One or more keys fell off the laptop keyboard and you are not sure how to put them back? Don’t worry, most likely you can fix the keyboard and it’s not necessary to buy a new one. There is no universal repair guide because all keyboards are different. Here’s what I usually do in this case.
Situation 1. The key cap and key retainer fell off the keyboard and you cannot figure out how to assemble them back.
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Carefully remove the cap from any other working key so the key retainer stays connected to the keyboard.
Take a closer look at the key retainer, it’s connected to the keyboard at four different points.
Assemble the disconnected retainer the same way as one on the keyboard and put it back in place.
Put the key cap on the retainer and snap the cap back in place.
Situation 2. The key fell off the keyboard and you lost the cap or the retainer. In this case you can purchase a single key here, just search for it. (Search examples: “Dell keyboard key”, “Toshiba keyboard key”, “HP keyboard key”, etc… )
After you found a new key, put it back in place the same way as I described in the situation 1.
Installing the space bar key.
The space bar key is connected to the keyboard a little bit differently then any other key.
There is a metal retainer connected to the space bar key (on some keyboard models). Separate the retainer from the space bar key with a flathead screwdriver.
Install the retainer back in place as it shown on the picture. You have to engage the retainer with the small hooks on the keyboard.
Put the space bar key back in place and gently press on it with fingers until it snaps back in place.
That’s it. The space bar key is installed back in place and should work as before. If you still cannot fix your keyboard, then you’ll have to find a new one and replace it.
Here’s another technique you can use to fix a broken keyboard key.
As you see on the picture below the keyboard is missing the U key. The key cap, retainer and even silicone membrane were lost. Let’s see if it’s possible to temporarily fix the U key without buying any spare parts.
Personally, I cannot use keyboard without U key but I can live without a key located on the side from the right ALT, I’m not even sure what this key does. In the following guide I will remove the useless key and install it in the place of missing U.
Carefully remove the key cap with your fingers.
Remove the retainer. The retainer has two pieces connected to each other. If one piece got disconnected from the other, connect them back together.
The silicon membrane is glued to the keyboard. Very very slowly separate the membrane from the keyboard with a sharp knife. While creating this disassembly guide I damaged one membrane because I wasn’t careful enough.
Again, you have to be very careful removing the membrane.
If you damage the membrane you’ll end up with two broken keys instead of just one.
The silicon membrane has been removed.
Now apply some superglue on the bottom edge of the membrane, just enough to keep the membrane in the place.
Carefully place the membrane in the center of the U. Make sure the membrane is positioned correctly. Wait until the glue cures.
Install the retainer.
Position the key cap above the retainer. Gently press on the key cap until it clips in and connects to the retainer.
Now you can use the U key again.
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May 1st, 2009 at 7:21 am
i have acer aspire 5020 and my space key is broke the lil keyretainers where do i get new 1s
May 1st, 2009 at 5:02 am
thank you so much! i thought i was a goner
April 29th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Your instructions worked Great, and fixed in 5 minutes! Thanks!
I had this problem with my IBM laptop from work a year ago. The Desktop Support guy at work said to call IBM support, who sent me a new keyboard and we replaced the whole thing. If I had found your site then I could have saved a whole lot of time (and expense to IBM
Much Appreciated!
April 29th, 2009 at 4:56 am
I have an acer notebook and the home key came off. The little brace piece isnt a full square, one wall isnt there (supposed to be that way) I dont see any way on here to get it back on. Help please
April 27th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
jordan,
You can disassemble another key you don’t use, for example the right ALT key and install it instead of A key.
April 26th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
also. the little tabs on the side of the inner piece. they need to be inside the little groove for them. if not the key will not snap on correctly
April 26th, 2009 at 12:40 am
i have the tosihba satalite L300 and on the letter a part of the clip has broken of and they say you need to buy a full keyboard not just the letter a and it donsent come under warnntry so it is £30 at pc world and at toshiba it is 35 pounds just to deliver it there what can i do i still have the letter a
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:59 am
My kid popped out 2 of the keys…Thanks for u guys! I replaced within couple of mins!
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Apologies for what turned out to be sheer graffiti!
the point is the hook coes up out of the computer base and bends towards space, and the thin part must be so that it is on the bottome with the empty space on top so that he hook which is a bit ‘fat’ can hook over it.
Do the bottom of the retainer first while bending it and then flatten it and snap the top two on
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I also have an Acer -Aspire 5610z mae sure you position the key correctly – it has go to frther down the keyboard (towards ) than you thinkand try to get all four to click in at once. Also EVERYBODY note that the key retainer’s middle part at the bottom has a thick and a thin side – the thin side ofthe holes has to be on top in order for the hooks to fit over the clip
front on thin part at bottom of hole thin side up
_ _
||_ _||
|| ||
|| ||
||—||
cross section thin part at bottom
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into computer <–||
-||\ |</ <– it goes up and then bends towards space
Apart from this wow!! eally good wouldn’t have known what to do
Cheers!