Keyboard Tester

How to Use the Keyboard Tester

This keyboard test listens to every key press in your browser and lights up the matching key on the layout. It also shows the key name, the key code and how many keys you held at once.

1. Click on the page. Make sure the page has focus, then start pressing keys.
2. Press every key. Each key lights up while held and stays green once tested.
3. Check for ghosting. Hold several keys at once and watch the rollover count.
4. Find the dead ones. Any key you pressed that is not green did not register.

What This Keyboard Test Can Find

• Dead keys: you press it and nothing lights up.
• Stuck keys: a key stays lit after you let go.
• Ghosting: holding several keys drops some of them. The rollover figure shows how many keys registered together.
• Wrong layout: the key lights up in the wrong place, which usually means your system layout differs from US.

Keyboard Key Not Working? Try This

• Test another USB port or re-pair Bluetooth.
• Blow out the switch with compressed air.
• Check that Fn Lock or a gaming mode isn't disabling keys.
• If a key repeats on its own, the switch may be chattering, just like a mouse double-click.

Keys Your Browser Can't See

Some keys are taken by your operating system before the browser gets them. Fn, the Windows key on some setups, Print Screen and media keys may not light up even when they work. That's normal and not a fault.

What to Look For

• Dead keys: a key that never turns green.
• Double typing (key chatter): one press shows two hits in the log.
• Stuck keys: a key stays highlighted after you let go.
• Wrong key: pressing one key lights up another, usually a layout or remapping issue.
• Ghosting: holding several keys and one doesn't register.

Key Rollover: What a Browser Can Honestly Tell You

Rollover is how many keys your keyboard can register at once. Hold down as many keys as you can and watch the "held" counter. Gaming keyboards usually support N-key rollover (every key). Cheaper ones often stop at 6 keys, or block certain combinations. Some laptops block combos like three arrow keys at once.

The browser only sees what the keyboard sends, so this test shows real-world rollover. It can't tell you why a key was blocked, just that it was. Read more in our ghosting and rollover guide.

Keys This Page Can't See

Some keys are handled by your operating system or the keyboard itself, so they never reach a web page. That's normal, not a fault.

• The Fn key on most laptops and many keyboards.
• Media keys on some keyboards (volume, play).
• System shortcuts like Windows+L or Cmd+Tab.
• Brightness, keyboard backlight and similar hardware keys.

Physical Keys vs Printed Labels

We show which physical key you pressed, not what character it types. So on a French AZERTY keyboard, pressing the key labelled A shows up where Q is on a US layout. That's expected. It lets us test the same key position on every keyboard layout.

How to Fix a Key That Doesn't Work

Start by cleaning under the key with compressed air. On mechanical keyboards you can pull the keycap and clean the switch. Check that Filter Keys and Sticky Keys are off in your accessibility settings. Our keyboard key not working guide has the full checklist.

Related Tools

Test your typing with the typing test, your speed with the spacebar counter, and your mouse with the mouse tester.

Keyboard Glossary

Summary

Press every key, watch for dead keys, double typing and stuck keys, and hold combos to check rollover. Clean before you replace anything, and remember that some keys never reach the browser. A full test takes about a minute.

Quick Tip

Tip: test after any spill, even if the keyboard seems fine at first. Come back and test again any time something feels different, because catching small changes early is always easier than fixing big ones later.

How to Test Your Keyboard Online

1. Click anywhere on this page so the browser is focused.
2. Press every key, one by one, row by row.
3. Watch each key turn green on the on-screen layout.
4. Check the event log for any key that fires twice.
5. Hold several keys at once to test rollover.

Keys you've pressed stay marked, so you can easily see which ones are left. When you're done, every key you use should be marked.

Laptop Keyboards vs External Keyboards

Laptop keyboards often have fewer keys, combined Fn functions and more limited rollover. Many also block certain three-key combinations, which matters in games. External gaming keyboards usually support full rollover. If you're testing a laptop, pay attention to the Fn row. Some laptops send media actions by default and only send F1 to F12 when you hold Fn. That's a setting, often called Fn Lock or "action keys mode", not a fault.

Mechanical, Membrane and Optical Keyboards

Mechanical keyboards are easy to fix because each switch can be cleaned or swapped. Membrane keyboards are harder: a spill can kill several keys at once.

What Is Key Chatter?

Key chatter is when one press types a letter twice, like "hello" turning into "helllo". It's caused by the same thing as mouse double-clicking: a switch contact that bounces. On mechanical keyboards, blowing air into the switch or pressing the key rapidly for a minute can clear dust. Some keyboard software has a debounce setting too. If chatter continues, replace the switch. On hot-swap keyboards, that takes seconds.

Keyboard Tester for Gamers

Gamers should test the keys they actually use together: WASD plus Shift, Ctrl, Space and number keys. Hold W, A and Shift, then press Space. Every key should stay lit. If one drops out, your keyboard can't handle that combo and you may lose inputs in game. Our APM test is a fun way to check fast key presses too.

Keyboard Test FAQ Extras

Can I test a wireless keyboard? Yes, any keyboard that types on your computer works here.

Does this work on a phone? With an external keyboard, yes. On-screen keyboards behave differently.

Why does the Windows key open the Start menu? The system catches it first. That's normal.

Event Log and Key Codes

The event log lists each key press and release with its physical key code, like KeyA or ArrowLeft. If you're troubleshooting, this is the most useful part. A single press should show one "down" and one "up". Two downs in a row, or an up missing, point to chatter or a stuck key. You can also use the log to find out what a mystery key on your keyboard actually sends.

Keyboard Tester Privacy

Everything you type stays on your device. We don't record or upload key presses, so it's safe to test any key.

Frequently Asked Questions