# Keyboard troubles.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 3, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313 "2019-12-03T14:33:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/1 "2019-12-03T14:33:09Z")
Sometimes the O key on my keyboard doesn’t register. What do I do?
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/2 "2019-12-03T14:52:17Z")
I’m lazy&cheap, so I’d try cleaning the keyboard, removing the “O” key. If that didn’t work, I’d use my “0” in place of “O”.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/3 "2019-12-03T16:32:57Z")
Tell it firmly that if it doesn’t register it doesn’t get to vote.
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/4 "2019-12-03T16:49:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> I’m lazy&cheap, so I’d try cleaning the keyboard, removing the “O” key. If that didn’t work, I’d use my “0” in place of “O”.
How do I remove the O key?
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/5 "2019-12-03T16:57:06Z")
> [@CastletonSnob](#):
>
> How do I remove the O key?
Depends on the keyboard. What type of keys are we talking about here? Is this a laptop or a PC? Are the keys [short and flat](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/cvsy2mxuwmksyca87cjr.jpg), or [raised](http://greatlifeandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/keyboard-1-700x432.jpg)?
Generally, all you need is a flathead screwdriver and just wedge it under the key and pop it off, especially the raised type.
If it’s a Mac, it’s a little more complicated, but basically the same procedure, you just have to be careful about not damaging the “scissor lift” mechanism that Apple uses under each key.
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/6 "2019-12-03T17:05:44Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> Depends on the keyboard. What type of keys are we talking about here? Is this a laptop or a PC? Are the keys [short and flat](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/cvsy2mxuwmksyca87cjr.jpg), or [raised](http://greatlifeandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/keyboard-1-700x432.jpg)?
>
> Generally, all you need is a flathead screwdriver and just wedge it under the key and pop it off, especially the raised type.
>
> If it’s a Mac, it’s a little more complicated, but basically the same procedure, you just have to be careful about not damaging the “scissor lift” mechanism that Apple uses under each key.
PC, and raised.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/7 "2019-12-03T17:21:12Z")
Yeah, those are the easy ones. Just pop it off with a screwdriver. Clean out the area underneath with some compressed air, a Q-tip, or the corner of a clean, dry rag. Replace the key by just pushing down on it until it “clicks.”
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/8 "2019-12-03T17:28:52Z")
Treat yourself to a really nice wireless keyboard and mouse set! Really, you need to spoil yourself at every opportunity.
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/9 "2019-12-03T17:29:36Z")
It’s probably just dirty, then?
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### Author:  [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/10 "2019-12-03T17:31:54Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> Yeah, those are the easy ones. Just pop it off with a screwdriver. Clean out the area underneath with some compressed air, a Q-tip, or the corner of a clean, dry rag. Replace the key by just pushing down on it until it “clicks.”
Instructions unclear. House is on fire.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/11 "2019-12-03T17:33:51Z")
Before you pop off the “O” key, try just banging the keyboard upside down on a hard surface. I’ve “fixed” keyboards by doing that.
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/12 "2019-12-03T19:48:48Z")
Popped off the O key. Didn’t look all that dirty.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/13 "2019-12-03T19:55:24Z")
Castlet0nSn0b it is!
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/14 "2019-12-03T21:32:07Z")
I would _not_ recommend popping the key off as a first step. Some are nearly impossible to get back on or it might just break. This is very poor advice to give to a newbie. _I_ don’t go around popping off keys ever and I’m quite knowledgeable about computer repairs.
Spray air duster under the keys. Test.
Unplug the keyboard, take off the back (6+ screws, be sure to check under labels), pull out the membrane and such. Spray air duster. Check for dried liquids on the membrane and clean those with a slightly damp swab. Reassemble.
And whatever you do, don’t run it through a dishwasher. (Yeah, people suggest this all the time.)
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/15 "2019-12-03T22:13:44Z")
> [@ftg](#):
>
> I would _not_ recommend popping the key off as a first step. Some are nearly impossible to get back on or it might just break. This is very poor advice to give to a newbie. _I_ don’t go around popping off keys ever and I’m quite knowledgeable about computer repairs.
>
> Spray air duster under the keys. Test.
>
> Unplug the keyboard, take off the back (6+ screws, be sure to check under labels), pull out the membrane and such. Spray air duster. Check for dried liquids on the membrane and clean those with a slightly damp swab. Reassemble.
>
> And whatever you do, don’t run it through a dishwasher. (Yeah, people suggest this all the time.)
I actually did do the last as a last ditch effort to save my wired Mac keyboard. I was going to toss it otherwise. Surprisingly, it worked a charm!
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/16 "2019-12-04T14:24:14Z")
The O key hasn’t failed to register at all so far today.
Maybe I’m finally getting the hang of my new keyboard?
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### Author:  [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/17 "2019-12-04T21:20:18Z")
99% of the time, the O key works fine.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/18 "2019-12-04T21:49:20Z")
O, O, O, Ozempic!
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2019, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/19 "2019-12-04T22:04:58Z")
Here’s a trick to remove some keys. Using a needle-nose pliers, make a small hook (1-4 mm?) by bending the end of a paper clip into a “J” (the jumbo ones work best). Use the hook to lift the key. Sometimes you need two hooks to avoid breakage.
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### Author:  [@KMS94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KMS94)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keyboard-troubles/844313/20 "2019-12-05T20:16:29Z")
Run it through the dishwasher.
😃
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