At times, the Arrow keys might not be working in Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC. If this problem is appearing on your computer, you can follow these suggestions mentioned in the article. Whether one or all the four arrows on your laptop keyboard are not working, the guide would be the same.
Fix Arrow keys are not working in Windows 11/10
If the Left. Right, Up, Down Arrow keys are not working on Windows 11/10 PC keyboard, follow these suggestions:
- Verify keyboard
- Re-install keyboard driver
- Run Keyboard Troubleshooter
- Disable Scroll Lock for Excel
- Use On-Screen Keyboard
Before you begin, make sure that the space around the keys is physically clean.
1] Verify the keyboard
It is the very first and the most important thing you need to do when arrow keys are not working. Whether you have a new, old, wired, or wireless keyboard, you must check a few things in order to fix this issue. At times, it could be a hardware issue, and as a result, the arrow keys might not be working as usual. Therefore, follow these points to get into the troubleshooting process:
- If you have an old keyboard, try to connect it to another computer and check if it is working properly or not.
- If your keyboard attracts a lot of dust, it is recommended to clean the keyboard. Whether you have an external keyboard or an internal keyboard for a laptop, you need to clean your keyboard properly.
- If you have a wired keyboard, make sure that the ports and plug of the keyboard are working correctly. For that, you can plugin the keyboard to another computer to verify.
- If you have a wireless keyboard, make sure the batteries are charged. If you have a rechargeable battery, you can try charging it before trying again.
2] Re-install the keyboard driver
Although a wired keyboard might not need a driver, sometimes, wireless keyboard users need to download and install the driver in order to use the hardware. Therefore, follow these steps to uninstall the existing driver:
- Press Win+X to open the WinX menu.
- Select Device Manager from the menu.
- Expand the Keyboards section.
- Right-click on the keyboard driver and select Uninstall device option.
- Click the Yes button.
Then, download the driver from the official website or insert the given CD to re-install the driver.
3] Run Keyboard Troubleshooter
When your keyboard is not functioning correctly, you can try running the Keyboard Troubleshooter. For your information, you do not need to download anything since Windows 11 comes with an in-built troubleshooter for this purpose.
To run Keyboard Troubleshooter, follow these steps:
- Press Win+I to open Windows Settings.
- Go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Find the Keyboard Troubleshooter.
- Click the Run button.
Then, you need to follow the screen instructions to get the job done.
4] Disable Scroll Lock for Excel
If you are not able to use the arrow keys in Excel, you need to disable the Scroll Lock. Scroll Lock helps you stop the scrolling when you press the arrow keys in Microsoft Excel and some other similar programs. Therefore, you can disable the Scroll Lock on your keyboard and check if it resolves the issue or not.
Read: Arrows keys not working in Microsoft Excel
5] Use On-Screen Keyboard
If none of the aforementioned solutions is working, you can opt for the On-Screen Keyboard to get things done quickly. For that, you can search for on-screen keyboard and click on the individual search result to open it.
Read: How to reset Keyboard settings to default in Windows.
Why are my arrow keys not working in Windows 11/10?
There could be several reasons why the arrow keys are not working in Windows 11 or Windows 10 computers. However, you can go through the above-mentioned steps to get rid of this issue. First, try to verify the keyboard in all possible ways. Then, you can use the Keyboard Troubleshooter and disable the Scroll Lock.
Read: Cant scroll, Arrow keys not working in Chrome browser
How do I fix my keyboard arrow keys not working?
To fix the keyboard arrow keys not working issue on Windows 11/10, the above-mentioned suggestions could be handy for you. You must check the connection, port, USB plug, etc., first. Then, you can re-install the driver, run the troubleshooter, or use the On-Screen Keyboard.