Laptop Keyboard Tester.
Check every key on your laptop for dead, stuck, or repeating keys in seconds. Works on Windows, macOS, and Chromebook — no download, nothing uploaded
What to check on a laptop keyboard
- Dead keysPress every key and watch it light up above. A key that stays dark isn't registering — the most common laptop fault, and often the aftermath of a spill or crumbs under the key.
- Sticky or repeating keysHold a key briefly, then release. A runaway repeat, or a key that won't release, points to debris under the cap or a failing membrane. The event logger makes repeats obvious.
- Function row and Fn keysTest F1–F12 and the Fn-layer shortcuts (brightness, volume). Note that some Fn combos are handled by firmware and never reach the browser — that's normal, not a fault.
- Modifiers and arrowsCheck both Shift, Ctrl, Alt, the arrow keys and Space — the keys you lean on most. A stuck modifier is easy to miss but breaks typing everywhere.
- Built-in vs. externalPlug in a USB keyboard and test it too. If the external board works perfectly, the fault is your laptop's keyboard or ribbon cable — not Windows, macOS, or a driver.
Is it the keyboard or the software?
Before you book a repair, isolate the cause. A laptop key that types nothing can be hardware (a dead switch, a loose ribbon cable, spill damage) or software (a stuck accessibility setting, a bad driver, the wrong keyboard layout).
Two quick tests separate them: plug in an external USB keyboard — if it works flawlessly, the built-in board is the problem. And reboot into a login screen or BIOS — if the key misbehaves there too, it's hardware, because the OS isn't loaded yet. Our help & troubleshooting page walks through the full isolation checklist.
Common laptop keyboard problems
Liquid spills are the number-one killer — sugar and salt leave residue that shorts or gums up the membrane, sometimes days later. A loose ribbon cable after a drop or repair makes a whole row or block go dead at once. Wrong layout or Num Lock makes keys type the wrong characters — see the guides on wrong characters and numbers instead of letters. Use the tester above to map exactly which keys fail before deciding whether it's a clean, a cable, or a full keyboard replacement.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my laptop keyboard?
Press every key on the tester above — each key that works lights up and shows its keycode, so any key that stays dark is dead. It works on any laptop with a browser (Windows, macOS, or Chromebook) and needs no download.
Why are some keys on my laptop not working?
Usually it's debris or a spill under the key, a loose keyboard ribbon cable, or a software issue like a stuck Filter Keys setting or the wrong layout. Test with an external USB keyboard: if that works, the fault is your laptop's built-in keyboard rather than the operating system.
How do I know if I need to replace my laptop keyboard?
If the same keys stay dead in the tester after cleaning, and they also fail in BIOS or on an external monitor login screen, the hardware is the problem. A single dead key can sometimes be fixed by reseating the cap; a whole dead row usually means a ribbon cable or full keyboard replacement.
Does this laptop keyboard test work on Mac and Chromebook?
Yes. The tester runs in any modern browser, so it works on MacBooks, Chromebooks, and Windows laptops alike. A few Fn-key shortcuts are intercepted by the hardware and won't appear — that's expected and not a fault.