Some keyboard keys are not working with the Shift key

The Shift is a modifier key. It is used to type capital letters and other upper characters (also called special characters). You can also use the CAPS Lock key to type capital letters but there is no way to type special characters other than the Shift key. Hence, if the Shift key stops working, it inconveniences computer users. In this article, we will discuss what you can do if some specific keyboard keys are not working with the Shift key on Windows 11/10.

Some keyboard keys are not working with the Shift key

The users who experienced this issue reported that some keyboard keys are not working with the Shift key on Windows 11/10. The causes of this issue can be many, like a corrupted keyboard driver, conflicting third-party background applications, a minor glitch, etc. Use the solutions provided below to fix this problem:

Initial checklist
Run the appropriate troubleshooter
Uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver
Troubleshoot in a Clean Boot state
Are you using an audio switcher or similar software?
Are you using a Multimedia Keyboard?
Reset your keyboard

Let’s see all these fixes in detail.

1] Initial checklist

First of all, perform an initial checklist. If this works, you will save time from performing other troubleshooting methods.

Restart your computer. As we have explained earlier in this article; this problem can occur due to a minor glitch. In such a case restarting the computer fixes the problem.
Try another keyboard. If you are a laptop user, you can connect an external keyboard and check if the issue occurs.

The chances of hardware fault are fewer in this case because the keys work perfectly without pressing the Shift key but the same keys stop working when the Shift key is pressed. If the above steps did not help, use the solutions provided below.

2] Run the appropriate troubleshooter

We also suggest you run an appropriate troubleshooter and see if it helps. Here, you can run the following troubleshooters:

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Keyboard Troubleshooter

To launch the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter, you have to execute the following command in the Command Prompt or the Run command box.

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

3] Uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver

One possible cause of this issue is the corrupted keyboard driver. We suggest you reinstall your keyboard driver. To do so, first, uninstall the Keyboard driver via the Device Manager. After uninstalling the keyboard driver, restart your computer. After restarting the computer, Windows will automatically install the missing driver. Now, check if the problem persists.

You can also try this. Download the latest version of your keyboard driver from the official website of the manufacturer and then install it manually. Sometimes, installing a driver under compatibility mode works.

4] Troubleshoot in a Clean Boot state

The issue might also be occurring due to a conflicting background third-party application. To check this, start your computer in a Clean Boot state. If the problem disappears in the Clean Boot state, you have to troubleshoot in the Clean Boot state to identify the problematic third-party app or service.

Now, enable some of the startup applications and restart your computer. Check the status of the issue. If the problem appears, one of the apps that you have just enabled is the culprit. If the problem does not appear, enable other startup apps and restart your computer. To identify the culprit, disable the startup apps (one by one) that you have just enabled and restart your computer every time you disable a startup app. After restarting, check if the problem is fixed or not.

Repeat the same process to identify the third-party conflicting Service. But this time, you have to use the MSConfig app.

5] Are you using an audio switcher or similar software?

Windows computers allow users the facility to install various third-party software. Some software also lets us set up hotkeys to perform particular actions. Such types of software may interfere with the normal functioning of Windows if you use the same hotkey that is used by Windows. A similar type of problem was reported by some users where they used Audio switcher software and configured the Shift + another key to switch the sound card or audio device.

That keyboard shortcut was interfering with Windows and stopping that particular key to work along with the Shift key. You should also check this.

6] Are you using a Multimedia Keyboard?

Are you using a multimedia keyboard? If yes, check whether a multimedia key is stuck or not. According to the reports, the issue occurred on the multimedia keyboard when one of the multimedia keys was stuck.

7] Reset your keyboard

If none of the above fixes helped you, reset your keyboard.

Related: Fix Shift Key not working on Windows computer

How do I fix an unresponsive Shift key?

Clean your keyboard. Sometimes, dust makes the Shift or other keys unresponsive. Other ways that you can use to fix the unresponsive Shift key include running the appropriate troubleshooters, updating your keyboard driver, disabling the Sticky keys, etc.

Read: How to use the Shift key to enable or disable Caps Lock in Windows

Why are only some of my keyboard keys not working?

If you have not cleaned your keyboard for a long time, this may be the cause for unresponsive keyboard keys. Another cause is the corrupted keyboard driver. You should uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver.