Disabling and enabling the keyboard on an Asus or Lenovo laptop can be done through third-party programs. The best deal is Toddler Keys.

IMPORTANT! After downloading the utility, all you have to do is go to the menu.

If you are interested in how to connect equipment, you should first read the help. The keys are disabled using the Lock Keyboard (disable) option.

The official website of the developer company contains information about language and interface support. The product is free; a Russian version of the utility is available in 2020. The size on the disk is 500 KB.

INTERESTING! ATNSOFT Key Manager is another tool for managing equipment. It is most often used to assign hotkeys, but its advantages do not stop there. When you start the program, the version, file request and help are displayed.

Functions:

• Equipment selection;
• Language;
• Settings;
• User.

When you go to the settings window, data about the current status is displayed. It is possible to clarify information about delays or lags. The user independently conducts the test and is able to control the process. To reboot the equipment, you should select the “off” icon. After this, the laptop needs to be rebooted.

IMPORTANT The program will start automatically. By going back to the settings, you can turn on the device again.

Keyboard Maniac is a program that allows you to check the status of your keyboard. It happens that only some buttons stick. Like ATNSOFT Key Manager, it is possible to assign hot keys. Some users call Keyboard Maniac a manager; it provides access to advanced features.

It is easy to change the functions on the keyboard as well as the interface. This is a convenient tool for checking equipment if it has stopped responding to signals. Keyboard Maniac will immediately show a notification when the problem is not with the system. The last update was released in 2007, but the version is current.

Pros:

• For free;
• Simple interface;
• Open source;
• No viruses;
• Supports many systems.

Key Remapper is included in the list of universal programs. The tool works on laptops from different manufacturers. There are options not only for disabling, assigning buttons, but also changing the backlight. Users check the equipment and receive detailed help.

Pros:

• Fast work;
• Creating a profile;
• Russian interface.

When the user is in a menu, all that remains is to select an option. When working in the main profile, all tabs are open. By hovering the cursor over the device, a window for blocking, emulation, and more appears.

Shutdown due to viruses

All of the methods described above work in both directions, allowing you to both turn off and turn on the keyboard. If the device is blocked without your participation, and nothing helps to activate it, a banner appears on the screen asking you to deposit money - the PC is infected with viruses. How to connect the keyboard after a virus attack to the computer:

1. Download the Windows Unlocker utility from Kaspersky.
2. Write it to a flash drive or CD.
3. Insert the prepared drive into the laptop and reboot, selecting start from USB or CD in the boot menu.
4. Click on any button, set the language and launch the graphical interface.

5. The shell is similar to the Windows desktop. The main menu is located in the place of “Start”, select “Terminal” in it.
6. In the box, enter WindowsUnlocker and click enter.
7. Enter 1 to start scanning.

When finished, select 0 to exit and reboot.

Using Device Manager

Quite a radical method that can scare away not the most experienced users. The operation is performed through Device Manager, where you will need to do the following:

• Expand the "Keyboards" tab.
• Right-click on the equipment name.
• Click the "Delete" button.

• Hover your mouse over the “Action” tab and click LMB.
• Update your hardware configuration.

Such an operation will block not just the key combination on the control element, but the entire built-in keyboard. To return to the original settings, you will have to manually download the drivers from the official website of the developer. That is why computer owners rarely use this method, choosing Kid Key Lock or other built-in system tools as an alternative.

How to check the keyboard for functionality

Device failure may be due to software (not a physical reason) or failure of some part of the computer (hardware reason). There is an easy way to find out the nature of the problem on your laptop. You need to turn on the computer and immediately enter the BIOS when booting. If the buttons inside this environment respond to pressing, then the problem is in the software. In this case, you can do the following:

• run a virus scan;
• run a system restore from a checkpoint when the keyboard was working correctly;
• completely remove or roll back the drivers for the keyboard.

If there is no response when going to the BIOS, then the problem needs to be looked for with the hardware (flex cable, motherboard, etc.). If there is no response from individual buttons, you need to check the device for contamination. Pieces of food, accumulated dirt, and foreign objects can cause the device to not work properly. A can of compressed air is well suited for cleaning; it will help to thoroughly blow out the keyboard on your laptop. You can take it to the service center so that specialists can independently

Causes of problems

There is no dependence between the brand, computer model and a specific breakdown. Every laptop can suffer from hardware or software problems. Any device can break down, often due to careless handling of the gadget, but other situations may arise that lead to a malfunction. Common options for turning off keybord are:

1. Software glitch. The operating system receives an error from the device driver and “does not understand” how to work with it. As a rule, re-installing the driver or rolling back to a system restore point when it worked correctly helps to turn the keyboard back on.
2. Spilled liquid. People often eat in front of a computer screen (working or watching something). If you accidentally spill coffee or tea (especially sweet), then in 90% of cases the device breaks down and the buttons get stuck. It may not appear immediately, but after 2-3 days (until oxidation of the contacts inside the laptop begins).
3. Problems with the cable. Due to humidity, liquid ingress or unsuccessful repairs, the contacts may oxidize; the technician unsuccessfully connected the keyboard to the motherboard. This leads to partial or complete inoperability of the keyboard. You can try to disassemble and diagnose the loop, but it is better not to do this without experience.

