This guide explains how to fix a broken keyboard connector on a laptop motherboard. I do not claim that my instructions will work for any connector type in any laptop brand, but if I can help a few people, I can call my mission accomplished.
Let’s say the keyboard in your laptop stopped working properly and you decided to install a new keyboard yourself. You disassembled the laptop, removed the keyboard, tried to unlock the keyboard connector and… OHH! MAN!… a piece of the locking clip on the connector got broken!
What can you do? Unfortunately, you don’t have a lot of options. The keyboard connector is permanently soldered to the motherboard and cannot be replaced at home. If the connector was damaged, you’ll have to replace the whole motherboard, use the laptop with an external USB keyboard, or…. try the following trick. Hopefully it works or you.
The keyboard cable is locked inside the connector on the motherboard. In order to remove the keyboard, you have to unlock the connector and release the cable.
On the picture below you see one of the most common connectors. It has the base (white in my case) and locking clip (brown in my case). The keyboard cable is jammed between the locking clip and base.
To unlock the connector, you have to move the locking clip about 2 millimeters in the direction shown by two yellow arrows.
IMPORTANT! The locking clip must stay attached to the connector base.
After that you can pull the keyboard cable (green arrow) and remove the keyboard.
If you are not careful enough, you can move the locking clip too much and break it.
On the picture below you can see the locking clip is missing the left hook.
On the next picture both sides of the clip are broken.
IMPORTANT! Do not though away the broken clip even though it looks completely useless.
If you insert the cable into the connector and will not lock it with a clip, the cable will not make good contact with pins inside the connector and the keyboard will not work.
Here’s how to install the broken clip back in place and make it work.
Position the broken clip the way it was before. In my case both sides of the connector are broken. What could have been worse?
Carefully insert the keyboard cable into the connector. Note, in this type of connector, the cable goes above the locking clip.
Carefully push the broken clip back in place. You can use a small screwdriver to push on the clip behind the cable.
The clip fits tightly when there is a cable inside the connector.
Secure the connection with sticky tape and you should be good to go. The keyboard should work just fine.
The keyboard connector shown on the following picture is very similar to the previous one. The only difference – the keyboard cable is routed under the locking clip. Fix it the same way as the previous connector.
On the next picture you see another type of keyboard connector. The cable is inserted vertically.
In order to unlock the connector, you’ll have to move the locking clip (brown piece) about 2 millimeters up in the direction shown by two yellow arrows. After that you can pull the keyboard cable (green arrow) and remove the keyboard.
If you move the locking clip too far, you can break it.
In my example the right side of the clip is broken. But you still can use it!
Insert the keyboard cable into the connector, position the broken locking clip correctly (behind the cable in my case) and carefully push it in.
Even with a broken clip the cable will make good connection with the base and the keyboard should work.
Here’s the same connector shown from the opposite side. You cannot even tell if the locking clip is broken.
If this trick worked for you, it means I just saved you a few hundred bucks on the motherboard replacement. 
REPAIR TIPS FROM READERS:
Thank you to Alex (Comment 85) for the following suggestion:
I found another way to fix it…
Have you lost the broken “Locking clip”?
Then do this…
Get some “electrical tape” on the back of the “flat cable” to make some “thickness”.
Make sure you are putting the tape on the right side, where there are no visible connections…Then very carefully push the cable into the connector… It will not come loose and the keyboard will work just fine!
If you find this article useful, please consider making a donation to the author. Thank you!
July 28th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
thanks a lot….i love this basic guide for laptop…….thanks a lot men….
July 19th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Good tutorial, but what solutions are there for MacBook Pro ribbon connectors. The MBP connectors lift up and then clamp down, fairly simple concept, and I have done it with ease many times. The plastic clamp intended to clamp down the keyboard ribbon cable on my 2007 MBP apparently became brittle with age and crumbled. So, there is nothing left to secure the ribbon with. I have tried scotch tape and it does not secure the ribbon down tight enough to provide a tight connection. Any ideas at all. Here is a link showing what the connector looks like and how it operates. the pic doesn’t give much detail though:
http://guide-images.ifixit.net.....HWCw.large
Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!
July 13th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
thanx 4 the gr8 tips ….
keep it up bro..
July 13th, 2010 at 2:31 am
these keyboard connectors can snapped off easily. I use real caution and control when removing the keyboard and ribbon cable. And used the methods described above works real well! thanx!
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:33 pm
….I should have noted that my post was in response to post #33, Stacey
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I have used super-glue many-a-time for a quick and sturdy fix. It takes good eye-hand coordination, some very tiny tools, and a gentle, yet sturdy touch. You can use it to repair, or like a resin to add a thin layer and sand with an emery board or something to give a more “snug” fit. Or you could get some epoxy/resin (for plastic) and do the same thing. If you can’t find any at an electronics store, sometimes you can find things like that at an auto parts store also.
June 18th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Hello, Was wondering about your website, is this site maintained on a daily basis? How often to people post stuff on your site? I would you be interested in more info and by the way Great site.
Thanks so much for your time in advance.
Best Regards-
Don
June 18th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Hello,
I had a tech add some thermal paste to my cpu, in opening the computer he removed the clip, in trying to put it back he broke it. I have tried to fallow your guide, my computer most resembles the last couple of photos. It’s a sony vaio vgn-a790. I have tried to place the clip back down after putting the cable in place but the clip will not stay down. In your article you don’t mention putting tape down on this type of connector. Do you have any other suggestions for keeping the clip in place? or any ideas on where to get one, other than purchasing the mother board? Thank you
June 12th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Thank you a thousand times over for the step by step instruction for taking a laptop apart so I could replace the keyboard. The extra details about the keyboard connections made all the difference in the world. Be sure to get a snug fit with the connector as only 50% of the keys worked the first time. I reconnected the link and the keyboard works normally now. Thanks so much for your web site and instructions.
June 11th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Thank you for your pictures and details.