How to fix keyboard keys typing the wrong characters

Have you ever faced your keyboard typing wrong characters Windows 7? It can be a frustrating experience, especially when you’re in the middle of an important task. 

Good news for you is that this issue is easy to overcome. The tech Howly team gathered their vast expertise in putting things like your keyboard not typing letters right.

This article will cover how to check for hardware, adjust keyboard settings, and other troubleshooting tips. By following these steps, you get your keyboard safe and sound back again. If not, refer to our 24/7 support to resolve it instantly.

Why is my keyboard messed up?

There may be a bunch of concerns. Hardware problems include a broken button or something getting under the keys. Remove the buttons and clean the contacts. In the worst cases, you will need a new keyboard.

Another portion of concerns is connected with software. It could be the Shift key jammed, or Num Lock turned on. Moreover, faulty keyboard drivers may result in a keyboard not typing correctly.

Let’s proceed to how to fix keyboard typing wrong characters. 

Actions to stop my keyboard from typing wrong

Before you move to more sophisticated measures, let’s exclude all minor causes. 

The first thing you need to do in case you have a wired keyboard is to try another port. If switching ports doesn’t help, check if the keyboard LED light is on or if the PC sees the device.  

Something can be stuck below the buttons. Often dust deposits, food remains, and local defects prevent the keys from pressing. Cleaning with a brush, soft cloth, or a solution can help.

If the problem is still in place, proceed to the following options. Try each one to stop the keyboard pressing wrong keys.

Disable the NumLock Key

This difficulty is excruciatingly common; nevertheless, it is elementary to solve. Check if the NumLock button is on your keyboard. 

If it is, just hit it once to disable it. Now your keyboard should work fine.

Reconnect your keyboard

Now it’s time to reinstall it. If you have a wired keyboard (USB keyboard), do as follows:

1. Switch off your PC and unplug the wire of your keyboard from the computer.
2. Wait three minutes, and plug it in again. Alternatively,  change a USB port. 

In the event that you have a wireless keyboard, commence with the following: 

1. Switch off your PC or laptop. 
2. Unplug the receiver and wait for three minutes. 
3. Plug the receiver in again.
4. Start your device to test if a laptop keyboard typing wrong letters problem persists.

Reset the language

How to fix keyboard typing wrong characters Windows 10 may require adjusting the language settings. It resets wired keyboards and moves your language to the Control Panel.

If you’re using Windows 10:

1. Open the Settings app, Time & Language.
2. Pick your language in the Preferred language option and Confirm.

Your preferred language must be replaced down from the top. Return it to the top of the language list. As a variant, delete your preferred language and install it again. 

If you’re using Windows 11:

1. Open the Settings, Time & Language, Language & region. 
2. Find your language and select the three dots. Choose to Move up. 

Then the procedure is the same. Move the languages up and down to exchange their places. It will reset the settings of the keyboard buttons, and it will type correctly again. 

Adjust the language through the registry editor

If your keyboard is typing wrong keys still, go forward with these stages.

1. Go to the Windows Search, enter regedit, and pick the Best match.
2. Move to Computer, to HKEY_USERS, to DEFAULT, to Keyboard Layout, Preload.
3. Click two times on the string named one on the left bar to alter it.
4. Hit a string in the Registry.
5. Put a value of the language regions in the Value data box for your language settings as listed below:00000409 United States
   00000809 United Kingdom
   00001009 Canada
   00001409 New Zealand
   00000c09 Australian
6. Enter this character code into the Value data box. Save and check the changes to stop your keyboard messed up.

Reinstall the driver

Furthermore, if you don’t know how to fix keyboard keys typing wrong characters laptop, look here to update the drivers:

1. Go to the Device Manager with Win+R.
2. Search for your keyboard. Click on it with the mouse’s right button and pick Uninstall device.
3. Restart your operating system. It will have the driver automatically.

Check for Windows updates

The system updates automatically eliminate bugs. Install newly available updates with this: 

1. Hit the keyboard button with the Win image. Input Windows update and pick Settings.
2. Check for updates. The system will download them.
3. Reboot your computer. Check if the difficulty of the keyboard typing wrong letters is present.

Check AutoCorrect option

Since your keyboard operates fine beyond Word documents but goes crazy in them, adjusting AutoCorrect may help. 

Open MS Word, choose File, and select Options. Open the Proofreading bar, then the Autocorrect Options.

The Autocorrect entries are used to change the typed text by mistake. Look into the list of statements and unpick which of them you don’t want.

The system in other text editors is the same. So check the autocorrect there too.

Launch troubleshooter

Windows 10/11 has a troubleshooting. It handles various problems, including messed up keyboard.

1. Navigate to Settings, then Update & Security, Troubleshoot.
2. Hit the Keyboard option and run the troubleshooter.

This can help with the keyboard wrong keys. 

Scan your system for malware

Since keyboards lack a ROM, no virus infects them. Nevertheless, viruses damage the software part of the keyboard. 

To get rid of them, run any antivirus software on your PC. It will show if your Windows 7 keyboard typing wrong letters as a result of the malicious attack.

Buy a new keyboard

Once a keyboard is lagging, more issues keep arising, so replacement is the most logical. Unfortunately, there are cases when the hardware is dead broken.

There are many types of keyboards in the market, and it can be challenging to decide which one is best for you. Look at your user experience and match it.