Explaining how to resolve when keyboard input is not possible on Windows 10 and 11

This time, we will explain cases where keyboard input is not possible or strange on a Windows 10 computer.

If you are unable to enter data from your computer's keyboard, the following may be the cause:

• Impact of IME settings
• Effect of lock key
• Device driver failure
• Problems with the keyboard itself, etc.

In this article, we will explain how to resolve the issue when the keyboard cannot be input due to the above reasons.
We also explain cases where you cannot enter characters in Excel, so please use this as a reference.

If you can't enter keyboard input on a Windows 10 computer or something is wrong

We will explain the strange cases where you cannot input from the keyboard on a Windows 10 computer.

In this article, we will explain the solutions for each symptom of not being able to input from the keyboard, so please use it as a reference.

• If you cannot enter text in the part you want to enter and it is displayed in the upper left
• If you can't enter numbers
• If characters are overwritten
• If the keyboard doesn't respond
• If the alphabet becomes uppercase

There are various reasons why you can't type on the keyboard or something is strange, so we recommend trying solutions based on the symptoms that apply to you.

If you cannot enter text in the part you want to enter and it is displayed in the upper left

If you are unable to enter text in the area you want to enter, and an entry field appears in the upper left corner and you are prompted to enter text, the following may be the cause:

• Unable to select text input field
• Exceeds character limit
• Entering Japanese in an alphanumeric input field, etc.

Even if you intend to select the text input field, you may move the mouse just before inputting and end up selecting another location.
In this case, the problem may be resolved by erasing the characters displayed in the upper left using the "backspace" key, then selecting and entering the correct input field.

Also, this problem can also occur if you enter more characters than the limit in a form that has a character limit, or if you enter in an alphanumeric input field, so please check this.

If the symptoms do not improve even after reviewing the above, the IME update may be causing the issue.
In this case, please follow the steps below to configure the settings to use the previous version of IME.

[Settings to use previous version of IME]

1. Right-click on the option labeled "A" or "A" on the taskbar.
2. Select "Settings".
3. Select "General".
4. Under "Compatibility", turn on "Use previous versions of Microsoft IME".

If you can't enter numbers

If you can't enter numbers on a Windows 10 computer, the ``numlock'' key may be the problem.

If the "numlock" key is enabled, you will not be able to enter numbers on the numeric keypad.
Therefore, in such a case, you will be able to enter numbers by pressing the "numlock" key again.

If characters are overwritten

If you are typing on a Windows 10 computer and characters are overwritten, the "insert" key may be the cause.

When you place the cursor between characters and type, normally the characters you originally entered will remain after the characters you entered. However, if the "insert" key is pressed, the entered characters will overwrite the original characters, so in this case, pressing the "insert" key again will correct the problem.

If the keyboard doesn't respond

If the keyboard does not respond on a Windows 10 computer, the device driver may be the cause.

If there is a problem with the device driver, the keyboard may become unresponsive or behave strangely.
If this happens, try reinstalling or updating the device driver by following the steps below.

[How to reinstall/update the device driver]

1. Right-click on "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Device Manager".
3. Select "Keyboard".
4. Right-click the appropriate driver.
5. Select "Remove" or "Update Driver Software".
6. If you delete it, the driver will be automatically reinstalled when you restart your computer.

If you don't have another keyboard, and the keyboard doesn't respond at all, but you still need to perform an operation, try calling up the on-screen keyboard.

[How to call the on-screen keyboard]

1. Type "on-screen keyboard" in the search box on the taskbar.
2. Select "On-screen keyboard".

Other possible causes of the keyboard not working include a dead keyboard battery or a poor connection. There is a possibility of a malfunction, but first check to see if the keyboard is connected properly.

If the alphabet becomes uppercase

If the alphabet you enter on your Windows 10 computer becomes uppercase, the "caps lock" key may be the cause.

If the "caps lock" key is enabled, the letters you enter will be capitalized.
In this case, press the "Shift" key and "Caps Lock" key at the same time to release it.

If you enter 2 characters when typing on a Windows 10 computer

If two characters are entered in a row on a Windows 10 computer, the following may be the cause:

• Continuous input speed may be fast
• temporary glitch
• Keyboard driver problem

If this problem suddenly occurs, please try restarting your computer. If it's a temporary glitch, restarting may fix the problem.

If you are experiencing problems such as two characters always being entered, the continuous input speed may be fast, so please try changing the settings using the steps below.

[How to set continuous input speed]

1. Type "control panel" in the search box on the taskbar.
2. Select "Control Panel".
3. Set "Display by" in the upper right corner to "Large icons".
4. Select "Keyboard".
5. Slide and change "Speed to display" and "Display interval".
6. Test your display speed in the box at the bottom of the menu.
7. Select OK when you reach your desired input speed.

Also, if you are still having problems such as characters being entered continuously, you may want to consider updating or reinstalling your keyboard driver.
→If the keyboard doesn't respond

If the keyboard cannot be typed on a Windows 10 computer or is locked

If you cannot type on the keyboard on your Windows 10 computer or the keyboard is locked, the following may be the cause:

• Filter keys may be enabled
• "caps lock" and "numlock" are enabled

By pressing the "Shift" key for 8 seconds, a filter key is set and the keyboard may become unusable.

