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Why Is Caps Lock Reversed?
There can be a variety of reasons why your caps lock is in reverse on your keyboard, from a stuck shift key to a software error. While I can’t provide you with an exact reason for your problem, I can help you try to figure out what’s going on so you can, hopefully, fix it.
So instead, I’ve compiled a quick list of things you can try based on common reverse caps user cases that should sort out the problem.
How to Fix Reverse Caps Lock on Windows
Try Plugging the Keyboard Out and In Again
There’s a chance the shift and caps keys on your keyboard reversed their order if you had caps lock on and suddenly unplugged the keyboard.
This could also happen because of some internal error that disconnected the keyboard, and then it reconnected on its own. You can try to reverse it back by turning the caps lock on and then plugging the keyboard out and in again.
If you have a laptop then you’re out of luck with this one, but there are a few more things you can try so read on. If you’re comfortable with opening up your laptop and disconnecting then reconnecting the keyboard cable then you can try that. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you know what you’re doing though.
See if a Shift Key is Stuck
You can normally just see with your eyes if a key is stuck, but sometimes the problem is almost imperceptible. It’s especially hard to see if you’re using a laptop as the keys are more flush with the device.
If you’re using a regular keyboard, try to remove the shift keys and clean the area before slotting them back in.
You’ll have to be more careful with a laptop keyboard. Removing the key entirely isn’t typically possible, but you can try sliding something thin, like a needle, under the key and pressing up slightly.
Try the Control Command
Sometimes multiple keys are accidentally pressed on a keyboard for whatever reason and this then activates unwanted features on your computer. Try pressing ctrl+shift+caps lock at the same time and then start typing normally in a document to see if that solves your problem.
Try the Microsoft Word Fix
If you know your caps lock is off on your keyboard but your PC says it’s on then there may be a disconnect between your keyboard output and what your PC is getting.
I’ll be honest, I don’t know if this one actually works. I found it on a forum a while back but it’s worth a try if you’re running out of options. Apparently, if you open up Microsoft Word and type “tHANKS”, the program should automatically correct it to “Thanks”. That could put your PC and keyboard back in sync again.
Turn Caps Lock Off in Word
If you’re using Word then there’s a chance that the app has caps lock turned on automatically. You can change this by right-clicking on the status bar in Word, finding Caps Lock in the list, and turning it off.
The Word status bar is that grey bar at the bottom of your screen where you can zoom the page in and out.
Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter
Go to the search bar on your Windows taskbar and type “troubleshoot” and select the Troubleshoot Settings app to open it. Once there, click on Additional troubleshooters and a new window will open up. Search the list for Keyboard, click on it and then click on Run the troubleshooter.
It may take a while for Windows to find the problem with your keyboard–if it’s able to at all. It’s still worth a try, though, if nothing else so far has worked for you.
Update Your Drivers
There’s a chance something went wrong with your keyboard software, in which case you may be able to give your keyboard a semi-reboot by updating its drivers. To start, right-click on the Windows start button and select Device Manager.
A new window will open with a list of all the components installed on your PC. Find Keyboards on the list and expand it. Right-click on PS/2 Keyboard. Your computer may have a different description than mine, but this term should be part of it. Then select Update driver.
In the new window that appears, select “Browse my computer for drivers” and then click on “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”. Choose the same PS/2 Keyboard option again and click on Next. The update shouldn’t take long and you may have to restart your PC for it to take effect.
Change the Keyboards Settings in Ease of Access Center
It’s possible that your filter keys setting is on. To turn it off, head to the control panel by searching for it in your Windows taskbar. Once there, click on Ease of Access then click on Ease of Access Center.
A new menu will pop up. Just search for “Make the keyboard easier to use” in the list under “Explore all settings” and click on it. Find “Turn on filter keys” in the menu under “Make it easier to type”. Make sure the box is unticked and click on Apply before closing the settings.
Reset your Computer
Sometimes things just go wrong and the only way to fix it is with a hard reset. If you’ve exhausted all the other options here then you may need to consider fully resetting your PC.
Be aware that this will remove all of the files and app stored on your computer and reinstall Windows 10. So be sure to back up any important drives on an external USB drive before starting.
Type “reset” into the search bar on your Windows taskbar and click on Reset this PC. Then select Get started. Follow the prompts that appear. You can choose the “Keep my files” option, but it’s best to be safe and create a backup anyway.
