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Article ID : 00355202 / Last Modified : 07/28/2025Print

How to remove and reinstall the keyboard driver on a Windows PC

    Follow the steps below (in order) to remove and reinstall the keyboard driver on your Windows PC.

    Before you start

    • You cannot uninstall and reinstall the keyboard driver on a Windows PC as a standard user. 

    • This procedure must be performed while logged in as an administrator or using an account with administrator rights.

      You will need to:

      • Use an administrator account (even temporarily).
      • If you don't have administrator rights, you can request admin credentials from IT or whoever manages the PC.

    • This process will require you to restart your computer one or more times. Make sure to save any work before restarting your computer.

    Step 1: Access the Device Manager 

    1. Click the Start button.

    2. Enter "device manager" in the search bar.

    3. Select Device Manager in the search results.
      Use the search tool to type in "device manager" and select Device Manager in the search results.

    Step 2: Uninstall the keyboard driver

    1. Open the Device Manager window.
      Note: If you are logged in as a standard user, a warning will pop up on your screen before you can access the Device Manager:
      Dialogue box with the following warning: "You are logged on as a standard user. You can view device settings in Device Manager, but you must be logged on as an administrator to make changes."

    2. In the Device Manager window, find and double-click Keyboards to expand the category.

    3. Under Keyboards, select your keyboard device (e.g., Standard 101/102-Key, Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard).
      In the Device Manager window, double-click "Keyboards" and choose your keyboard device.

    4. On the menu bar at the top, click Driver → Uninstall Device.
      Note: If the Uninstall Device option is greyed out, you may be logged in as a standard user. You must be logged in as an administrator to make changes to the keyboard driver.
      In the Driver tab, select "Uninstall Device" to uninstall the device the system.

    5. In the confirmation dialogue box, click Uninstall.
      If an additional prompt appears, click Yes. Your computer will restart.

    Step 3: Wait for the drivers to automatically reinstall

    After restarting, Windows will attempt to detect the keyboard and automatically reinstall the necessary drivers.

    Note: Your computer may restart more than once during this process.

    Step 4: Manually reinstall the keyboard driver (if necessary)

    If the driver does not reinstall automatically after restarting your computer:

    1. Go to the Device Manager (Step 1).

    2. In the Device Manager window, find and double-click Keyboards to expand the category.

    3. Under Keyboards, select your keyboard device.

    4. On the menu bar at the top, click Driver → Update Driver.
      Note: If the Update Driver option is greyed out, you may be logged in as a standard user. You must be logged in as an administrator to make changes to the keyboard driver.
      In the Driver tab, select "Update Driver" to update the driver for this device.

    5. Selecting Update Driver allows Windows to search for the keyboard again and reinstall the driver. You will also have the option to browse for keyboard drivers on your computer and manually install them.

    Optional: Download drivers from your computer manufacturer

    • If the keyboard still doesn't work properly, visit the PC or keyboard manufacturer’s website to download and install the latest keyboard drivers manually.

    • This is especially useful for specialised keyboards or gaming keyboards with extra features.

    Frequently Asked Questions


    Q1: What if I don't have administrator access? Is there a workaround?

    If you're dealing with issues like an unresponsive keyboard and have no admin access, try the following:

    • Restart the PC (sometimes the driver reloads automatically)
    • Use an external keyboard (USB or Bluetooth)


    Q2: Why can't I remove or reinstall the keyboard driver as a standard user?

    Windows considers driver management a system-level task that can affect security and stability. As a standard user, you can view the keyboard settings in the Device Manager, but you must be logged in as an administrator to:

    • Update keyboard drivers
    • Install or uninstall keyboard drivers