How to fix keyboard not working at login

Question

How to fix keyboard not working at login

Anonymous

Hey all.

I have been having this issue since windows 10 now at windows11 the only way i can get my external and laptop keyboard to work, is to hit spacebar followed by left ctrl+shift+alt + right ctrl+shift+alt before I can type anything. This applies to onscreen keyboard as well as that also does not work at login.

So at login to be able to type I have to press the aforementioned keys to enable all keyboards including onscreen so...

I have disabled password at login and I still have to use the key combinations listed above to enable keyboard under windows before I can type anything.

I tried multiple different keyboards
Uninstalled/reinstalled drivers.
Reinstalled windows
Complete factory reset of laptop

in fact every "fix" that has been suggested on here and across the internet.

This problem has been around since windows 10 and there seems to be no way to remove it. I have spent years looking for a fix to this (and i am not alone) and the only thing I have ever found relating to issue is to use the above key combinations as a workaround.

Once the key combo is pressed all keyboards work fine with no issues.

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Answer 1

Huy-K 10,020 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear @NathanHigginson-5372,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly try these following steps:

Perform a Clean Boot

Press Windows + R > run msconfig
In the System Configuration window > Services tab > Hide all Microsoft services > Disable all.
Go to the Startup tab > Open Task Manager.
In Task Manager, disable all startup items.
Close Task Manager and click OK in System Configuration.
Restart your computer.

Run an In-Place Repair

Download the latest Windows 10/11 ISO from Download Windows 11
Double-click the ISO file to mount it, then run setup.exe.
When prompted, select Download and install updates.
Choose Keep personal files and apps when asked.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair installation.
Your PC will restart several times during the process.

I sincerely hope you understand that the initial steps I suggested may not have completely fixed the issue, as there may still be underlying causes that have not yet been identified. I am here to work closely with you, troubleshoot effectively, and explore every possible solution to ensure the best possible outcome.

If the answer is helpful, 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.

Huy-K 10,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-19T04:36:22.01+00:00

Dear @NathanHigginson-5372,

I hope you are doing well.

I just wanted to check if my previous response addressed your question correctly. If there is anything I may have misunderstood, I would truly appreciate it if you could provide a bit more detail to help me better understand your needs.

Also, if you are stuck on anything or find something unclear, please feel free to reply so I can guide you further.

There is absolutely no rush - please respond whenever it is convenient for you. I am here and ready to support you whenever you need assistance. Your comfort and timing are important, so take all the time you need.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you whenever you are ready.
Anonymous

2026-02-19T06:20:57.35+00:00

Thank you for your I tried both ideas with one minor exception. I made a back up of my drives and then did a complete wipe and clean install using the windows ISO and as soon as it hits the windows environments my keyboards including onscreen will not work until I use the aforementioned keypress.

The keyboards work fine in bios and during startup, they stop working as soon as it starts to open windows 11. I have even tried to go back to windows 10 installation that came with the laptop and the bug still persists.

This all started on my laptop after the forced update to win11 and it has been persistent not just for me but for countless others who have suffered this bug
Anonymous

2026-02-19T06:25:24.2233333+00:00

I forgot to add I have used SFC scannow and dism to check for file issues and all checks came back fine
Huy-K 10,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-20T03:44:19.39+00:00

Dear @NathanHigginson-5372,

Kindly test the keyboard on other devices to check if the issue persists.
Anonymous

2026-02-20T05:17:07.16+00:00

I don't need to as the keyboards are not the issue as this is the only device I have this issue with. I use the keyboards across multiple devices and they are fine and they work fine once I use the windows keyboard and mouse reset shortcut keys I mentioned in my first post. I have also used multiple different keyboards and mice on this device and it happens every time. This is not a device issue it is a windows issue and has never been addressed. There are literally thousands of posts on this site and across the web with this issue and all end up getting abandoned as the focus is on the device not the os!

I have spent literal years scouring the net for a fix for this issue and the only workaround is the aforementioned windows keyboard and mouse rest key combo. This appears to be a bug that mainly affects laptops, not all, but many.

So might as well lock this post as well because clearly this is going no where. I am very tech savvy, build a lot of my own devices, even program software for my mobile, if it was a device issue especially something as simple as a device/driver issue I would have already found a fix.

adding to my previous post I did a total wipe and clean install of windows and on my first boot with no other software installed I could not use external/laptop or onscreen keyboard until I pressed Lshift+Lalt+Lctrl and Rshift+Ralt+Rctrl.
Huy-K 10,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-20T06:45:07.11+00:00
Dear @NathanHigginson-5372,

Kindly try these following steps:

Clean install (all data will be lost)

Please prepare an empty USB drive (at least 8 GB) and a working PC, then follow the steps below:

Go to: Download Windows 11

Under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), select Download tool now.

Run the tool to create a bootable USB drive (or ISO). If available, clear Use the recommended options for this PC so you can manually select the correct language and edition.

Once the installation media is ready:

Insert the USB installation media into the affected PC.

Boot the PC from the USB (you may need to adjust the boot order per your device manufacturer’s instructions).

When Windows Setup starts, choose your language/keyboard settings and proceed.

Select Install Windows 11 and confirm you understand that everything will be deleted.

If prompted for a product key, select I don’t have a product key and continue.

When asked to choose an edition, make sure you select the same edition previously installed (e.g., Windows 11 Home vs. Pro) to avoid activation issues.

Here is a reference: Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support

If the issue persists, kindly raise a feedback via Ideas · Community. The engineering team can review the issue and support it.

As a moderator of the Microsoft Q&A forum, I have limited tools and do not have access to the systems needed to investigate or resolve this issue directly.

Once submitted, it may take some time for the appropriate team to review your application; however, rest assured that your feedback will be reviewed and taken into account.
Huy-K 10,020 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-23T06:17:21.75+00:00

Dear @NathanHigginson-5372,

I hope you are doing well.

I just wanted to check if the in-place update works. If not, please raise a feedback via Ideas · Community as outlined .

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.

Given these limitations, the most appropriate avenue for product changes or feature requests is to submit feedback through the official Microsoft feedback channels.

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How to fix keyboard not working at login

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