Keyboard Tester: Check Every Key Online
This keyboard tester shows every key you press on an on-screen keyboard. Keys light up yellow while held down and turn green once tested, so you can quickly spot dead keys, stuck keys and ghosting on laptop, office and gaming keyboards. It also shows the exact key name and code your browser receives.
Typing box (to test key repeat and input)
Key presses are only shown on this page. Nothing is recorded or sent to our server.
Quick answer: Click the dark keyboard area, then press every key. Each key turns green after it works. Any key that stays grey when you press it is not sending a signal.
How to use the keyboard tester
- Click the on-screen keyboard so it has focus (a blue outline appears).
- Press each key in turn. Yellow means the key is held down now; green means it has been tested.
- Watch Last key and event.code to see exactly what the computer receives, useful for keyboards with other layouts or remapped keys.
- Use the typing box to check that letters appear correctly and that holding a key repeats it.
Some keys are handled by your operating system before the browser sees them, such as the Windows key, Print Screen, Fn and media keys, so they may not light up even if they work.
How to check for ghosting and rollover
Ghosting is when a keyboard drops key presses because too many keys are held at once. Press and hold several keys together, for example W, A, Shift and Space, the way you would in a game. Keys held now should match the number you are holding. Many office keyboards register only 2 to 3 keys in some combinations; gaming keyboards advertise “N-key rollover”, meaning every key counts no matter how many you press.
Fixing common keyboard problems
- Dead key: turn the keyboard over and shake out crumbs, or blow compressed air under the keycap. On mechanical keyboards, pull the keycap and clean the switch.
- Sticky or repeating key: clean around it with a cotton bud and a little isopropyl alcohol, with the keyboard unplugged or the laptop off.
- Wrong characters: the keyboard layout is wrong. On Windows, press Windows+Space to switch layouts; on a Mac, check System Settings, Keyboard, Input Sources.
- Number pad does nothing: press Num Lock.
- Wireless keyboard lag: replace the batteries and move the receiver closer, for example with a USB extension cable.
- Laptop keys not working at all: try an external keyboard. If it works, update the keyboard driver or restart; if not, it may be a software or settings problem.
What do key and code mean?
event.key is the character the key produces in your current layout, such as “a” or “A”. event.code is the physical key position, such as “KeyA”, which stays the same whatever the layout. Developers use code for game controls, so WASD works on any keyboard.
Testing other hardware? Try the mic test or the dead pixel test. See how fast you type with our typing test.
FAQ
Does the keyboard tester work on a Mac?
Yes. The Command key shows as “Win” on the layout but is detected as MetaLeft or MetaRight.
Are my key presses recorded?
No. They are only shown on this page and forgotten when you leave.
More free tools
See all of them on the QuickOnlineTips free online tools page and play our free online games.