Keyboard or Mouse Not Working in Windows: Troubleshooting

First decide whether one device or the whole input path has failed

A keyboard or mouse that does not respond can be affected by power, batteries, a damaged cable, a USB port, a hub, a wireless receiver, Bluetooth pairing, a driver or the device itself. If both stop at the same time, check shared connections and Windows behavior before concluding that both devices failed independently.

If you can, connect a known-good wired keyboard or mouse directly to the computer. For a laptop, the built-in touchpad or on-screen keyboard may provide a temporary path into Settings. Test the failing device on another compatible computer if available; do not plug an unfamiliar device into a work machine or use an untrusted USB accessory.

Troubleshoot wired USB keyboards and mice

Unplug the device, wait briefly, then reconnect it. Try a different USB port and connect directly to the computer instead of through a hub, dock or monitor. If the hub has external power, confirm that it is connected and powered. Check the cable and connector for visible damage.

If one port works and another does not, the device may be fine and the fault may involve the port, hub or dock. If the same device also fails on another compatible computer, the device or cable becomes a stronger suspect. These comparisons narrow the path but are not definitive hardware tests.

Do not force a connector into a port, use liquid to clean the device, or continue using a damaged cable. If a USB port is bent, loose, unusually hot or smells burnt, stop using it and arrange inspection.

1. Reconnect the device and test a second direct USB port.
2. Bypass a hub, docking station or monitor USB port if possible.
3. Test a known-good device in the same port and the affected device on another compatible computer.
4. For a laptop with no working input, connect a reliable external keyboard/mouse before proceeding.
5. Record which connection/device combinations work rather than changing several things at once.

Check batteries, receivers and Bluetooth

For battery-powered devices, recharge them or fit fresh batteries in the correct orientation. Check the device's power switch and status light. For USB receiver models, connect the receiver directly to the computer and follow the manufacturer's pairing or reset process if the device has lost its link.

Bluetooth devices must be charged, discoverable and within range. In Windows, verify Bluetooth is enabled and remove/re-pair the accessory only if you can reliably navigate Settings. If Bluetooth itself is missing or many accessories disconnect, use the separate Bluetooth troubleshooting guide rather than repeatedly pairing the same keyboard or mouse.

Do not assume a 2.4 GHz USB receiver and Bluetooth are interchangeable. Some peripherals support both modes, some support only one, and the manufacturer's directions determine which connection method applies.

• Turn the device off and on once, then check battery or charge status.
• For a Bluetooth accessory, verify pairing mode and remove nearby interference where practical.
• Test another Bluetooth accessory if available to see whether the problem follows one device or the PC.
• For receiver-based models, confirm the correct receiver is being used and connected.

Check keyboard layout and input settings

If the keyboard responds but types unexpected characters, first check the active keyboard layout or input language. Also verify Num Lock on keyboards with a numeric keypad and test the same keys in another application. This symptom is different from a keyboard that produces no input at all.

For slow or repeated input, check whether the issue happens in every app and after closing unusually resource-heavy programs. Some accessibility options change how keys repeat or how modifier keys behave. Review those settings only if the symptoms match, and record the original values before changing them.

If only one key or button consistently fails across different applications and another computer, physical wear or damage becomes more likely. Software tests cannot repair a broken switch or cable.

Update device drivers through trusted sources

If the device powers on and the physical connection is sound but Windows does not detect it, check Device Manager for a warning icon or error code under Keyboards, Mice and other pointing devices, Human Interface Devices or Universal Serial Bus controllers. The exact category depends on the device and driver.

Start with Windows Update and, where needed, the official support page for the exact computer or peripheral. Avoid third-party driver-updater tools. If the failure started just after an update and a supported rollback option is available, record the driver version before testing the previous version.

Before uninstalling an input-device driver, make sure an alternate input method is available. Blindly removing drivers from a system that has no working keyboard or mouse can make recovery unnecessarily difficult.

1. Record the device name and any Device Manager error code.
2. Install applicable Windows updates and restart.
3. Check the PC or peripheral maker's official support page for model-specific drivers.
4. Change one driver or connection variable at a time, then repeat the original test.
5. If the device remains undetected across known-good ports and hosts, consider hardware service or replacement.

When to seek repair or use a fallback

If an input device was exposed to liquid, has a damaged connector, becomes unusually hot or has a burning smell, disconnect it and stop testing. For a desktop with no working keyboard or mouse, a known-good wired USB device is often the simplest recovery path; on many laptops, the built-in touchpad or Windows on-screen keyboard can help temporarily if those controls still work.

If both input devices fail only after Windows starts, but work in firmware setup or another boot environment, investigate Windows drivers, startup utilities or recent updates. If they fail in multiple environments and on different ports, hardware or firmware deserves more attention. Do not assume one observation proves the cause.

Back up important data before any system reset or reinstall, and do not start a destructive recovery procedure simply because input is unavailable.

Bottom line

Start with power, direct connections and a known-good comparison. Then separate USB, receiver and Bluetooth failures from keyboard-layout or driver problems. Use Windows Update and official manufacturer guidance, and stop if the device or port shows physical damage.