4 Quick Ways to Disable the Keyboard in Windows - Make Tech Easier

Locking the keyboard is a great safety measure when leaving the workstation, whether at home or in the workplace. From preventing accidental input to preparing before closing the program, there are several reasons to disable the keyboard. You can choose the best method for you to achieve this.

Table of contents

• 1. Disable keyboard using Device Manager in Windows
• 2. Permanently disable laptop keyboard
• 3. Using KeyFreeze
• 4. Using LiteLockr
• FAQ

Tip : Learn how to add a new language keyboard in Windows.

1. Disable keyboard using Device Manager in Windows

Most of the methods discussed below involve using third-party tools to lock the keyboard. However, if you are reluctant to use third-party applications, you can still lock the keyboard through the device manager.

Note : This is just a temporary solution. Whenever you restart your computer, Windows will reinstall the keyboard.

1. Right-click the Start button to invoke the Advanced User menu, or press Win X. Once opened, scroll down and click on the "Device Manager" option.

2. A long list of all connected devices will be displayed. Scroll down and expand Keyboard to see the connected keyboard.

3. Right-click on the keyboard you want to disable and select "Uninstall Device". If you have multiple keyboards connected, you need to disable them at once.

4. Click the "Uninstall" button. If you prompt to restart the computer, click "Yes", the device will be disabled after the system restarts.

Fix : Is there any difficulty opening Device Manager? Here are a few other ways to open Device Manager in Windows.

2. Permanently disable laptop keyboard

As mentioned above, uninstalling the device is only a temporary solution. If you have a laptop keyboard and prefer using an external keyboard, you can permanently disable the keyboard in Windows. After this disable, you simply use the built-in switch of the external keyboard to temporarily disable it.

1. How to use 1 Uninstall your keyboard. Make sure you are uninstalling the built-in keyboard instead of the external keyboard. Obviously, you need an external keyboard that is already connected to continue with these steps.
2. Open your Start menu and enter cmd .
3. Select Run as administrator at the command prompt. You need an administrator account to do this.

4. If UAC prompts, click "Yes".
5. Enter the following command to disable the ports required for your laptop keyboard:

 <code>sc config i8042prt start= disabled</code>

If your port number is different from the one listed in this command, use that port number. For most people, this is the correct port number.

6. You will see the news of success. Close the command prompt window and restart the computer.
7. When your computer restarts, your laptop keyboard should no longer work.

If you decide to use your laptop's keyboard again, re-enable it using the following command prompt command:

 <code>sc config i8042prt start= auto</code>

3. Using KeyFreeze

If a child and pet suddenly appear on your keyboard to play, it is crucial to quickly lock the keyboard. The previous method was not the fastest way to disable Windows keyboards.

With KeyFreeze, you press a button and the keyboard and mouse will freeze within five seconds.

1. Download KeyFreeze. It's totally free and it's a small app.
2. Double-click the downloaded file to install KeyFreeze. If you receive a warning about installing the application from a third-party source, please confirm that you want to continue.
3. You will see a small window with a button. Press the Lock Keyboard and Mouse button to temporarily disable your Windows keyboard.

4. Pay close attention to unlocking the key combination of the keyboard and mouse. Otherwise, you will get stuck unless you turn off the computer using the power button.
5. Wait for your device to lock.

6. Try using your keyboard and mouse. Nothing should work. While it should work on older versions of Windows, I can confirm that it works on Windows 10 and 11.
7. Press Ctrl Alt Del . Press the Esc key when the screen goes black and more options are displayed. This will unlock your keyboard and mouse.

For faster access to KeyFreeze, I recommend pinning it to the taskbar. This way, it can be used with just a click without having to go to the Start menu.

Note : If the application icon is not displayed in the taskbar, use the fix here to make the missing icon appear in the taskbar.

4. Using LiteLockr

LiteLockr is a free open source application similar to KeyFreeze, but with an added bonus. Lock your keyboard and mouse with just one simple key combination. The advantage is that you can choose whether you want to lock the keyboard and mouse, or just lock one of them.

As a warning, when locked through the interface itself, keyboard shortcuts to unlock the keyboard and mouse will not be displayed. You can use the same Ctrl Alt Del as KeyFreeze and then Esc combination, or use any keyboard shortcuts you decide to set.

1. Download and install LiteLockr.
2. After installation, you won't see the icon in the desktop or in the Start menu. Instead, it starts running automatically and only displays a small lock in the notification tray.

3. Click the lock icon to open LiteLockr.
4. Click the lock to lock your keyboard and mouse immediately. Alternatively, click the small menu in the upper left corner to access more settings. I suggest checking the settings first.

5. Click the Settings icon (Gear). Here you can customize your lock/unlock hotkeys, specify specific applications you don't want to lock, set a PIN to prevent accidental unlock/lock, and more. Check "Start with Windows" at the bottom to make sure LiteLockr starts with your computer. To lock the keyboard and mouse immediately, open the Advanced tab and set the lock delay to 0 instead of 5.

6. Press OK to save your changes.
7. If you want to lock the keyboard only or just lock the mouse, open LiteLockr from the notification tray. If the menu is still open, click the menu icon in the upper left corner to close it. Click the keyboard and/or mouse icons on both sides of the lock icon. If there are lines passing through it, it will be locked. If not, it won't be locked.

8. Click the lock icon or use the hotkey shortcut you set in the app settings. While your mouse can still move, it can't click anything. Simply press the same key combination to unlock everything.

FAQ

Why can't my keyboard enter?

If your keyboard suddenly doesn't respond, that doesn't mean it is locked accidentally. On the contrary, it may be due to Windows update errors, system file errors, driver problems, etc. Using our laptop keyboard does not work guide to troubleshoot these issues.

If your keyboard doesn't respond to any troubleshooting suggestions, it may need to be replaced. Even if your built-in keyboard is not working, you can still use an external wired or wireless keyboard. Check out our recommended best RGB keyboards, ergonomic mechanical keyboards and Logitech keyboards.

How do I know if my keyboard is locked?

You can try using Ctrl Alt Del and then Esc combination to see if there are applications that cause your keyboard to lock.

If you are using certain Dell, HP, and Lenovo models, you may have a keyboard lock button in the function key line. This is not available in all models. If you see a function key with a keyboard, press Fn plus the applicable function key, usually F11 .

If you have another external keyboard, connect it to see if it works. If it works, then your other keyboard is either locked or it just doesn't function properly.

Otherwise, try pressing Ctrl Alt Del and clicking the power icon in the lower right corner to turn off your computer. If your keyboard does not respond, press and hold the power button on your computer until the computer is turned off. Then, restart the computer. This should unlock the keyboard. If it still doesn't work, it's likely a hardware or driver issue.

Can you accidentally lock the keyboard?

Yes, although it's not easy. If you or an overly enthusiastic kid or pet accidentally enables sticky and filter keys (by holding or repeatedly pressing the Shift key), your keyboard will not work as expected and look like it's locked.

Use your mouse to go to Settings -> Accessibility (Easy to Use in Windows 10) -> Keyboard. Switch the Sticky Key and Filter Key to off.

Of course, if you use the app to lock the keyboard, you may accidentally press the hotkey. Try using the hotkey combination to unlock it.

How do I enter temporarily if my keyboard is not working?

If you need to type and there is no other keyboard on hand, you can use the mouse and the on-screen keyboard in Windows. This is ideal if you need to download the driver to try to fix the locked keyboard.

Go to Settings -> Accessibility (Easy to Use in Windows 10) -> Keyboard". Open the On-Screen Keyboard. It's not as fast as physical keyboard input, but it's a good temporary solution.

Image source: Unsplash

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