Not to worry! Your keyboard may just need a simple solution like changing your software settings or cleaning your keys, all of which we can guide you through. Join us as we cover eight different methods that can get your Acer laptop keyboard back to normal! Note: If you have a Dell Laptop, we have a separate guide to unlock a Dell Laptop Keyboard.
Method 1: Restart Your Laptop
If your Acer laptop keyboard is not working on Windows 10, you may just need to let your laptop rest for a while.
1 Method 1: Restart Your Laptop2 Method 2: Change Your Settings3 Method 3: Use the Fn Key4 Method 4: Disable Filter Keys5 Method 5: Update the Keyboard Drivers5.1 Step 1: Check Your Keyboard5.2 Step 2: Remove External Keyboard Drivers5.3 Step 3: Uninstall the Built-In Keyboard Driver5.4 Step 4: Reinstall the Built-In Keyboard Driver6 Method 6: Pinhole Reset7 Method 7: Clean the Keyboard8 Method 8: Tighten Screws9 Conclusion
To fully restart your laptop, you can follow these easy steps:
Shut down your laptop. Disconnect the power cord from your laptop. Remove the laptop battery. You may have to unscrew a panel to do this. Hold down the power button until it no longer lights up. This will drain it of any remaining power. If the laptop is hot, let it cool down to room temperature. Place the battery back in the laptop. If there are screws, be sure to tighten them properly. Plug the power cord back into the laptop. Turn on your laptop.
If your Acer laptop keyboard still doesn’t work, you can log back into your profile using these steps:
Click on the Ease of Access icon in the bottom right of the log-in screen. Choose “On-Screen Keyboard“. Click on the keys with your mouse to type your password.
Method 2: Change Your Settings
The settings of your Acer laptop may be the cause of your keyboard malfunction. To change your settings, you can follow these simple steps:
Right-click on the time section on the Taskbar. Select “Adjust date/time“. Set the correct date and time. Go to System Settings. Select “Time & Language“. Click on “Region”. Change it to the correct region. Click on “Language”. Change it to the correct language.
Method 3: Use the Fn Key
It may be that your Acer laptop keyboard is locked by a function. To use the Fn key to unlock your keyboard, you can follow these steps:
Open the Run application. Type “osk” and click “OK“. This will open the on-screen keyboard. Right-click on your Taskbar. Choose “Show touch keyboard button” from the pop-up menu. Double-click on the new Keyboard icon on your Taskbar. This will open the on-screen keyboard. If your on-screen keyboard doesn’t show the Fn key: Click on the Keyboard Menu in the top left corner. Choose a keyboard format that has the Fn key. Press the Fn key along with the F7 or F8 key. This should unlock your keyboard.
Method 4: Disable Filter Keys
Another possibility is that your Acer laptop keyboard is being affected by the Filter Keys settings. To disable Filter Keys, you can follow these steps:
Click on the Start Menu icon. Click on the Settings gear icon. Go to the Ease of Access section. Navigate to the Keyboard settings. Choose “Make the keyboard easier to use“. Disable the Filter Keys by clicking on the switch.
Method 5: Update the Keyboard Drivers
If the problem isn’t the settings, then it might be the keyboard drivers on your Acer laptop. To update your keyboard drivers, you need to follow several steps.
Step 1: Check Your Keyboard
Restart your laptop. As it starts up, press the F2 key. This will open the BIOS menu. If you are able to navigate the BIOS menu, then the software is most likely the problem. Continue to the next step.
Step 2: Remove External Keyboard Drivers
Right-click the Windows button. Open the Device Manager. Click the arrow in front of “Keyboards“. This will expand the menu. If you have any external keyboards: Find the driver for each external keyboard. Right-click on each driver. Click on “Uninstall device“. Restart your laptop. Your built-in keyboard should now work. If it doesn’t, continue to the next step.
Step 3: Uninstall the Built-In Keyboard Driver
Open the Device Manager again. Find the driver for the built-in keyboard. Right-click on the driver. Click on “Uninstall device.” Restart your laptop. The keyboard driver should be automatically reinstalled by Windows. If it isn’t, continue to the next step.
Step 4: Reinstall the Built-In Keyboard Driver
Right-click “Keyboards“. Choose “Scan for hardware changes“. Continue the process until Windows is done reinstalling the built-in keyboard. Restart your laptop.
Method 6: Pinhole Reset
Depending your laptop model, you may be able to use the pinhole reset to fix your Acer laptop keyboard. To use the pinhole reset, you can follow these steps:
Try to see if your laptop model comes with a pinhole reset button. The pinhole reset button is typically on the bottom of your laptop. It may have an icon or picture of a battery with a cradle. If you find the pinhole reset button: Press the button. Hold it for at least 5 seconds. This will reset the internal battery.
Method 7: Clean the Keyboard
If all of the software solutions don’t work, your Acer laptop might have a mechanical problem. To clean your keyboard, you can follow these steps:
Look under your keys and try to see if there is any stuck debris. If you see debris: Shut down your laptop. Turn your laptop so that you can easily scrape out the dirt. Use a tweezer or brush to gently clean under your keys.
Method 8: Tighten Screws
Finally, if nothing else works, you may have to dive deeper into the hardware of your Acer laptop. To tighten the screws on your laptop, you can follow these steps:
Shut down your laptop. Turn it over. Unscrew the cover. Tighten any loose screws on the inside of your laptop. Screw the cover back on. Turn on your laptop.
If your keyboard is still malfunctioning, you should try to contact Acer support. We also have a related article, on how to take a screenshot with your Acer Laptop.
Conclusion
It can be alarming when your laptop keyboard suddenly stops working, but fixing it can be quite doable, even if you have no professional experience. Whether the solution was changing your settings or using the pinhole reset, we hope that this article helped you!
