4 Ways to Fix Tab Key Not Working on Windows 11

Aman is a Windows specialist and loves writing about the Windows ecosystem on Guiding Tech and MakeUseOf. He has a Bachelor’s in Information Technology and is now a full-time freelance writer with expertise in Windows, iOS, and browsers.

Try These Fixes First

Tip:If you have urgent work requiring the Tab key, consider using theon-screen keyboardas a temporary solution. Alternatively, you can alsoassign an alternate key for the Tab function.

Fix 1: Close TeamViewer From Background

Another potential reason for the Tab key not working is the TeamViewer application. It may seem peculiar, but certain applications, like TeamViewer, can impact the functionality of keyboard keys. To resolve this issue, you will need to close TeamViewer from the background. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1:Press theWindows + Xkeyboard shortcut and chooseTask Managerfrom the menu that crops up.

Step 2:Right-click on theTeamViewerand chooseEnd task.

After that, check if you’re still facing the problem. If not, you can uninstall TeamViewer if you don’t actively use it.

Fix 2: Run Hardware and Device Troubleshooter

The Hardware and Device Troubleshooter is a Windows utility you can use to eliminate hardware issues on your computer. You can run this troubleshooter to fix the Tab key not working on Windows 11. Here’s how to run it:

Step 1:Press theWindows + Rkeyboard shortcut to open theRun tool.

Step 2:Type the following command in the search bar and click theOKbutton.

Step 3:Click theAdvancedbutton.

Step 4:Check theApply repairs automaticallybox and clickNext.

The Hardware and Device Troubleshooter will now look for any available issues. It’ll automatically fix it without much user input if it finds any.

Fix 3: Disable Sticky and Filter Keys

Sticky and Filter Keys are accessibility features that can affect the normal working of keyboard keys. The Sticky Keys feature allows you to use keyboard shortcuts by pressing one key at a time. However, if you’ve mistakenly pressed the Tab key multiple times quickly, the Stick Keys feature can get active and make the Tab key unresponsive.

On the other hand, the Filter Keys feature prevents the keyboard from responding to brief and repeated keystrokes. However, if you mistakenly press the Tab key multiple times quickly, Filter Keys can consider it as false input and make the Tab key unresponsive.

If either of these situations contributes to the issue, you will need todisable Sticky Keysand Filter Keys to resolve the problem of the Tab key not working on Windows 11. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1:Press theWindows + Ikeyboard shortcut to open theSettings app.

Step 2:SelectAccessibilityfrom the left sidebar and choose theKeyboardoption from the right pane.

Step 3:Disable the toggle next to theStickyandFilterKeys.

After that, restart your computer and check for the issue.

Fix 4: Update the Keyboard Driver

Is the Tab button still not working? There may be corruption in the keyboard driver, which could cause the issue. The best way to remove the corruption is to update the keyboard driver. You can do that by following the below instructions:

Step 1:Open theSettingsapp, chooseWindows Updatefrom the left sidebar and chooseAdvancedoptionson the right.

Step 2:SelectOptional updates. In the following window, you will see available updates for different drivers installed on your computer. If an update is available for your keyboard driver, select it and clickDownload & installoption to update the driver.

Also Read:5 Ways to Fix Keyboard Auto-Typing on Windows

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Last updated on 29 July, 2024

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