9 Ways to Fix a Windows Caps Lock Key With a Reversed Functionality

You’ve disabled the Caps Lock key, but you suddenly see capital letters on your screen when you type. And when you enable Caps Lock, your PC starts displaying small letters.

If you’re experiencing this issue, then the functionality of the Caps Lock key is likely reversed. So, let’s explore some of the possible solutions to this problem.

1. Ensure the Caps Lock Key Isn’t Stuck

It’s often easy to tell if a keyboard key is stuck. But sometimes, you might have to go the extra mile to check whether your keys are stuck.

Unsure if the Caps Lock key is stuck or not? If the key is hard when you press it, it’s likely stuck.

If you’re still in doubt, try this method:

1. Type on-screen keyboard in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
2. Look at the Caps Lock key. If it’s highlighted in blue, then it means it’s stuck.

To repair a stuck Caps Lock key, press it repeatedly and see if that helps. Alternatively, try removing any dirt that might have accumulated around the key.

2. Reconnect the Keyboard

Using a desktop device? Then the Caps Lock issue might be caused by cable connection problems.

In this case, all you need to do is unplug the keyboard and then reconnect it. Also, remember to unplug other external devices that might interfere with the keyboard.

And if you’re using a Bluetooth keyboard, try reconnecting it and see if that helps.

3. Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter

Did you know that Windows has built-in troubleshooters that can help you tackle various issues? In this case, we’ll check out how you can tackle the Caps Lock issue using the Keyboard troubleshooter.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Press Win + I to open the system settings.
2. Select the Update & Security option.
3. Click Troubleshoot on the left.
4. Select Additional troubleshooters on the right.
5. Click the Keyboard option and press the Run the troubleshooter button.

Follow the on-screen steps and then restart your PC to save these changes.

Did the troubleshooter manage to work its magic? Check out our guide to every Windows 11 troubleshooter for a full run-down on what you can do with them.

4. Configure the Keyboard Settings in the Ease of Access Center

The issue at hand might be caused by the way you’ve configured the Ease of Access Center settings. For instance, maybe you’re running into issues because you’ve enabled the “Use Filter Keys” button in the Ease of Access Center.

The Filter Keys option is an accessibility feature that tells the keyboard to ignore brief or repeated keystrokes.

Let’s check out how you can tackle the issue by tweaking some Ease of Access Center settings:

1. Type Ease of Access Settings in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
2. Select the Keyboard option on the left.
3. Turn off the Use Filter Keys button.

And while you’re at it, uncheck the Allow the shortcut key to start Filter Keys box. When this option is enabled, it will turn on the Filter Keys if you press and hold the right Shift key for about eight seconds.

5. Update or Reinstall the Keyboard Drivers

In some instances, the Caps Lock issue might be caused by corrupted or incompatible keyboard drivers. So, the best way to resolve the problem is to update or reinstall these drivers.

Let’s check out the steps for updating the keyboard drivers:

1. Type Device Manager in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
2. Double-click on the Keyboards option to expand it.
3. Right-click on the relevant keyboard driver.
4. Select Update driver from the options and follow the on-screen steps.

Now, let’s explore how you can reinstall the keyboard drivers:

1. Navigate to the Keyboard driver as per the previous steps.
2. Right-click the relevant keyboard driver and select Uninstall device.
3. Click the Action tab in the top-left corner and select the Scan for hardware changes option.

Wait for the process to complete, and then restart your PC.

If the issue is caused by system bugs or corrupted files, then the DISM and SFC tools could help you out. We covered these in further detail in our guide on the differences between DISM, SFC, and CHKDSK.

Let’s start with a DISM scan:

1. Type Command Prompt in the Start menu search bar.
2. Right-click on the Best match result and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command and press Enter:

 DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth 

Wait for the process to complete. Next, type the following command and press Enter:

 DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth 

Wait for the process to complete, and then restart your PC. From there, run an SFC scan through these steps:

1. Access an elevated Command Prompt by following the previous steps.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

 sfc /scannow 

Wait for the scan to complete, and then restart your device.

If the issue is caused by system bugs, then the built-in security tools could also help. For example, you can perform a full scan on your PC to remove any harmful programs.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Press Win + I to open the system settings.
2. Select Update & Security from the options.
3. Click Windows Security on the left.
4. Select the Virus & threat protection option.
5. Click Scan options in the middle pane.
6. Pick the Full scan option and click the Scan now button.

Wait for the process to complete, and then restart your Windows device.

8. Use a System Restore Point

A System Restore point might also help you tackle the issue at hand. But then this solution will only be helpful if you’ve already created a restore point on your PC.

Now, let’s check out the steps you can apply to tackle this error:

1. Type Control Panel in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
2. Click the View by drop-down menu and select Small icons.
3. Select Recovery from the options.
4. Click the Open System Restore option and press Next to continue.
5. Select your preferred restore point, click Next, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

9. Install the Latest Windows Updates

Still struggling to fix your Caps Lock key? Try updating your device and see if that helps.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Click the Windows Start Menu icon and select PC Settings. Alternatively, check out the various ways to access the Windows system settings.
2. Select Update & Security from the options.
3. Click the Windows Update option.
4. Press the Check for updates button on the right and then follow the on-screen steps.

Your Caps Lock Key Is Now Repaired

Your Caps Lock key might suddenly malfunction or get stuck. If this key gives you any issues, simply repair it using any of the solutions we’ve covered.

And if any of your keys become sticky at some point, there are a couple of solutions that can help with that too.