After returning from vacation, my Windows 11 computer seemed to have completed an update. At the login screen, the L key stopped entering anything, even when clicked on the virtual keyboard. The C and O keys also work intermittently, while pressing U opens Accessibility settings. The keys do not appear physically stuck, and modifier keys such as Ctrl, Shift, Alt, and Windows seem to behave normally on the virtual keyboard. I have already restarted the computer several times, but the problem remains. Since I cannot log in, I cannot try registry or other in-system fixes. Is there a way to diagnose or repair this without wiping the computer?
1 Answer
Try booting into Windows Recovery and then Safe Mode. At the sign-in screen, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart, keeping Shift held until the recovery options appear. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, restart, and select Safe Mode. If the keys work there, the issue is probably caused by a startup program, keyboard utility, accessibility setting, or a recent update rather than the keyboard hardware.
I had already restarted normally a few times, but I had not tried the Shift-plus-Restart recovery route. I’ll check whether the keys behave differently in Safe Mode.