MSI’s SteelSeries keyboards are among some of the best gaming keyboards for challenging the world of gaming. They allow you to play at high speeds. And the customizing features are top-notch. But if your MSI keyboard isn’t working the way it should. Reaching the top level is going to take some time. The keyboard can stop working for many reasons. There are some easy fixes, which we’ll go over with you today. Different keyboard models will be equipped with different versions of the SteelSeries Engine according to the manufacturing period, which is worth considering as you pour over these possible fixes.
MSI Keyboard Not Working – Easy Fixes
If your MSI keyboard isn’t working, there are a couple of tricks you can do to fix it. Luckily for you, all the Methods are basic. And don’t require advanced skills.
Method 1: Update the Driver
If your keyboard driver is expired, it’s likely the reason why your keyboard isn’t working. Most computer devices only work on drivers that are up to date. These include printers, keyboards, and even motherboards. So, the first thing you should check when the keyboard stops working is the driver.
If you find that it’s not up to date, follow these steps for an update:
- Click on the start menu.
- Type ‘device manager’ in the search box and select the best matches.
- Open the Device Manager, then select the keyboard drivers.
- Right-click on your keyboard’s name, then click update driver.
- Click on ‘Search for the updated driver software’.
- Follow the instructions until the updating is done.
- Restart your laptop and see if the keyboard works.
If the keyboard still isn’t working after updating your driver, proceed to the next Method.
Method 2: Uninstall the Keyboard Driver
After updating the driver, you may try uninstalling, then reinstalling it. In most cases, that should fix the problem. To uninstall the keyboard driver, follow these steps:
- Press the Windows then the R key to open the Run dialogue box.
- Type ‘devmgmt.msc’ into the command box and click Enter. The Device Manager will open.
- Right-click on your keyboard driver’s name, then click on ‘Uninstall Device’.
- Restart the laptop and the keyboard driver should be reinstalled automatically.
After you restart the laptop, the system will automatically reinstall the keyboard driver. Now, the keyboard keys should work perfectly well. If you’re still experiencing issues, move on to the next Method.
Method 3: Scan Your System for Viruses
There are many viruses that can stop hardware like the keyboard from working properly. Some viruses are even vicious enough to damage the laptop. Especially if you don’t have an antivirus software constantly running checks in the background.
If you suspect a virus infection is the reason why your keyboard is malfunctioning. The best thing to do is to carry out a scanning test using your favorite antivirus software. These are the steps you need to follow:
- Open your antivirus software and run a full system scan.
- The antivirus will check all drives, files, registry, and folders on your system. Relax because this may take a while.
- The antivirus software will notify you if it finds any viruses that are causing havoc to your system. Then, it’ll ask if it should remove them for you.
- If you agree, the antivirus will remove the infected files from your laptop.
- Restart the device and test to see if the keyboard works now.
Method 4: Reinstall Your Operating System
If your iteration of Windows is up to date and your laptop isn’t hampered by any viruses. But the keyboard still isn’t working. As a last resort, you may need to reinstall Windows. While there’s only a 50:50 chance this will fix the problem, it’s still worth a shot.
Follow these steps to reinstall Windows:
- Click on the Windows and the I key simultaneously to open the Settings page.
- Click on the Update & security section.
- You’ll find a recovery option in the left side panel; click it.
- Go to the ‘Reset PC’ section and click on Get Started.
- The system will ask if you want to keep your files or remove everything. Choose your preferred option and proceed. But if you want to do a clean installation, you’ll need to remove everything.
- Click Reset and Windows will take a few minutes while it completes the resetting process.
- Once the resetting is done, restart the laptop and check to see if the keyboard is working.
Common MSI Keyboard Issues
MSI keyboard users can face many issues for different reasons. Here’s a roundup of the most common problems you may encounter using an MSI keyboard along with some troubleshooters, so you’ll be ready for anything.
Keyboard Not Detected
If your keyboard isn’t detected by your laptop, you’ll have to uninstall and reinstall the keyboard drivers. Alternatively, you may update your drivers if they aren’t already up to date. As a last resort, run a full system scan using your antivirus to catch any infections.
Backlighting Not Working
If the backlighting on your MSI keyboard isn’t working, you’ll need to install the latest version of steel series engine 3 from the MSI official website.
Color Not Working
If your keyboard colors aren’t working, you can try increasing brightness. Check the SSE software on your laptop for updates if that doesn’t work.
If the error is still there after you perform the update, try reinstalling the SSE software itself.
How to Reset Your MSI Keyboard
Although it’s a pretty simple answer. Resetting any digital device is usually the right way to go. Is your smartphone not working? Turn it off and reset it. Is your laptop struggling with basic tasks? Reset it.
The same goes for MSI keyboards. Sometimes, a glitch can occur for the simplest reason. And it only needs a reset to fix it.
To reset your MSI keyboard, follow these steps:
- Unplug the keyboard from your laptop.
- Press on the ESC key on your laptop’s keyboard and hold it while the MSI keyboard is unplugged.
- Replug the MSI keyboard while continuing to hold down the ESC key.
- Keep holding the ESC key until the lights on the MSI keyboard turn on.
Can the Battery Be the Reason the Keyboard Isn’t Working?
Using your laptop and MSI keyboard for hours at a time can cause both to overheat. Consequently, the battery may get affected. And the keyboard may stop working as a failsafe.
If you think overheating is the main problem, you can try turning off the laptop and letting both devices breathe for a while. Adding extra RAM is a proven way to keep your laptop running smoothly without battery issues.
If the battery is all good, then the problem is probably somewhere else. Reinstalling the keyboard driver should work in most cases. If it doesn’t, there’s a chance your problem is more complicated.
