If your WiFi password is not working on a non-QWERTY keyboard in Windows 11/10, read this post to know how to fix the issue. QWERTY refers to the arrangement of keys on a standard English computer keyboard or typewriter. The QWERTY layout is attributed to an American inventor named Christopher Latham Sholes, and it made its debut in its earliest form on July 1, 1874. The name is derived from the first six characters on the top alphabetic line of the keyboard.
If your physical keyboard is non-QWERTY, you may encounter issues while trying to input your WiFi password characters. Let’s take a look at the typical scenarios where you can encounter this anomaly.
When you try to enter a password for a wireless network on your Windows PC, it might not be accepted if the following is true:
- You are using a keyboard with a non-QWERTY layout, such as AZERTY (French), QWERTZ (German/Switzerland), Cyrillic, and/or Latin American.
- Entering the WiFi password is the first thing you did after signing in to Windows 11/10.
In such situations, the WiFi password input is in the QWERTY keyboard layout, even though you use a non-QWERTY keyboard. So, the WiFi password is not accepted and therefore won’t work.
WiFi password not working on a non-QWERTY keyboard
If your Wi-Fi password is not working on a non-QWERTY keyboard, use these fixes:
- Copy-paste the Wi-Fi password from Notepad directly into the password field
- Use the On-Screen Keyboard
- Use Key Mapping software
Let us see this in detail.
1] Copy-paste the Wi-Fi password from Notepad directly into the password field
Copying and pasting the password from Notepad into the WiFi password field ensures that the correct characters are entered, regardless of the layout mismatch.
- Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
- In the Run dialog box, type notepad and hit Enter to open Notepad.
- In the text editor, type the password there.
- Then, copy the password from Notepad, paste it into the WiFi password field, and hit Enter.
Windows 11/10 should now be able to accept the password without issues.
2] Use the On-Screen Keyboard
The on-screen keyboard visually represents the QWERTY layout, irrespective of your physical keyboard’s layout. It shows you exactly which keys to press to match the QWERTY layout.
To bring up the On-Screen Keyboard, press Win+R, type ‘osk’ in the Run dialogue, and press Enter. Then use your mouse to click the keys, ensuring the correct input for your password.
3] Use Key Mapping software
Key Mapping software such as SharpKeys, AutoHotkey, etc., allow you to remap a non-QWERTY keyboard to function as the QWERTY layout virtually.
For example, if you have an AZERTY keyboard and your WiFi password needs to be entered as if you were using a QWERTY keyboard, a key mapping software allows you to reassign the keys so that when you press the ‘A’ key on your AZERTY keyboard, it registers as ‘Q’ (as it would be on a QWERTY keyboard).
You can also print a QWERTY keyboard layout and place it over your non-QWERTY keyboard for reference.
I hope this helps!
Read: How to add or remove Keyboard layout in Windows.
Why can’t I type my Wi-Fi password?
If you can’t type your Wi-Fi password, you might be entering the wrong password, your physical keyboard might not be working properly, or there might be a problem with the network settings or your Wi-Fi adapter. Restart your computer and Wi-Fi router. Try forgetting the network and reconnecting. Before entering your Wi-Fi password, ensure that both Caps Lock and Num Lock keys are in the correct state. When using a keyboard with a numeric keypad with Num Lock turned off, pressing the number keys might not produce the expected digits, leading to incorrect password entry.
How do I type a password when my keyboard isn’t working?
You may use the on-screen keyboard (or virtual keyboard) to type a password when your keyboard is not working in Windows. It is a software-based input method that displays a keyboard layout on your screen, allowing you to type by clicking on the keys. To enable the on-screen keyboard, click the Start button icon and select Settings. Go to Accessibility > Keyboard. Toggle on the switch next to the ‘On-screen keyboard’ option. Alternatively, if your device supports voice input or allows you to connect an external keyboard via USB or Bluetooth (if available), use that to type the password.
Read Next: How to change Windows Keyboard Layout.
