Why won't my keyboard work when I power up my laptop?

Hi Nonie, I'm glad it is working fine. Thanks for the solution Elaine.

Hi, I'm Bernard, a fellow Windows user. I'm happy to help!

I understand the issue you have. There is nothing to worry about. I am here to assist. Based on your inputs, it seems that there is an incompatibility with the keyboard driver. Moreover, kindly follow the steps below for us to sort out the issue:

-Press the Windows key + X

-Go to Device Manager

-Expand the Keyboards

-Look for your keyboard drive

-Right-click and click Update Driver

-Select Browse my computer for drivers

-Click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

-Choose an old driver or another driver name, then select it and hit next until it installs.

Note: If the issue persists, please download and install a keyboard driver from your manufacturer's website.

If your keyboard is not working when you power up your laptop, it could be related to a known issue with USB devices in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) or a problem that arose after a Windows update. Here are a couple of potential solutions:

1. Check for Known Issues: Sometimes, issues with keyboard functionality can be linked to recent updates. It's worth checking if there are any known issues related to your version of Windows 11 that might be causing this problem.
2. Registry Modification: If the issue is related to the USB keyboard not being recognized, you might consider modifying the registry. For example, setting the DisableCapiOverrideForRSA registry key value to 0 can temporarily resolve certain USB device issues. However, be cautious when editing the registry, as incorrect changes can lead to system issues.
3. Driver Updates: Since you've mentioned that you've updated the drivers, ensure that you are using the latest drivers compatible with your version of Windows. Sometimes, rolling back to a previous driver version can also resolve issues that arise after an update.
4. Perform a Restart: As you noted that the keyboard works after a restart, this might indicate a temporary glitch that could be resolved with a future update or patch from Microsoft.

If the problem persists, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

References:

• Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications
• Resolved issues in Windows 11, version 24H2