Whether you are typing a word document, working on an excel spreadsheet, or gaming, a keyboard is an essential input device. Keyboards can be connected to a computer using USB, Bluetooth, a dedicated wireless USB dongle, or integrated into the laptop. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, the suggested quick steps might help.
Try each step and check if your keyboard issue is resolved. If the issue is not resolved, proceed to the next step.
Your USB cable Figure 1 or USB wireless receiver Figure 2 may have come loose. Reseating the connector will ensure good data transfer.
Figure 1: USB Cable Connection
Figure 2: USB Wireless Receiver
During normal use of the keyboard, the batteries discharge. This may cause the computer and keyboard to lose connection. Replacing the batteries with new ones will reestablish a strong connection.
See Dell Knowledge Base Article Manuals and Documentation for your Dell Product for details on how to replace the batteries in your Wireless or Bluetooth keyboard.
Restarting the computer clears out the computer memory and resets the connection between the computer and the keyboard.
Check to ensure the keyboard is working correctly after the computer completely finishes booting.
This application ensures your computer has the latest Dell driver updates and checks settings to keep your computer efficient and reliable.
Having the latest Operating System updates installed on your Windows computer keeps it efficient and reliable.
See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article Get the latest Windows update for information on how to get the latest Windows updates on your computer.
Running the keyboard diagnostics ensures that your keyboard and the hardware that supports it is working correctly.
To run the diagnostics, browse to the SupportAssist keyboard hardware test page (the test starts automatically).
If the test fails, contact Dell Technical Support.
If these quick steps did not resolve your issue, we have more detailed information in the Other Resources section. You can also search for content related to the issue using the search bar at the top of this page.