Keyboard not working correctly in Visual Studio 2022

Chris Davies 80

Running VS2022 17.7.4. Frequently only alpha numeric keys work. All function keys, backspace etc not working. Keyboard works fine in all other programs. Reset Key mapping has no effect.

Kenneth Vasilik 10 Reputation points

2023-10-19T18:01:18.0266667+00:00

I also get this problem. Spontaneously, keystrokes in the editor stop working. It's not that the keystrokes are thrown away entirely, but it seems like a modifier is stuck on that I can't unstick, like ctrl or shift, perhaps. I can fix this by shutting down that instance of VS and bringing it back up again. But, the problem usually comes back in an hour or so. I just had it happen three times in 5 minutes. Very frustrating. I have the latest VS update. All other apps seem just fine. It's just VS.
Hervé 0 Reputation points

2023-11-30T12:14:48.76+00:00

Hello,

I have the same problem, did you solved your problem ?

I also read that the problem can be caused by an extension.

I have the impression that this happens more often after stopping a debug session.
Sven DEVRIESE 5 Reputation points

2023-12-22T08:18:12.3533333+00:00

Same problem here with Visual Studio 2022 (17.8.3)
When it happens it often does after hibernating and waking up again. But not always, it's already happened to me while I'm working during the day. The only thing to do is close VS and start it up again. Happens a couple of times per week.
Gustavo Cantero 0 Reputation points

2024-01-05T15:18:24.83+00:00

I've the same problem with Visual Studio 2022 (17.8.3).
Is there any workaround for this?
Cade Perkins 0 Reputation points

2024-02-15T15:41:11.2966667+00:00

I also have this issue in Visual Studio 2022, v 17.9.0.
Cade Perkins 0 Reputation points

2024-02-15T15:45:23.2233333+00:00

I just submitted a very simple comment saying it also happens in v 17.9.0, but it was flagged as a violation of Code of Conduct! It was a single basic sentence without expletives.
Stephan O'Farrill 5 Reputation points

2024-02-28T17:12:04.63+00:00

me too! Are you willing to fix this, or is it just OK people keep complaining, like all the other bugs in VS and Windows?
Richard Hay 1,231 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2024-03-01T16:31:49.91+00:00

Cade and Stephan - these were likely just false positives for spam. I have undeleted them.
Knothe, Ralf 1 Reputation point

2024-03-26T13:06:29.2066667+00:00

I think I have the same problem, or at least a similar one. Sometimes all key presses seem to get lost, but actually these happen in a different, non active editor tab. So when I type I sometimes see the asterisk, which indicates unsaved changes, in another tab.

This situations is solved as soon as I switch the tab again.
So my guess would be that when this happens, the view is updated to a new tab, but the old one still has the keyboard focus.
Markus Enberg 6 Reputation points

2024-04-19T06:56:25.7466667+00:00

Same issue here: VS Version 17.9.4.
Ctrl+Tab unlocks the buttons. Note that the alpha characters are working, but not some "special" buttons such as backspace, delete, arrows. My colleague have the same problem. I have further comments: I suspect the issue arise when presing ctrl+tab. It seems like the special characters are sent to the view that the ctrl+tab changed from, and continues changes that view!

5 answers

Kevin Tharp 15 Reputation points

2024-02-15T16:23:35.63+00:00

I kept encountering a version of this issue and finally found that doing a Ctrl-Tab to change editor windows resolved it for my situation. Haven't had a time that this hasn't worked. This was with VS 17.8.4.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

3 people found this answer helpful.
Nick Osinski 0 Reputation points

2024-03-01T16:17:35.8866667+00:00

Thank you this easy solution worked perfecty!

Charles Cal 0 Reputation points

2024-04-11T18:50:05.28+00:00

This seems to be my issue too. Bad look for MSFT
Sign in to comment
Anna Xiu-MSFT 25,796 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-09-25T07:39:42.4366667+00:00
Hi @Chris Davies ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

Please try the following workarounds:

Reset the VS settings by going to Tools > Import and Export settings > Reset all settings.

Repair VS using Visual Studio Installer > More > Repair.

Re-launch the VS2022 and check that it works properly.

Sincerely,

Anna

If the answer is the right solution, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

1 person found this answer helpful.
Chris Davies 80 Reputation points

2023-10-12T09:13:15.85+00:00

I did repair. It started working again. Next day stopped working again.

Anna Xiu-MSFT 25,796 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-10-13T03:28:40.0233333+00:00

Hello, please close all running VS instances and update your VS 2022 to the latest version 17.7.5.

Besides, please try to launch your Visual Studio 2022 in Safe Mode (run devenv /SafeMode in Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022). Then, check that the keyboard works properly.

Max Borrmann 5 Reputation points

2023-10-20T16:37:44.0666667+00:00

having the same issue with 17.7.5. resetting and repairing did not help

Daniel Casado 0 Reputation points

2023-12-05T13:20:59.7766667+00:00

for me it happen often after waking up my PC from sleep

Dylan Nicholson 1 Reputation point

2024-01-17T23:53:38.4433333+00:00

Relaunching works, but having to do that several times a day is extremely frustrating.

Avi Michael 0 Reputation points

2024-03-08T01:57:25.9233333+00:00

It is still happening as of 8 March 2024, Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 (64-bit) - Current Version 17.8.4

Hervé 0 Reputation points

2024-03-08T07:14:06.4666667+00:00

Did not had the problem since several weeks.

I have changed my keyboard mapping to vs code in the settings.
Sign in to comment
Ruth Amui 0 Reputation points

2024-01-04T07:03:18.4666667+00:00

I've also been struggling for months with this issue. I have tried all the solutions I can find online including the ones listed here without success. I have even uninstalled and reinstalled Visual Studio. Only my F5 key works.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Ruth Amui 0 Reputation points

2024-02-16T07:51:49.4266667+00:00

Absolutely ridiculous. I received a new laptop and installed VS 17.8.4 and I'm having the same issue and a repair has done nothing to resolve the problem. I can only use my function keys by holding down the Fn Key.
Sign in to comment
Kevin Drapel 0 Reputation points

2024-01-12T08:43:55.5+00:00

I am running into the same issue and it has been for a long time in VS2022. Right now, I have the arrow keys that are not working at all. Sometimes the tab is not working too. Only way is to restart VS....
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment
Donny Alumbaugh 0 Reputation points

2024-04-24T13:01:50.01+00:00

This problem started for me after updating to 17.9.6. I've seen the issue with the ctrl and backspace keys.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment