Keyboard and mouse not working after update

Question

Keyboard and mouse not working after update

Andrew Rainnie 20

I am hoping someone can help my elderly parents (I'm posting on their behalf).

Their home computer, when booted up, is allowing no USB inputs. There is power getting to the mouse and keyboard prior to start-up, but once Windows (10) boots up, the lights on both go out, so although Windows loads successfully, we have no way to use it.

From what I have gathered, they either installed a Windows 10 update or a Norton antivirus update. From reading online, I think it was likely the latter, as I've seen a few people say it can falsely identify USB ports as malicious and stop them.

Fixes I have tried:

Unplugging everything and then plugging back in
Booting in safe mode

I tried selecting 'Return to an earlier save point', however, my dad does not know his Admin password, so most of the repair/cover options are unable to access without this.

My dad has called Norton, but they were about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Wondering if anyone has any quick fixes or guides they can point me to so I can try them the next time I visit them.

Thanks in advance.

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Hi Andrew Rainnie,

That sounds really frustrating, especially for your parents if the PC boots into Windows but neither the keyboard nor mouse works once it loads.

To narrow it down a bit more, could you check a few things the next time you visit them?

Do the keyboard and mouse work in BIOS/UEFI?
Do they work in the Windows Recovery Environment menus?
When you tried Safe Mode, did either device work there?
Are the keyboard and mouse wired, or are they wireless with a USB receiver?
Have you tried them in different USB ports, especially the rear ports if this is a desktop?
Do you know whether the issue started right after a Windows update or after Norton updated?

In the meantime, here are a few things worth trying:

Try different USB ports

If possible, test with a rear USB port on the PC, a USB 2.0 port if the machine has both 2.0 and 3.0 and a basic wired keyboard and mouse, if the current ones are wireless

Check whether the keyboard works in BIOS

Restart the PC and enter BIOS/UEFI.

Check input in Windows Recovery

If you can get into Advanced Startup / Recovery, see whether the keyboard works there.
If it does, try Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates
Then test Uninstall latest quality update

Try System Restore if a restore point is available

If there is a restore point from before the problem started, that would be worth testing.
You mentioned the admin password is stopping some repair options, so one thing to confirm is whether your dad is signing in with a Microsoft account or a local account
If it is a Microsoft account, password recovery may be possible from the Microsoft account recovery page.

Disconnect everything non-essential

Before starting Windows, unplug any non-essential USB devices and leave connected only keyboard, mouse and monitor
If there are printers, external drives, USB hubs, or anything else attached, leave those disconnected for now.

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding.

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Andrew Rainnie 20 Reputation points

2026-04-23T13:30:38.1033333+00:00

So yes, both keyboard and mouse work in the recovery screens. However, without the Admin password, we couldn't action most of the options.

When I tried running in Safe mode, windows successfully loaded but none of the usb ports worked. I took my own devices and tested them as well.

It's a bit of a catch 22 without the Admin password.

And yes, tried unplugged and plugging everything and nothing.
Vikki-T 9,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-24T13:47:33.6233333+00:00

Hi Andrew Rainnie,

Thank you for the update, that is really helpful.

The fact that the keyboard and mouse still work in the Recovery Environment helps narrow this down quite a bit, even though I understand the admin password is making the next steps difficult.

Before suggesting the next route, could you please confirm one thing about the admin account on the PC?

Is your dad signing in with a Microsoft account or a local account?

When you say the admin password is not known, is that the password for the Microsoft account or the password for a local administrator account on the PC?

I’m asking because the recovery options are different depending on which type of account it is.

Thank you so much for your cooperation.
Vikki-T 9,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-26T13:50:52.3+00:00

Hi Andrew Rainnie,

Is there any update from you?

If yes, please feel free to let us know.