# One key not working on keyboard
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 14, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446 "2021-07-14T01:55:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/1 "2021-07-14T01:55:31Z")
This morning, when I was trying to use my other computer, I discovered that the main “Enter” key (the one on the alphabetic part of the board) wasn’t working, in any application. All other keys, including the numpad Enter, seem to work. I tried unplugging and re-plugging the keyboard, and rebooting the computer, and neither one worked.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
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### Author:  [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/2 "2021-07-14T01:58:58Z")
Does your enter key work elsewhere? Try a different app. Just to be thorough.
If it doesn’t, you probably have a mechanical issue. You can try cleaning your keyboard out which might, but probably won’t, help. And then, if you’re realy handy with a soldering iron, try swapping out one of the switches (if it’s that sort of keyboard) or get a replacement keyboard, depending on how much you need that key. (You probably need that key.)
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### Author:  [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/3 "2021-07-14T02:06:32Z")
I once had a ticket from a lady with the same story. I got her keyboard, turned it upside down, an entire turkey sandwich fell out. Worked fine after that. True story.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/4 "2021-07-14T02:09:29Z")
Buy a new keyboard.
A while back, I had a small of liquid spill on the left side of a keyboard and lost use of a couple of keys, such as “a” and “1”. After trying to dry it with warm flowing air and with time didn’t work, I took it apart. It was incredibly simple inside–under the keys was three transparent plastic membranes with various designs of conductive metal on them–pressure on the plastic layers squeezes them together and closes a circuit. I seperate the layers, carefully clean and dry them, find no corrosion or broken traces, reassemble the keyboard–and those keys still didn’t work. I didn’t make any mistakes–every key that still worked before still worked after. But the broke keys remained broke _with absolutely no visible sign of why_.
I bought a new one.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/5 "2021-07-14T02:11:42Z")
Yup, I already tried multiple apps.
And I just pried the key off. Underneath it there’s a mounting post with a well in the middle, and at the bottom of the well a rubbery dimple that can be pushed down (and would be, in normal operation). Pushing the dimple down directly doesn’t do anything, either. There is, of course, a fair bit of dust around the posts, but I don’t see any down the well where the rubbery bit is.
I do have a spare keyboard lying around; it sounds like I’ll be switching to it. Though it’s not ergonomic like the other one, and of course I’m just not used to it in general. C’est la vie.
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/6 "2021-07-14T02:41:02Z")
If it’s an external keyboard, can you try it with a different computer? Or try a different keyboard (external, if it’s a laptop) with the computer you’re using?
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### Author:  [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/7 "2021-07-14T10:09:46Z")
One thing that sometimes works marvels with keyboards is washing them under the tap.
Yes, I’m serious! (Google it)
Unplug it, wash it thoroughly with water, shake off the excess water, and let it dry for two or three days before plugging it in again.
That fixes many problems with stuck keys, liquid spills, junk accumulating inside, etc.
I’ve done it a few times over the years. It worked, and I never had any problems with the keyboard afterwards.
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/8 "2021-07-14T10:42:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> And I just pried the key off. Underneath it there’s a mounting post with a well in the middle, and at the bottom of the well a rubbery dimple that can be pushed down (and would be, in normal operation). Pushing the dimple down directly doesn’t do anything, either. There is, of course, a fair bit of dust around the posts, but I don’t see any down the well where the rubbery bit is.
With your rubbery dimple description, it sounds like you have a dome-switch keyboard:
> **[Keyboard technology | Dome-switch keyboard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_technology#Dome-switch_keyboard)**
>
> Dome-switch keyboards are a hybrid of flat-panel membrane and mechanical-switch keyboards. They bring two circuit board traces together under a rubber or silicone keypad using either metal "dome" switches or polyurethane formed domes. The metal dome switches are formed pieces of stainless steel that, when compressed, give the user crisp, positive tactile feedback. These metal types of dome switches are very common, are usually reliable to over 5 million cycles, and can be plated in either nickel,...
The electrical contacts are on the underside of that rubber, so dust or turkey sandwiches on top of the rubber won’t affect that, unless it’s so gunked up that the rubbery dimple’s modest spring action can’t return the key to its up position (in which case it would act like you’re holding the key down).
The graphite on the underside of the rubber dome does wear out over time, especially on commonly used keys. Years ago I had to replace my TV remote because one of the volume buttons had worn out.
If they key doesn’t work after dusting, and doesn’t work with any program on your computer, and doesn’t work on a different computer, then it’s time to go shopping.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/9 "2021-07-14T16:27:33Z")
Well, no great surprise here, but the keyboard had the same problem when plugged into another computer, and a different keyboard plugged into the same computer didn’t have a problem. I might still try cleaning the old one or something, but it looks like this is officially resolved.
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/10 "2021-07-14T16:43:11Z")
But… but what about the turkey sandwich?
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-key-not-working-on-keyboard/946446/11 "2021-07-14T23:21:29Z")
This actually _is_ a perfectly cromulent way to clean a keyboard. But the wash – or, at least, the ‘final rinse --’ should be done with **distilled** water.
May work. May not. Might be fun to try 🙂