Windows announced a few days ago that keyboards would add a new key called Copilot that would join the veteran Win key, available on all keyboards since the launch of Windows 95 almost 20 years ago. Microsoft designed this key to be a fundamental part of the PC, so if it stops working, we have a serious problem.
Although it is true that we continue to access the Windows menu using the mouse, if we want to perform a task through a keyboard shortcut that requires this key, we have a problem. The chances of a key on our keyboard stopping working overnight are very unlikely. In fact, it’s more common for the Win key to stop doing this, for reasons we explain below.
Fix a problem with WIN key
As we mentioned above, the WIN key is one of the first to fail on any keyboard. It’s not really that it stops working, but that some keyboards and manufacturers include shortcuts or applications to manage the keyboard that allow you to disable them, a process that you can do without realizing it.
Check the keyboard
Many keyboards, especially gaming keyboards, include a dedicated button to block Windows key operation. Pressing the WIN key while we are playing a game, especially if it is an online multiplayer title, can mean losing the game. This dedicated key is usually displayed at the top of the keyboard.
On other keyboards, you must use the Fn key in combination with the WIN key to activate or deactivate its operation. If this is the case, just below the icon of this key, a padlock will be displayed, indicating that to activate or deactivate this key, you must use the Fn key.
Use the keyboard app
Gaming keyboards that include an application to manage RGB lighting also include a section where we can activate and deactivate both the Win key when we play and the Alt + F4 key combination (to avoid closing the game when we We’re too angry). and Alt Tab to switch between apps.
Clean the keyboard
Keyboards with mechanical switches are more likely to accumulate dirt under the keys due to their high height compared to membrane keyboards and laptops. If we notice that the WIN key is working because it is hard or difficult to squeeze, means that just below the key there is an object that prevents us from pressing the key. There is no point in pressing harder since the only thing we are going to achieve is to separate the key from the keyboard in the best case or break the mechanism in the worst case.
The simplest, fastest and cheapest method is flip the keyboard or laptop, and press it on top while moving it. This way, debris that is not completely stuck will fall under its own weight. Another option is to use a can of compressed air and apply it to the keyboard so that all the accumulated dirt disappears.
Uninstall keyboard
If after trying the solutions given above we still can’t find the problem, it’s time to dig into Windows to find the source of the problem. The first thing we need to do is access Device Manager and uninstall keyboard in the Keyboards section using the right mouse button. By removing it from our PC, Windows will eliminate the used drivers and when we turn the computer back on it will reinstall it using the latest version.
Install Windows Updates
Windows updates don’t just add new features. These updates resolve operating errors which may appear on our PC or may do so in the future, so whenever Windows informs us of the existence of a new update, this is the first thing we must do, especially if our PC has operating problems with the key. WIN or any other.
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