Filter keys are an accessibility feature that prevents erroneous operations such as unintentionally pressing the keyboard repeatedly due to shaking etc.
However, if this feature is enabled when it is not needed, consecutive keyboard operations may be ignored.

If you want to cancel the filter key function, press and hold the "Shift" key again for 8 seconds and select "Yes" when the confirmation message appears.

Also, if you cannot type on the keyboard or it is strange, "caps lock" or "numlock" may be enabled. In such cases, please refer to the following items.
→If you can't enter numbers
→If the alphabet becomes uppercase

If you suddenly become unable to enter Romaji on your Windows 10 computer

If you suddenly become unable to input Romaji on a Windows 10 computer, the following may be the cause.

• temporary glitch
• Input method settings are affected

If you are unable to enter Romaji due to a temporary problem, restarting your computer may resolve the issue.

Also, you may not be able to input Romaji due to the input method. If it is set to "Kana input", the characters written on the surface of the keyboard will be entered instead of Romaji, so change the settings.
You can switch input by pressing the "Alt" key + "Katakana/Hiragana/Romaji" key.

If you cannot enter keyboard input on a Windows 11 computer

If you are unable to enter keyboard input after switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11, the device driver may be the problem.

In this case, please refer to the items below and try updating or reinstalling the device driver.
→If the keyboard doesn't respond

In other cases, changing to an earlier version's IME settings may resolve the issue.
→If you cannot enter text in the part you want to enter and it is displayed in the upper left

If your laptop keyboard is partially unresponsive

If your laptop's keyboard is partially unresponsive, the following methods may resolve the issue.

• Cancel mouse key function
• clean the keyboard
• Run hardware diagnostics

The mouse key function is a function that allows you to use the numeric keypad etc. to move the pointer instead of the mouse. Therefore, if the Mouse Keys feature is enabled, the numeric keypad will not be available.
In this case, either disable the mouse key function or enter numbers using something other than the numeric keypad.

[How to cancel the mouse key function]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Settings (gear mark)".
3. Select "Easy to use".
4. Select "Mouse".
5. Turn off "Mouse Keys".

In addition, the keyboard may malfunction due to dust or dirt that has entered the keyboard. In this case, remove the dust using air duster.

If the above solution does not resolve the issue, please check if there are any problems with parts or peripherals using the hardware diagnostics provided by each manufacturer.

If you suddenly become unable to enter characters in Excel

If you are using Excel and cannot enter text, please refer to the following items for each symptom.

• If you cannot input Japanese
• If the number becomes "###"
• If you cannot enter text inside the shape

In Excel, there may be cases where you cannot enter text or it feels strange due to cell settings.

If you are unable to enter characters not only in Excel but also in other applications or browsers, please refer to the other items in this article and try the solutions.

If you cannot input Japanese

If you cannot enter Japanese into an Excel cell, the problem may be with the cell's input rules.

If Japanese input is set to "Disable" or "Half-width/Full-width alphanumeric characters" in the input rule settings, Japanese input will not be possible.
Check the input rules using the method below, and if necessary, try changing the settings to "No Control".

[How to check the Japanese input settings of input rules]

1. Select the "Data" tab on the Excel screen.
2. Select Data Validation Rules.
3. Select the "Japanese input" tab.
4. Change from the dropdown to "No control".

The initial cell input rule is "No control".
Therefore, in the case of an Excel workbook created by someone else, Japanese input may be intentionally restricted. In such cases, we recommend that you check with the book creator to see if you can change the settings.

If the number becomes "###"

If the number entered in an Excel cell becomes "###", the following may be the cause.

• Can't fit numbers into cell
• Impact of calculation results

If you enter a number that exceeds the column width of the cell, the number may not be displayed completely and may be displayed as "###".
In this case, increase the column width or change the settings so that the entire page can be displayed.

[Setting to display all letters and numbers in a cell]

1. Right-click the relevant cell.
2. Select Format Cells.
3. Select the Placement tab.
4. Select "Zoom out to see full size".

Also, the number may be displayed as "###" due to the calculation results.
For example, dates are one of them. Since there are no negative numbers in dates, if a negative result is obtained in the calculation, it will be displayed as "###".

If you cannot enter text inside the shape

If you cannot enter text into a shape inserted in Excel, etc., the text color may be white instead of black.
If the text color is the same as the background color, it will be blended in and cannot be seen with the naked eye.

In this case, change the text color and try entering the text again.

Summary of explanations on how to solve when keyboard input cannot be performed on Windows 10 and 11

This time, we have explained how to solve the problem when the keyboard cannot input on a Windows 10 or 11 computer.

Reasons for not being able to input from the keyboard include a malfunction of the keyboard itself, as well as factors such as the driver and settings.
Even if the keyboard becomes completely unusable, you can still input data by connecting another USB keyboard or activating the on-screen keyboard, so don't worry.

In addition, the following article explains how to solve problems when keyboard input is incorrect, so please refer to it if you like.

Solutions for when characters are input incorrectly or cannot be converted using the Windows 10 keyboard