How to Fix a Spacebar: Quick & Easy Guide for Windows & Mac

Try one of these easy fixes if your spacebar suddenly stops working

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: August 28, 2024 Fact Checked

Has your spacebar suddenly stopped working? This is a frustrating issue, especially if you use your computer for work, school, or fun. In this article we'll go over all the ways you can try to fix your spacebar, including cleaning it, fixing keyboard drivers, and more.

Reasons Your Spacebar Isn't Working

The spacebar on your computer or laptop may not be working because the device cannot recognize the key. This can happen when the rubber dome or switch holding the key in place is dirty or damaged.

1

Remove Dust From the Spacebar

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Remove debris from under the keys on your keyboard. Dust in your keyboard is one of the most common reasons behind a spacebar that doesn't work. To clean under the spacebar and remove dust, use a can of compressed air. Position the nozzle under and around the key and spray, using the air to dislodge dirt, crumbs, or other debris that could be under there.
- Don't turn the can of compressed air upside down and spray. This will cause the propellant to be sprayed out of the can, which could damage your keyboard. This propellant is also very cold, and could cause injury.

2

Clean the Spacebar & Switches

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Remove the spacebar keycap and clean underneath it with isopropyl alcohol. Another common reason spacebars stop working is sticky residue from spilling liquid on your keyboard. Whether you have a mechanical keyboard or membrane keyboard, you can clean under the spacebar keycap by removing it.
- Unplug, disconnect, or turn off your keyboard before continuing.
- Use a keycap puller, paper clip, or screwdriver to gently pry the spacebar keycap from the keyboard.
- Dip a cotton swab in 70% or higher isopropyl alcohol (though 99% isopropyl alcohol is recommended). The cotton swab should be saturated but not dripping wet.
- Clean up any residue under the spacebar with the dampened swab. Also be sure to clean the underside of the spacebar keycap and the switches (if you have a mechanical keyboard).
  - If the switches are very dirty, take a fresh cotton swab and dip it in the isopropyl alcohol. Press the tip of the swab into the switch, pushing up and down on it, so the excess alcohol flows into the switch to loosen and dissolve any residue.
- Allow the keyboard to dry for a few hours to a day before reassembling it and attempting to use it again. To reattach the spacebar, simply press the keycap back into place.

3

Check Keyboard Connectivity

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If your keyboard plugs into your computer, make sure it's plugged in properly. Unplug the USB cable and plug it back in, ensuring the port is seated securely. If your keyboard uses a Bluetooth dongle, ensure that the dongle is plugged in properly and that you're using the keyboard within Bluetooth range (about 30 feet).

4

Disable Sticky Keys (Windows)

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Turn off Sticky Keys. Sticky Keys is a Windows accessibility feature^{[1]
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Research source}, but it can sometimes cause certain keys to not work as expected. If you're on a Windows computer, make sure Sticky Keys is turned off to see if that's the source of your spacebar issues:
- In the task bar searchbar, type sticky keys.
- Select the settings option that says Show the Sticky Keys icon on the taskbar to open your computer's Sticky Keys settings.
- Ensure Sticky Keys is toggled off. If it isn't, click the toggle to turn it off.
  - You can also uncheck the box that says Allow the shortcut key to start Sticky Keys. This will disable Sticky Keys starting if you hit the Shift button five times.

5

Update Your Operating System

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Make sure your operating system is up to date. An outdated operating system can cause a lot of issues, including keys on your keyboard not working properly.
- Windows: In the task bar searchbar, type update. Select Check for updates, then click Restart now if you have a pending update to install.
- Mac: Navigate to System Settings/Preferences > General > Software Update. If there's a pending update, click Update Now.

6

Roll Back Keyboard Drivers (Windows)

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Roll back your keyboard drivers. If your keyboard stops working after you update your drivers, try rolling back to the previous keyboard driver to see if that fixes the issue.
- Press ⊞ Win+X.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the Keyboard option.
- Right-click your keyboard and select Properties.
- Choose the Driver tab.
- Click Rollback Driver to switch back to the previous driver version.

7

Reinstall Keyboard Drivers (Windows)

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Reinstall your keyboard driver. If rolling back to the previous driver version does not work, try reinstalling your keyboard drivers.
- Press ⊞ Win+X.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the Keyboard option.
- Right-click your keyboard and select Properties.
- Choose the Driver tab.
- Select Uninstall Device.
- Once the device has been uninstalled, restart your computer. Your computer will automatically reinstall your keyboard driver once it restarts.

8

Check for Malware

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While it's not a common cause, sometimes malware could be the reason your spacebar isn't working anymore. If nothing else has worked, try doing a malware scan. You can use Windows Defender or a third-party malware scanner on Windows, or a third-party malware scanner on Mac. If any malware is detected, use your malware scanner's tools to quarantine and remove the virus from your computer, and check out this wikiHow article on how to remove computer viruses.

9

Contact a Repair Specialist

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Contact a repair specialist or your computer's manufacturer. If your keyboard is broken and nothing else seems to be working, you can contact a repair specialist or your computer's manufacturer (such as Apple for any problems with your Mac keyboard).
- If you have an external keyboard, it will likely be more cost effective to just replace the keyboard.

10

Purchase a New Keyboard

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If your keyboard is still under warranty, use the documentation that came with your computer or keyboard to have the manufacturer replace it. If your keyboard is not under warranty, you can purchase a new keyboard from most electronics stores, department stores with an electronics section, or Amazon.