Are you unable to use keyboard shortcuts on Chrome? Many users reported that Chrome shortcuts are not working on their systems. In this article, we will find out the reasons for this issue and find ways to solve it.
Fix Chrome shortcuts not working in Windows 11/10
If Chrome shortcuts are not working, and you are stuck in this situation, execute the solutions mentioned below.
- Restart the computer
- Make sure that Chrome and Windows are up-to-date
- Check in Chrome Incognito Mode with extensions disabled
- Run the keyboard troubleshooter
- Make sure that there’s no software conflict
- Run Chrome as administrator
- Start or restart the Human Interface Device service
- Clean Chrome’s browser cache
- Reset Chrome
- Reinstall Chrome
Let’s talk about the solutions in detail.
1] Restart the computer
Restarting the computer is a general troubleshooting solution, yet it solves many problems simultaneously. It clears the RAM, restarts system processes and services, updates software, removes glitches, etc. So, restart the PC and check whether doing this helps.
Read: The requested URL was rejected browser error
2] Check whether Chrome and Windows are up-to-date
This error reportedly happens when a user runs the old version of Chrome or Windows or both of them. If this is the same case with you, go to Chrome, click on three dots > Help > About Chrome, and if there’s any update available, Google will automatically install it.
As for Windows, click Win + I to open Settings, go to Windows Updates, check for available updates, and then download and install all pending updates.
3] Check in Chrome Incognito Mode with extensions disabled
Launch Chrome in Incognito Mode, by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N, where browser extensions, etc., will be disabled. See if this makes the problem go away. If the problem disappears, you will have to identify and disable the problematic extension.
4] Run the Keyboard troubleshooter
Windows has the solution to this error as it provides users with a tool that specifically analyzes the issue and provides solutions for that. This tool is called a Keyboard troubleshooter.
Open Start and search for “keyboard problems“. You will see “Find and fix keyboard problems“. Click on it.
The above troubleshooter may get retired any day, so you may use the Troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
Once the wizard appears, follow the on-screen instructions to troubleshoot the issue.
5] Make sure that there’s no software or extension conflict
Another reason why shortcuts are not working can be due to third-party software and extensions. They are known to cause interference with Chrome functions and cause such kinds of errors. In this situation, we recommend users disable or uninstall any recently installed software. However, if you are not sure which software is causing the issue, perform Clean Boot and then manually enable them to find out what’s the cause.
To check for conflicting extensions, open Chrome settings, navigate, click on the Extensions option, disable each extension you currently have running, and relaunch the browser. You then have to enable them manually to find out what’s causing the issue. Once the problem-causing extension is identified, disable or remove that extension.
6] Run Chrome as administrator
Lack of privileges can also be one of the reasons why Chrome shortcuts are not working. To grant Chrome administrative rights, go to the Search box, enter “Chrome”, right-click on it, and then select the Run as administrator option. Hit the Yes button when the User Account Control prompt appears on the screen. Finally, check if the issue is resolved.
7] Start or restart the Human Interface Device service
Well if everything seems to be functioning as it should be, yet the issue persists, then it is high time to make sure that Human Interface Device Service is working in the background. This tool is responsible for all the shortcuts, so follow the steps mentioned below to restart the tool.
- Go to the start menu, type services, and hit the enter button.
- Once the services window appears on the screen, search and right-click on the Human Interface Device service.
- Lastly, select the Start option, if it is already running, hit the Restart option.
Check if this was the cause behind the shortcuts not working.
8] Clean Chrome’s cache
Caches are stored on your computer locally by all the browsers. They allow the browser to access frequently used items as quickly as possible. Every time your browser needs to perform a task it will look for the cache, in case, the caches are corrupted, the task won’t be completed. In that case, you need to clear the cache of the Chrome browser to resolve the issue. Follow the steps mentioned below to do the same.
- Launch Chrome.
- Click on the three dots and select Settings.
- Now, go to the Privacy and Security.
- Click on Clear browsing data.
- Change the Time range to All time and do not deselect any of the selected options.
- Click on Clear Cache.
Finally, check if the issue is resolved.
9] Reset Chrome
More often than not, Chrome files, preferences, user data, or something related to the app get corrupted. This corruption related to the app later on causes disbalance, and we experience in the form of things not working. Hence, if the scenario is applicable, restoring the original default settings in Chrome should fix the error.
Here’s how:
- First, open the Settings option by clicking the three-dot menu button.
- Go to the Reset settings tab and click the Restore settings to their original defaults button.
- Lastly, select the Reset settings button.
The browser will automatically restart itself, use the shortcuts, and check if the error is fixed.
10] Reinstall Chrome
If resetting Chrome was of no use, then the only resort is to reinstall Chrome. This happens when the installation itself gets corrupted or the browser is corrupted beyond repair or reset. Therefore, uninstall Chrome from the PC and download and reinstall the latest browser version.
Hopefully, this will help in solving the problem with Chrome shortcuts.
Read: How to fix Aw, Snap! error message in Google Chrome
Why is Google Chrome not working on Windows?
Google Chrome not working issue can be due to various reasons, such as Antivirus blocking Chrome, corrupted system files or the user profile, and so on. In this condition, we recommend users temporarily disable the antivirus software, delete user profiles, or run Chrome in safe mode. Users can also reset or reinstall Chrome.
Read: Fix ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error on Chrome browser
Why are my Chrome shortcuts not working?
Shortcuts in Chrome are not working, and this generally happens either due to normal glitches, or outdated Chrome and Windows versions. This can also happen if any third-party software or extension interferes with Chrome, causing its shortcuts not to work properly.
Also Read: Fix Error code Out of Memory in Chrome, Edge, Brave.
