A computer keyboard is an input device used to enter characters and functions into the computer system by pressing buttons, or keys. It is the primary device used to enter text. A keyboard typically contains keys for individual letters, numbers and special characters, as well as keys for specific functions.

A computer keyboard is a typewriter-style device which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches.

 Keyboard keys (buttons) typically have a set of characters engraved or printed on them, and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol.

Types of Computer Keyboard

Keyboards are classified based on the size and their mode of usage. Those types are discussed below:

1. Multimedia Keyboard

The keyboard that has all multimedia buttons is called multimedia keyboard. The buttons include play, pause, previous, next, volume up, volume down, mute and special button to launch media. Also, a button to launch a browser, my computer, calculator is available.

2. Mechanical Keyboard

The primitive keyboard which uses physical buttons for each key is called a mechanical keyboard. It makes noise when each key is pressed. A button is pushed down and an electrical signal is sent to the computer device which then shows the characters.

3. Wireless Keyboard

Bluetooth, IR technology or Radio Frequency is used to connect the keyboard with the computer device. We can port the keyboard and the parent system is not needed near the keyboard. These keyboards are lightweight and smaller in size. These keyboards should have a transmitter and trans-receiver. Transmitter sends the strokes from the keyboard as radio waves which are received by trans-receiver kept near parent device.

4. Virtual Keyboard

The keyboard used in smartphones is called a virtual keyboard. This keyboard appears when needed and disappears when typing is completed. This can be automatically set as per need. Also in the windows system, we can use a virtual keyboard that appears on the screen. There is no physical object to carry for a virtual keyboard.

5. USB Keyboard

Universal Serial Bus Keyboard has a USB stick with a wire which has to be inserted into the USB port of the system. And then the keyboard works well. While rebooting the system, the keyboard is not supported and hence the users may face an issue. Installation of suitable drivers helps to resolve this issue.

6. Ergonomic Keyboard

This keyboard is mainly designed for users who use both hands for typing. The advantage of this keyboard is less muscle strain and carpal tunnel syndrome for users. The keyboard is built with the view of ergonomics. This keyboard is expensive and not affordable for common people.

7. QWERTY Keyboard

The earlier typewriters had keys in the range QWERTY due to the arrangement of strings. Early computer keyboards were also built in the same manner for the ease of use for typewriter users. This keyboard is the most common one used by all of us and hence needs no introduction.

 8. Gaming Keyboard

The keyboard that has very few keys specific for gamers is called gaming keyboard. Graphics are also included in the keyboard. W, S, D, A and arrow keys are the only keys you could find in this keyboard. The design is so good that anyone could fall in love with the keyboard.

9. Chiclet Keyboard

The keys are square-shaped with rounded edges in this keyboard. The technology varies for devices which makes this special. Buttons are attached with membranes of the switches in the keyboard and this is used in almost all the devices now.

10. Membrane Keyboard

These keyboards use pressure pads and have characters printed on a flexible surface called membrane. The cost is very less for these keyboards. But the inaccuracy in typing and gaming made them lose the importance.

11. Thumb Keyboard

The smaller keyboard with fewer keys or only numeric characters is called a thumb keyboard. These are mostly used for arithmetic operations and also for gaming. The size of this keyboard is just thumb-size.

12. Flexible Keyboard

The keyboards made of silicone which has most of the keys and flexible in appearance is called a flexible keyboard. The distance between the keys are less. The keyboards are meant for rolling and are not foldable.

13. Laptop Sized Keyboard

The keys are reduced and the space between keys are less in this type of keyboard. These are specially designed for laptops. Most keyboards do not have numeric keypads and some functions are incorporated with other keys on the keyboard.

14. Backlit Keyboard

The keys have lights which help the users to type even in the dark. These keyboards are available in gaming and traditional keyboards.

15. Magic Keyboards

These keyboards are manufactured by Mac and are supported by the battery. The design is good and makes everyone have the feel of the keyboard.

16. Bluetooth Keyboard

The keyboard is connected with the system using Bluetooth and hence the USB port can be used for other purposes. This keyboard provides flexibility to the wired keyboard.

17. Chorded Keyboard

A limited number of keys help the user to port the keyboard anywhere. A combination of some keys helps to produce the desired characteristics. The keyboard is small in size and is not commercially successful as other keyboards.

Uses of Keyboard

Here we have pointed out the uses of the keyboard.

• Users can type the letters and numbers using the keyboard. Also, some special commands can be done using the keyboard. Only with the keyboard, we can input data.
• Most of the functions can be performed by a keyboard without the help of the mouse. Function keys and control keys are used for special functions done by mouse.
• Shortcut keys are used to access any files from the system so that mouse use can be avoided.
• Control key and escape key can be used in most of the functions for various purposes.

Touch screen keyboards are mostly in use nowadays and in the future, these may be replaced by Augmented Reality keyboards. New keyboards are flexible and more customized than traditional ones. Maybe in the future, the data can be inputted by other means than the keyboard. The mindset to welcome all changes is needed for the generation.

Why is my keyboard not working in Windows 10?

There are multiple possible things that can cause trouble when it comes to your peripherals. You might be dealing with hardware issues, or something could simply be wrong on your system itself.

We were able to collect the most common causes reported by Windows 10 users and made a list that might have a cause that applies to you as well.