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Standard means

To disable the keyboard on a laptop running Windows 7, 8 or 10, regardless of its manufacturer (Asus, Lenovo, HP, Samsung, Acer or Sony vaio), you can use the following method:

1. Click “Start – Control Panel (in the top menu “View”, check the box “Display large icons”) – Device Manager.”

2. We look for the keyboard - right-click - Properties.

3. Next, go to the “Details” section, open the list and select “Hardware ID”.

4. Copy the value.
5. Press the combination “Windows + R” and enter the phrase gpedit.msc

6. Next, go to: Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/Device Installation/Device Installation Restrictions.
7. In the section on the right, go to the settings of the item “We prohibit the installation of devices with the specified codes", by double-clicking with the left mouse.

8. Set the option "Turn on" and click on the button "Show", in the window that appears, paste the keyboard code that we copied earlier and click "OK".

9. Also in the main window, be sure to
10. Next “Apply” and “OK”, the window will close and all settings will be applied only after the netbook is rebooted.

The method only works on Windows OS (professional or ultimate). In order for it to start working on other versions (Home, Basic or Starter), you must first install the Group Policy Editor.

Hardware failure

If water gets on the keyboard, or the laptop is subjected to mechanical stress, you should contact service. But you can try to determine the extent of damage to the laptop yourself. Check if the USB ports, network cable connector, and touchpad are working. If these components are also inactive, then the cause of the problem is the failure of the south bridge of the system board.

If one keyboard does not work, try to disassemble the laptop yourself (provided that the warranty has already expired) and check the cable. Before opening the case, it is recommended that you read the disassembly manual for your model to avoid damaging fragile components.

On many laptops, the keyboard is held in place by latches recessed into the case. You can move them away using a screwdriver. You should start from the left edge. Lift the edge of the keyboard with a screwdriver, pry the blade with a needle, or gently pull the Esc key.

In this way, release the entire upper part of the keyboard so that you can remove the panel from the case. You will see that the input device is connected to the motherboard using a ribbon cable. To remove it, you need to rotate the frame (there may be a different type of fastening, read the manual for your model).

Clean the contacts, and then install the cable in place, securing it securely with the latch. If the keyboard or cable is damaged, you can replace it yourself.

Disabling the keyboard of a laptop or computer using OS tools

Perhaps the best way to temporarily disable the keyboard in Windows is to use Device Manager. You don't need any third-party programs, it's relatively simple and completely safe.

You will need to follow these simple steps to disable this method.

1. Go to Device Manager. In Windows 10 and 8, this can be done through the right-click menu on the Start button. In Windows 7 (as well as in other versions), you can press the Win+R keys on your keyboard (or Start - Run) and enter devmgmt.msc

2. In the Keyboards section of Device Manager, right-click your keyboard and select Disable. If this item is missing, then use “Delete”.

3. Confirm to disable the keyboard.

Ready. Now the device manager can be closed, and your computer's keyboard will be disabled, i.e. Not a single key will work on it (although the on and off buttons on the laptop may continue to work).

In the future, to enable the keyboard again, you can go to the device manager in the same way, right-click on the disabled keyboard and select “Enable”. If you used to remove the keyboard, then in order for it to be installed again, in the device manager menu, select Action - Update hardware configuration.

Usually, this method is sufficient, but there may be cases when it is not suitable or the user simply prefers to use a third-party program to quickly enable or disable it.

How to turn off vibration on your Android keyboard

Smartphone users often encounter unwanted vibration.

To get rid of this habit on the Android platform:

• Step 1: Go to the start menu and open the “Language and input”
• Step 2 . To get rid of the keyboard, you need to go to the virtual keyboard

• Step 3. Next should open a complete list of existing keyboards

• Step 4. Once the appropriate option is selected, you need to go to the settings section

• Step 5. In the settings, you can uncheck vibration.

The method differs in that there is no need to use additional programs and utilities.

Enabling the virtual keyboard

If you were unable to turn on the keyboard or connect an additional one, you can use an alternative option - a virtual input device. This function exists in the operating version with the release of XP, it is also present in later builds. You can enable the virtual keyboard in the following way:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Go to the "All Programs" tab.
3. Find the Accessibility folder and open On-Screen Keyboard.
4. If you need an additional section on the right with numbers, then you need to click on “Options” and turn on the numeric keypad.

Via Command Line

The final method to turn off your laptop keyboard. To implement it you will need:

• Launch Command Prompt using the Start menu interface.

• Enter the query “rundll32 keyboard, disable”.
• Press the “Enter” key.

The consequences of this method are the same as the previous method, where Device Manager was involved. However, to reactivate the keyboard you do not have to manually download and install drivers. You just need to enter the request “rundll32 keyboard, enable” in the Command Line, which will reactivate the control.