How do I test my keyboard online?
This keyboard tester is a free online test that shows every key you press on a picture of a keyboard. Press each key once: working keys turn green, and keys that stay grey send no signal. The counters below show double typing and how many keys work at once.
What does the keyboard test check?
| Problem | How you see it |
|---|---|
| Dead key | The key stays grey however often you press it. |
| Sticky or stuck key | It stays blue after you let go, and "keys held now" doesn't drop to 0. |
| Double typing (chatter) | The key turns orange and the log shows a warning when one press is counted twice within 40 ms. |
| Ghosting and rollover | Hold several keys at once: "most keys at once" shows how many your keyboard can report together. |
| Wrong layout or mapping | The key shows the character your system types, so you can see if, for example, Y and Z are swapped. |
How do I test a keyboard step by step?
- Choose ANSI (US) for a keyboard with a wide Enter key and a long left Shift, or ISO (UK, EU) for a tall Enter key and an extra key next to the left Shift.
- Press every key once, row by row. Each working key turns green.
- Press grey keys again firmly. If they still stay grey, they don't send a signal.
- Type a few words quickly and watch for orange keys, which show double typing.
- For gaming keyboards, hold W, A, Shift and Space together and check "most keys at once".
A key doesn't work. What now?
- One or two dead keys: clean under the keycap with compressed air. On mechanical keyboards, a hot-swap switch can be replaced.
- Double typing: usually a worn switch. Cleaning sometimes helps; otherwise replace the switch, or raise the debounce time in the keyboard's software if it has one.
- Several keys in one row or area dead: often liquid damage or a faulty ribbon cable on laptops.
- Nothing works at all: try another USB port or cable, recharge or re-pair a wireless keyboard, and check that the operating system sees it.
How do I test a laptop keyboard?
Open this key tester on the laptop and turn off the number pad, since most laptops don't have one. Press every key once, including the arrow keys and the Fn row: the F1–F12 keys only reach the browser when Fn is not locked, so try them with and without Fn. Keys that stay grey on a built-in keyboard often point to a loose ribbon cable or liquid damage under that area.
How do I test a mechanical keyboard?
Mechanical switches wear out in two typical ways: a key stops registering, or one press types twice. Type quickly on every key and watch for orange keys, which mark double typing (chatter) within 40 ms. If a hot-swap switch chatters, swap it with one from a key you rarely use to confirm the switch, not the board, is at fault.
How do I run a keyboard ghosting test?
Hold the keys you use together in games, such as W, A, Shift and Space, then add more. The "most keys at once" counter shows how many keys your keyboard reports together. Office keyboards often stop at 2–3 keys in some combinations (ghosting); gaming keyboards with anti-ghosting or n-key rollover report 6 or more.
Questions
How do I know if a key is broken?
Press it on this page. A working key lights up blue while you hold it and turns green after. If it stays grey after a few firm presses, the key, its switch or the keyboard connection is faulty.
What is key chatter?
Chatter is when one press types a letter twice, a common fault of worn mechanical switches. The tester warns you when a key sends two presses less than 40 milliseconds apart.
What is ghosting?
Ghosting means some key combinations don't register when several keys are held at once. Hold several keys and watch the count: cheaper keyboards often stop at 2 or 3 keys, gaming keyboards handle 6 or more.
Why do some keys not light up?
The Fn key never reaches the browser, and the operating system keeps some keys for itself, such as the Windows key on some systems, Print Screen, or shortcuts like Alt+Tab. That does not mean the key is broken.
Can I test a phone or tablet keyboard?
On-screen keyboards don't report physical keys, so this test is for real keyboards: built-in laptop keyboards and USB or Bluetooth keyboards, including ones connected to a tablet.
What are key, code and keyCode?
"key" is the character or name your layout produces, such as z or Enter. "code" is the physical position, such as KeyY, which stays the same on every layout. "keyCode" is the older numeric code many programs and games still use.
Is this keyboard checker free and safe?
Yes. The keyboard checker is free, needs no install and runs entirely in your browser. It only reads which keys you press while the page is open and never sends them anywhere.