How practise I fix a broken laptop cardinal or put it back on?

Updated: 03/13/2021 past Computer Hope

Sometimes a key on a laptop keyboard may go loose or fall off. To set up the key and snap it back into place on the keyboard, try each of the following suggestions.

Note

This page is a general reference guide and may not utilise to your laptop, as your laptop may take a unlike keyboard fundamental design. Additionally, if yous're trying to remove or put a fundamental dorsum on a desktop keyboard, see: How exercise I remove the keys on a keyboard?

Fixing a loose keycap

Laptop keycap, key pad, and key retainer

Unlike a desktop key, each primal on a laptop keyboard may have iii components: the keycap, primal pad, and the key retainer, as shown in the picture.

If the keycap is loose but even so fastened to the laptop, it can often be fixed by pressing downwardly on the keycap. If the keycap re-attaches, a snap while pressing the primal down is heard. If this does not fix the consequence, nosotros suggest removing the key so it tin be re-attached. The re-attachment procedure is detailed below.

  • How do I remove and supercede a laptop key or keycap?

Fixing a broken keycap

If you're having difficulty putting a key back onto the laptop, follow the steps below. If you're trying to fix the spacebar, skip to the spacebar steps.

  1. Start by first inserting the key retainer into the laptop. If you have a key pad, we propose inserting it afterward the retainer is set in place to make things easier. Once the servant is inserted, it should lie flat and be able to flex (shown in the prototype below).

Laptop keyboard key retainer

Tip

If yous're not sure what direction the laptop cardinal retainer goes, check the orientation of the metal hooks on the base of the keyboard. These metal hooks help determine the orientation of the fundamental retainer laid into them, every bit the retainer should align with the hooks.

  1. Insert the key pad into the retainer.
  2. Once the above two steps are completed, position the key cap over the retainer in the proper orientation and press down lightly. The central should snap onto the retainer. If the primal does not look right, try pressing down on all corners of the key to make certain all clips are snapped into identify. Once snapped in, test the cardinal and see if it works once more.

Spacebar key steps

Dissimilar the other keys on the keyboard, the spacebar requires boosted steps to go it back on properly. The image below shows the spacebar removed from a laptop. Before placing the spacebar keycap back onto the laptop, a bar (shown beneath) must be removed by inserting your flathead screwdriver beneath information technology and gently pulling upward.

Laptop spacebar key

Once this bar is removed, place the new spacebar on the laptop. Be mindful that it is properly oriented over the retainers, and push downward to snap it back into place.

Cardinal however doesn't work after fixing or replacing

If the key however doesn't piece of work after putting it back on or replacing the keycap, key pad, or primal retainer, the circuit board for the keyboard may not be working. In the case of a trouble with the circuit board, yous need to replace the entire keyboard, including the circuit board, to fix the problem.

To replace the entire keyboard, contact the laptop manufacturer to see if you tin purchase one straight from them. If the manufacturer will non sell a replacement keyboard to you, have your laptop to a estimator repair shop.

Important

Do not under whatsoever circumstance use glue to repair your keys. This causes the key malfunction.