Keyboard or Mouse ONLY works in Safe Mode [Fix]

Some users noticed that their keyboard or mouse only works in Safe Mode. When they exit the Safe Mode and start Windows in normal mode, their keyboard or mouse stops working. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode on Windows computers that you can use to fix the issues. Windows loads only necessary drivers when you start your computer in Safe Mode. In this article, we will talk about this issue and see some solutions to fix this problem.

Keyboard or Mouse only works in Safe Mode

If the keyboard or mouse only works in Safe Mode, use the solutions below to fix this issue. Before you try these fixes, if the issue started occurring after installing a Windows Update, you can uninstall that problematic update.

Reinstall your keyboard or mouse driver
Check hidden devices in the Device Manager
Install another compatible mouse or keyboard driver
Remove your laptop battery
Troubleshoot in a Clean Boot state
Perform System Restore.

Below, we have explained all these fixes in detail.

1] Reinstall your keyboard or mouse driver

You are able to use your mouse or keyboard in Safe Mode but it does not work in normal mode. Hence, the problem may be associated with the device driver. Uninstall and reinstall your mouse or keyboard driver by following the steps mentioned below:

Open the Device Manager.
Depending on the affected device, expand the Keyboards or Mice and other pointing devices branch.
Right-click on your mouse or keyboard driver and select Uninstall device.
Restart your computer.

The missing driver will automatically be installed on restart.

2] Check hidden devices in the Device Manager

Hidden device drivers can cause conflict sometimes due to which problems occur. Check if any hidden device is showing in the Device Manager or not. To do so, follow the steps provided below:

Open the Device Manager.
Go to “View > Show hidden devices.”
Now, expand the Keyboards and Mice and other pointing devices branch. You may see some hidden drivers for the same device.

Double-click on the hidden driver(s) one by one. If it shows an error message, like Currently, this hardware is not connected to the computer (Code 45), uninstall that driver and restart your computer.

Read: Keyboard or Mouse works in BIOS but NOT in Windows

3] Install another compatible mouse or keyboard driver

You can also install another compatible device driver via the Device Manager. This method works in most cases where the hardware device does not work. The steps to install another compatible keyboard or mouse driver are written below:

Open the Device Manager.
Right-click on your keyboard or mouse driver and select Update driver.
Select Browse my computer for drivers.
Select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
Make sure that the Show compatible drivers checkbox is selected.
Install the available device driver(s) one by one and restart your computer.

4] Remove your laptop battery

Is your laptop battery working fine? Some users reported that the issue was occurring due to a faulty laptop battery. To check this, turn off your laptop and remove its battery. Now, turn on your laptop without inserting the battery. Check if the issue persists. If your keyboard or mouse starts working in normal mode, you should change your laptop battery.

In addition to this, try to drain residual power. To do so, remove all peripherals and batteries after turning off your laptop. Now, press and hold the power button for up to 30 seconds. Now, insert the battery and turn on your laptop.

5] Troubleshoot in a Clean Boot state

If a third-party application or service is causing this problem, you can identify it in the Clean Boot state. There is a strong likelihood of this being the cause as your Mouse & keyboard works in Safe Mode – but no in the normal mode.

Start your computer in the Clean Boot state and see if you can use your mouse or keyboard. If yes, you can identify the problematic third-party app or service by enabling and disabling it.

6] Perform System Restore

Windows 11/10 also has an option to restore the system to the previous working state. Use the System Restore Point to restore your system to the point where it was working fine. This action will uninstall the programs that you have installed after that particular date.

That’s it. I hope this helps.

Read: Double-click does not open files & folders in Windows.

Why is my keyboard and mouse working only in BIOS?

If your keyboard or mouse is working only in BIOS, the problem may be with your keyboard or mouse driver. Reinstalling the driver of the affected device can help fix the issue. You can also perform a System Restore.

Related: Keyboard or Mouse NOT working in Safe Mode

Why is my keyboard not typing on PC?

In most cases, a keyboard stops working due to a faulty driver. If you are using a Bluetooth keyboard, check for interference issues. If you have connected your keyboard to your computer via a USB Hub, connect it directly to your computer and see what happens.