How to test your keyboard
- Click on the keyboard picture so it has focus. The status will say it's ready.
- Press each key in turn. It glows bright green while held and stays dark green once tested, so you can see at a glance which keys you've covered.
- A key that doesn't light up isn't sending anything to the computer. Try it a few times, then see the tips below.
- Choose UK layout or US layout to match your keyboard. UK keyboards have the taller Enter key, a # key beside it and an extra \ key next to the left Shift.
While the tester has focus, keys like Space, Tab, Backspace and the arrows won't scroll or navigate the page, so you can test them safely. Press Esc twice quickly to give control back to the page.
Checking rollover and ghosting
Hold down several keys at once (for example W, A, S, D and Space, as you might in a game) and watch Held right now. Many office keyboards can only report a few keys at the same time, and some combinations go missing; this is called ghosting. Gaming keyboards often support "n-key rollover", where every key is registered however many you hold. The Most held at once figure shows the best your keyboard managed during the test.
A key isn't working: what to try
- Clean it. Crumbs and dust are the most common cause. Turn the keyboard upside down and tap it, then use compressed air between the keys.
- Check the connection. Try another USB port, or replace the batteries and re-pair a wireless keyboard.
- Check the layout. If a key lights up but types the wrong character, your system's keyboard language doesn't match the physical keyboard (for example a UK keyboard set to US English).
- Sticking keys. A key that stays lit after you let go may be physically stuck. Press it firmly a few times or gently lift the keycap and clean underneath.
Keys we can't see
Some keys never reach the browser: the Fn key is handled inside the keyboard, and the system catches shortcuts like the Windows key, Alt+Tab or Cmd+Tab before any web page can. Media keys and Print Screen may also be taken by the system. That doesn't mean they're broken; test them by using them normally.