Fault-finding
Some or all of the keyboard has stopped working
A whole keyboard dead points at the ribbon connector or the board; a cluster of keys dead points at a spill or debris; single keys point at the switch under that key. Test with an external USB keyboard — if that works, the fault is the built-in keyboard rather than the machine.
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External keyboard splits it in one test
Plug in any USB keyboard. If everything types correctly, the machine, the operating system and the drivers are fine and the fault is confined to the built-in keyboard or its connection. If the external keyboard also misbehaves, the problem is software or board-level, which is a completely different repair.
Which keys are dead tells you the cause
A contiguous block or a row usually means the ribbon connector has partly lifted, because the membrane is wired in rows and columns. Scattered individual keys point at debris or wear under those specific switches. A whole dead keyboard with a working external one points at the ribbon or its socket on the board.
Check for a lock or layout change first
A number pad typing digits instead of letters is a function lock, not a fault. A layout switched to a different language types the wrong characters entirely. Both are free to fix and both arrive at the bench regularly, so they are worth eliminating before anything is opened.
Replacement is usually the repair
Laptop keyboards are a single membrane assembly, so individual key repair is rarely practical beyond refitting a loose keycap. Replacement is typically PKR 6,000 to 14,000 fitted depending on model. Where a spill caused it, the board underneath should be inspected at the same time rather than only the keyboard swapped.
Why have some keys stopped working on my laptop?
Can a single key be replaced?
A loose or popped keycap can often be refitted, and that is worth trying. A failed switch under the cap generally cannot be replaced individually because the whole keyboard is one membrane assembly — the economics point at replacing the unit, which is a straightforward job on most models.
The keyboard stopped after a spill. Is it just the keyboard?
Possibly, and possibly not. Liquid that reached the keyboard may also have reached the board beneath it, and corrosion there develops over following weeks. Have the board inspected at the same time rather than replacing the keyboard and discovering a second fault a month later.
Is an external keyboard a reasonable workaround?
For a desktop-bound machine, entirely — plenty of people run that way for years. It stops being reasonable for a laptop actually carried around, and it does not address a spill that may still be corroding the board. As a stopgap while a part is ordered, it is fine.
Rather have it done?
Screens, keyboards and batteries are the parts that wear out or break on a machine that is otherwise fine. Replacement starts at PKR 12,000 for a screen fitted, and the part number matters more than the price — a panel that fits physically can still be the wrong resolution or connector.
Laptop screen, keyboard and battery replacement in Islamabad — prices and scope