Written byLuigi Oppido|Edited byDarlene Antonelli, MA
Last Updated: April 10, 2024
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When you press a letter key on your keyboard, you expect to see just that letter on the screen. So why are you seeing three Es, or a mix of other letters, when you only pressed the E key once? This wikiHow article will teach you how to fix a keyboard that's typing multiple letters on Windows 10 with both hardware and software solutions.
Easy Ways to Fix a Keyboard That’s Typing Multiple Letters
Dust and clean your keyboard and keys.
Scan your computer for viruses and remove any compromised files.
Restart your computer and update your keyboard driver.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Fixing the Hardware
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1
Clean your keyboard. If you live in a highly dusty or dirty area (like with a pet that sheds a lot), then your keyboard will probably accumulate that dust and dirt under the keys. In the process of cleaning your keyboard, make sure you tilt it to see if any dirt or dust falls out on its own.
If you're using a mechanical keyboard (the keys are high off the board), then you can use a key puller to remove every key and clean under it.
For those using a laptop keyboard or a normal keyboard that doesn't have the feature to pull off keys, you can use a can of compressed air to clean the dust and dirt from your keyboard or put a tiny bit of isopropyl alcohol underneath the key and hit it a couple times. Make sure to only do this with the computer completely powered off.
2
Make sure the USB connection is secure (if you're using a USB connection). Check that the cables aren't compromised or shredded. Also, check that the USB port from your keyboard to your computer is clean and secure as well as the USB end of the cable.
If you aren't sure about the USB port you're using, plug it into a different port.
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3
Make sure the charge is good (if you have a wireless keyboard). A keyboard that is low on power might not pick up all of your keypresses or enter incorrect keypresses.[1]
You're able to test your keyboard after each step in this method. However, if the problem persists after you've done all these steps, you'll need to continue to fix any software issues that may be causing your keyboard to type multiple letters when you press a single key.
Scan your computer with Windows Security. To start a scan, press Win + I to open Settings, then go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Quick Scan.
You'll see a progress bar and "Estimated time remaining" that indicate the process of the scan. If there are any malicious files found, you'll see them here and can remove them if prompted.
Once you remove any harmful files, try to use your keyboard to see if any of the problems have been fixed. If not, continue to the next step.
2
Restart your computer. Restarting your computer might help fix any small software issues that might be causing your keyboard to type multiple letters when you press a single key.
Upon restarting, test your keyboard again in a word processor like Word or Docs. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
3
Update your keyboard drivers (if you're not using the built-in keyboard on a laptop). Open Device Manager by pressing the Win key and searching "Device Manager" in the search bar that appears in your taskbar. Click "Keyboard" to expand the list and right-click your keyboard. Finally, click Update driver.
If you're using the built-in keyboard on a laptop, you won't see a menu for "Keyboard," so skip to the next step.
4
Adjust the keyboard repeat delay. Open your Keyboard Properties by pressing Win and searching "keyboard" when the taskbar and Start menu appear. Click to open "Keyboard" which is another Control Panel feature.
Drag the slider to left or right to change the repeat delay. If you move the slider to the left, the repeat delay is longer. In that case, if you accidentally press "E" quickly a few times, your keyboard will only type one "E".
Click OK to save your changes and continue.
If you're still experiencing issues with your keyboard typing multiple letters when you press a single key, continue to the next step.
5
Run the troubleshooter. Press the keyboard shortcutWin + I to open Settings, then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters > Keyboard (under "Find and fix other problems) > Run the troubleshooter. Then follow the on-screen instructions to progress through the troubleshooter.[2]
If you still see that your keyboard is typing multiple letters when you press a single key, continue to the next step.
Check your keyboard's language settings. Press the keyboard shortcut Win + I to open Settings, then go to Time & Language > Language > Keyboard and select the language you want your keyboard to use.
As a final test, try using the keyboard with a different computer; if the problem is fixed, then it's a software issue. If the problem persists, your keyboard has a hardware issue.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about fixing keyboards, check out our in-depth interview with Luigi Oppido.
This article was written by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been viewed 91,328 times.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: April 10, 2024
Views:91,328
Categories: Windows 10
Article SummaryX
1. Clean your keyboard. 2. Make sure the USB connection is secure (if you're using a USB connection). 3. Make sure the charge is good (if you have a wireless keyboard).
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Press "NumLock" or press "FN" + "NumLock" keys to make sure that it is disabled. Try typing again to see if your keys are fixed. If this doesn't fix your problem, you may have the wrong language selected. Switch between your active keyboard layouts.
Press "NumLock" or press "FN" + "NumLock" keys to make sure that it is disabled. Try typing again to see if your keys are fixed. If this doesn't fix your problem, you may have the wrong language selected. Switch between your active keyboard layouts.
Keyboard Settings: Go to your system settings and check the keyboard settings.Look for options related to key repeat rate and delay.Adjust these settings to see if it resolves the issue. Accessibility Options: Check if any accessibility options are turned on that might be causing the repeating key issue.
Easy Ways to Fix a Keyboard That's Typing Multiple Letters
Dust and clean your keyboard and keys. Scan your computer for viruses and remove any compromised files. Restart your computer and update your keyboard driver.
Click the Windows logo key + R simultaneously, and type “devmgmt. msc,” or open Windows Settings and find the Device Manager in the control panel. 2. Click “Keyboards” and select the one that needs to be reset.
Occasionally, when typing on the keyboard, numbers and symbols replace the letters. Typically, this issue occurs when the num lock key is pressed, enabling a mode in which the keyboard doubles as a number pad.
Sometimes your keyboard doesn't go wrong and the only problem is that the NumLock key on the keyboard is enabled. As a result, the issue of keyboard not typing correctly happens in Windows 10/11.
On the 'Ease of Access' settings screen, scroll down and select 'Keyboard' in the left-hand column. On the right of the screen, scroll down and under the 'Filter Keys' heading click or tap the On/Off toggle switch labelled 'Ignore or slow down brief or repeated keystrokes and adjust keyboard repeat rates'.
Note: Some swapped keys may be due to the incorrect language setting (for example, UK instead of US English, " instead of @). Go to Start Menu and Settings > Time & Language. Click Language on the left pane, and click Add a language.
To stop overwriting the next character whenever you type a letter, press the "Insert" key on your keyboard. The Insert key is located to the left of the Home key on most keyboards.
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