1. Your keyboard is damaged. Physical damage can cause issues when you’re trying to use your keyboard. Especially in the case of an USB keyboard, make sure to inspect both the body and the connecting cable for any signs of damage.
2. Your battery is low. If you use a wireless keyboard, ensure that the battery is charged. If needed, change the battery.
3. Your drivers are missing or outdated. Driver updates are needed to make sure your computer parts all function as intended, even if they aren’t natively supported by Microsoft. If correct keyboard drivers are missing or outdated, your device may not work.
4. You’re using the wrong USB port. It’s possible that you’ve plugged your keyboard into a USB port it’s not compatible with. You may also have a damaged USB port that needs to be replaced.
5. Your power settings are poorly configured. Windows 10 has many power saving options. One of these functions allows your computer to turn off inactive devices, possibly turning your keyboard off.
6. Windows 10’s Filter Key bug. There’s a known bug in Windows 10’s Filter Key feature which causes issues with typing on the login screen. At the time of writing, Windows 10 updates released by Microsoft seem to fix this.
7. A new major Windows 10 update. Sometimes major Windows 10 updates can break things on your computer.

Fixing your keyboard in Windows 10

Now that we’ve taken a look at possible causes, it’s time to start troubleshooting your keyboard. There are many things you can do to get rid of this issue — make sure to give all of our methods a try to see what works for you!

Prerequisite: Turn on the on-screen keyboard

Before troubleshooting, we recommend turning on the on-screen keyboard in Windows 10. This will allow you to follow instructions even if you need to type something in or press keys on the keyboard.

Here’s how to turn on the on-screen keyboard in Windows 10:

1. Click on the Windows icon in your taskbar and choose Settings.
   
2. Choose the Ease of Access tile.
   
3. Scroll down in the left-side panel, then click on Keyboard listed under the Interaction section.
   
4. Click on the toggle under “Use the On-Screen Keyboard” to turn on the virtual keyboard in Windows 10.
   

Method 1: Use the Windows + Space bar keyboard shortcut

Before jumping into any complicated methods, we’d like to address a quick and easy fix that’s able to fix issues with the keyboard.

All you have to do is simply press the Windows + Space bar keys on your keyboard simultaneously. A considerable amount of users have reported that by doing this, their keyboard has started working again.

No luck? Don’t panic just yet! We have many more specialized methods to help you restore your keyboard.

Method 2: Turn off the Filter Keys feature

As mentioned above, the Filter Keys feature has a known bug that causes issues with your keyboard. You can simply turn Filter Keys off by following the steps below, and potentially restore your keyboard within minutes.

1. Press the Windows + R keys using the on-screen keyboard to bring up the Run utility, then type in “control” and click the OK button. This is going to open the Control Panel.
   
2. Make sure that your view mode is set to Category.
   
3. Next, click on the Ease of Access heading.
   
4. Click on the “Change how your keyboard works” link found in the Ease of Access Center.
   
5. Make sure that the checkbox next to “Turn on Filter Keys” is empty. If you see a checkmark, simply click on it to remove it.
   
6. Click the Apply button, then click OK. You should be able to test if your keyboard functions as intended now.

Method 3: Uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option

It’s possible that your Power Management settings disable your wireless adapter from time to time, causing it to temporarily disconnect. You can easily fix this by making one small adjustment.

1. Press the Windows + X keys on your keyboard and click on the Device Manager option from the menu.
   
2. Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers menu by clicking on the arrow next to it.
3. Double-click on the USB your keyboard is connected to (usually either USB Root Hub or Generic USB Hub,) then switch over to the Power Management tab in the new window.
   
4. Uncheck the box next to “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” then click OK.
   
5. Restart your device and see if you still experience the same issues with the keyboard.

Method 4: Use the Windows 10 Keyboard troubleshooter

Windows 10 comes pre-equipped with many troubleshooters that allow you to diagnose and get rid of specific issues. Luckily, there’s a troubleshooter designed specifically for detecting keyboard related errors, which can be fixed automatically by your system.

Here’s how you can run the keyboard troubleshooter on Windows 10.

1. Click on the Windows icon in your taskbar and choose Settings.
   
2. Search for “Fix keyboard” using the integrated search in the Settings application, then click on “Find and fix keyboard problems.”
   
3. Click the “Next” button to start the troubleshooter. You should see that Windows is detecting issues.
   
4. If any issues were successfully identified, you can follow the on-screen instructions to attempt an automatic fix.

Method 5: Disable Fast Startup

Some users suggest that the Fast Startup setting may cause issues with the functionality of your device, especially connected peripherals or driver software. You can test this by disabling Fast Startup using our guide below.

1. Press the Windows + R keys using the on-screen keyboard to bring up the Run utility, then type in “control” and click the OK button. This is going to open the Control Panel.
   
2. Make sure that your view mode is set to Category.
   
3. Next, click on the Hardware and Sound heading.
   
4. Open the Power Options menu.
   
5. Click on the “Choose what the power buttons do” link from the left pane.
   
6. Here, you should see options to change the way your computer boots up. To be able to modify these settings, you need to click on the “Change settings that are currently unavailable” link.
   
7. Simply make sure that “Turn on fast startup” is unchecked, then click the “Save changes” button.
8. Restart your device and see if your keyboard works properly.

Method 6: Update your drivers

Outdated drivers can cause a whole bunch of issues on your system. Make sure to update them in order to possibly fix any issues with your keyboard on Windows 10.

1. Press the Windows + X keys on your keyboard and click on the Device Manager option from the menu.
   
2. Expand the Keyboards menu by clicking on the arrow next to it.
3. Right-click on your keyboard listed in the menu and choose Update Driver.
4. Allow Windows 10 to look for the newest driver on your local computer or online, then follow any on-screen instructions.
   

Final Thoughts 

We hope that this guide was able to help you restore your keyboard. If your keyboard acts up anytime in the future, feel free to return to our article and apply a different fix!

 If you need any further help, don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer service team, available 24/7 to assist you. Return to us for more informative articles all related to productivity and modern day technology!

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