If you have multiple keyboard layouts, you can usually switch them using the Windows key plus Spacebar combination. However, some PC users have noticed that the aforementioned keyboard shortcut does not work after a recent Windows update on their Windows 11/10 device. In this post, we will offer the most suitable solutions for this issue.
What is the Windows key plus Spacebar?
The WinKey+Spacebar shortcut changes the keyboard layout and input language on a Windows computer. This shortcut allows users to quickly switch between different languages or keyboard layouts, which is especially useful for bilingual or multilingual individuals.
Windows key + Spacebar not working in Windows 11/10
If WinKey+Spacebar is not working in Windows 11/10, you can try our recommended solutions below in no particular order and see if that helps resolve the issue.
- Restart computer
- Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter
- Run SFC scan
- Update keyboard drivers
- Uninstall update
- Perform System Restore
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
To determine this is not a hardware issue, which requires the keyboard to be replaced, you can carry out the following pre-checks:
- Try connecting the keyboard to a different USB port if it’s a USB wired keyboard.
- Try using the onscreen keyboard.
- Try the keyboard with another computer to see if it works.
- Try another keyboard with the computer and see if it works.
- Try disabling the RAID settings in the BIOS If you have that configured.
If you determine it’s not a hardware issue, you can try the solutions below, which are intended to fix the keyboard software issue.
1] Restart the computer
A simple restart of the computer might resolve the Windows key + Spacebar combination not working issue.
If restarting doesn’t help, try the next solution.
2] Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter
To run the inbuilt Keyboard Troubleshooter on Windows 10, do the following:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Tap or click Update & security.
- In the Update & security window, on the left pane, click Troubleshoot.
- In the Troubleshoot page, scroll down and click the Additional troubleshooters link.
- In the Additional troubleshooters page, scroll down and click Keyboard.
- Click the Run the troubleshooter button to run the wizard.
3] Run SFC scan
If you have system file errors, you may encounter this error. In this case, the most logical step to take is to run an SFC scan and see if that helps.
4] Update keyboard drivers
You may be experiencing this error due to faulty or outdated keyboard drivers. In this case, you can update your Keyboard drivers.
If updating the keyboard drivers doesn’t fix the issue, you can try uninstalling the driver and then restart your PC. Windows will automatically install the generic drivers (which works in most cases) for the keyboard.
5] Uninstall update
This solution requires you to uninstall the problematic update and then block the update from Windows Update to prevent the bits from re-downloading and re-installing on your Windows 11/10 device.
5] Perform System Restore
If nothing works to this point, you can perform a system restore.
I hope this helps!
How to fix an unresponsive spacebar?
To fix an unresponsive spacebar, start by using compressed air to clean any debris around it. If accessible, gently remove the keycap to clean underneath. Restart your computer to rule out software glitches. If the issue persists, update your keyboard drivers or test the keyboard on another device.
Why is my Windows key on my keyboard not doing anything?
If your Windows key isn’t working, check for a keyboard lock feature that might be enabled, update keyboard drivers via Device Manager, or ensure no software conflicts are disabling the key. Restarting your computer can also help resolve temporary glitches. These steps should help restore functionality to your Windows key.
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