How to Fix the Windows Key If It's Not Working in Windows 10 or 11

Troubleshoot keyboard errors with these quick fixes

Written by Stan Kats | Edited by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: January 7, 2026 Fact Checked

The Windows key allows you to perform all kinds of operations that are unique to the Windows operating system. While there are workarounds for most of them, it can be frustrating when your Windows key doesn’t work. In this article, we’ll explain some of the common reasons your Windows key isn’t working and how to fix it.

What to Do If Your Windows Key Doesn’t Work

Some keyboards allow you to lock the Windows key by pressing Windows + Fn. Try this key combo and see if your Windows key starts working.
Check if you have FilterKeys or sticky keys enabled. Either of these settings can affect how your Windows key works.
It might help to restart File Explorer, update your keyboard drivers, or update Windows.
If possible, test your keyboard with another computer to rule out a hardware problem.

1

Press Windows + Fn.

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If your Windows key isn’t working, it’s possible you accidentally locked it. Try pressing the Windows key and Fn (Function) at the same time, then test your Windows key again to see if it works.

2

Turn off FilterKeys.

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This accessibility feature can interfere with the Windows key. If you have FilterKeys enabled, turn it off and see if that resolves the issue. Here’s how to do it: ^{[1]
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- Click the Start menu and select Settings.
- Select Accessibility (Windows 11) or Ease of Access (Windows 10), then click Keyboard.
- Toggle off the switch next to Filter keys. You can also try toggling off Sticky keys, which might also affect how your Windows key works.

3

Restart Windows Explorer.

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Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to instantly launch the Task Manager. Find Windows Explorer in the list of processes and right-click it. Select Restart from the context menu.

4

Update your keyboard drivers.

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An outdated driver could be making your keyboard malfunction. To update your drivers:^{[2]
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Microsoft Support
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- Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Keyboards section of the menu.
- Right-click your keyboard and select Update driver > Search automatically for update driver software. If an updated driver is available, wait for Windows to install it. Click Close when the process is complete.
- If you can’t find an updated driver this way, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update and select Search for updated drivers on Windows Update.
- If no updated drivers are available, you can try reinstalling the current driver. Right-click the Start menu, select Device Manager, and expand the Keyboards section. Right-click your keyboard and select Uninstall Device > Uninstall. Restart your computer. It should then attempt to reinstall the driver for your keyboard.

5

Disable Game Mode.

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Game Mode can affect how your keyboard behaves. Go to Start > Settings > Gaming > Game Mode. Turn Game Mode off and see if the Windows key works.^{[3]
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6

Update Windows.

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An outdated OS can cause various glitches. If Windows doesn’t update automatically on your computer, or if it hasn’t updated on its own in a while, try running a manual update. To update:^{[4]
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Microsoft Support
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- Windows 11: Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for Windows updates > Download & install.
- Windows 10: Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Windows updates > Download & install.

7

Run a keyboard troubleshooter.

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The built-in troubleshooter might be able to diagnose and fix the problem. To troubleshoot your keyboard, use the following steps:
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Click Run next to Keyboard.
- Follow the prompts to diagnose and fix any potential issues.

8

Run a system scan.

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There might be a systemwide problem affecting your keyboard. There are a few different scan/repair tools you can run on your PC. Try these steps and see if it fixes the problem with the Windows key:^{[5]
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Microsoft Support
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- DISM scan:
  - Search for cmd in the Start menu. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
  - Enter your administrator password or click Allow if prompted.
  - Type or paste the following command, then press Enter: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  - Wait for the scan and repair process to complete. Leave the Command Prompt window open and proceed to the next scan.
- System File Checker:
  - In the Command Prompt window, type or paste the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
  - Wait for the scan to complete. Typically, you’ll either see a message telling you no errors were found or that errors were found and repaired. If you see any other messages, check this detailed guide from Windows to learn what to do.

9

Rule out a hardware issue.

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If other troubleshooting steps fail, there might be a problem with the keyboard itself. You can test this by connecting a different keyboard to your computer and trying the Windows key. Alternatively, if you have an external keyboard (as opposed to a built-in laptop keyboard), you can try connecting it to a different computer and testing the Windows key. Another option is to bring up the onscreen keyboard and see if the virtual Windows key works.
- If there is something physically wrong with your keyboard, try some of the tips in our article on How to Fix a Keyboard.

10

Re-register the contents of your appmanifest file.

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Try this advanced fix if other options don’t work. This operation reinstalls and re-registers built-in Windows apps that are damaged or uninstalled. Run the following command in Command Prompt and see if it helps:
- Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers }
- Press Enter and wait for the process to complete. Try the Windows key again.

11

Remove custom keyboard mapping from the registry.

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Custom keyboard maps can be tricky to remove. If you ever remapped your keyboard, it could cause problems with the Windows key. You can fix this issue by deleting the custom keymap from the registry. Just be careful, making changes to the registry can destabilize your system. Back up the registry before you begin. Next:
- Right-click the Start menu and select Run.
- Type regedit into the Run window and click OK or press Enter.
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
- If you see any entries called Scancode Map or Value Scancode, right-click them and select Delete.

12

Tips

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- Did you know the Windows key can do a lot more than open the Start menu? For a full guide to all the keyboard shortcuts that include the Windows key, check out this page from Microsoft Support.