Simple Steps to Fix a Keyboard Typing in All Caps

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Learn what to do when your computer is stuck in all caps mode

Co-authored by Filip Boksa and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: December 2, 2024 Fact Checked

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Checking the Caps Lock Key

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Checking the Shift Key

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Advanced Keyboard Settings

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Using a Keyboard Tester

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Tips

Are you frustrated that your keyboard is typing in all capital letters even though Caps Lock is off? No worries. Follow this tutorial to find out why you can't stop typing in all caps and how to fix it.

How to Stop Tying in All Caps

Check your Caps Lock key to make sure it isn’t turned on.
Test your Shift key to see if it’s stuck or behaving in unexpected ways.
Disable keyboard settings that might be causing problems, like FilterKeys or Sticky Keys.
Make sure your computer is set to toggle off all caps with the Caps Lock key.

Section 1 of 4:

Checking the Caps Lock Key

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1
Check if ⇬ Caps Lock is on. The Caps Lock key is located on the left side of your keyboard. When it’s active, all your letter keys will type capitals, even if you aren’t holding down Shift.
- Many keyboards have a light on the Caps Lock key to tell you when it’s on. Check if the key is lit up.
- If the key is active, simply pressing it again should be enough to turn it off. If this doesn’t work, you might need to check your keyboard settings.
2
Press ⇬ Caps Lock a few times. If the key is stuck, sometimes tapping it a few times will help deactivate it. You can also try some of our methods for fixing a stuck key.
- If the key is stuck, cleaning your keyboard might help. Cleaning expert Filip Boksa explains that it's important to disconnect your keyboard first.^{[1]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Filip Boksa
  House Cleaning Professional
  
  Expert Interview} If you're using a built-in laptop keyboard, shut down your computer and unplug it.

Section 2 of 4:

Checking the Shift Key

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See if the ⇧ Shift key is stuck. Normally, holding down the Shift key causes your letter keys to type upper-case, and displays alternate characters for other keys (like the number keys at the top of your keyboard). If this is happening even when you aren’t holding down Shift, it’s possible that the key is stuck.
- Try tapping the key several times to get it unstuck, or wipe around it with a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol.
- If the key doesn’t seem to be stuck or damaged, there might be a problem with your keyboard settings.
EXPERT TIP

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Try cleaning around your sticky key with an ammonia-free glass cleaner. This is a good, gentle option for getting gunk and residue off your keyboard. Steer clear of anything that contains ammonia, which can eat through the plastic. And never spray any cleaning product directly on your keyboard.

Section 3 of 4:

Advanced Keyboard Settings

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1
Make sure Sticky Keys aren’t enabled. Sticky Keys are an accessibility feature on both Mac and Windows computers that are meant to make it easier to enable certain keyboard shortcuts.^{[2]
X
Research source} While this feature can be helpful, it can also cause your keyboard to behave in unexpected ways, such as capitalizing letters when you didn’t mean to if you accidentally press Shift.
- On either Windows or Mac, you can toggle this feature on and off by pressing the Shift key 5 times in a row.
  - This shortcut will only work on a Mac if you enable it in System Settings first.^{[3]
    X
    Research source} To do so, go to
    Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and click the i next to Sticky Keys. Toggle on the switch next to Press the Shift key five times to toggle Sticky Keys.
  - On Mac, you can also toggle Sticky Keys on and off without using your keyboard by going to
    Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and clicking the switch next to Sticky Keys.
2
Review your Caps Lock settings. By default, you should be able to turn all caps on or off by pressing the Caps Lock key. But if, for example, Caps Lock is set to be turned off with the Shift key instead of the Caps Lock key, you might accidentally turn Caps Lock on and have a hard time turning it off. Here’s how to check:
- On a Windows PC:^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
  - Open the Start menu and select the
    Settings icon.
  - Select Time & Language > Language > Spelling, typing, & keyboard settings > Typing (or skip straight to Typing from Time & Language in Windows 11 ).
  - Click Advanced keyboard settings, then Language bar options.
  - In the new window that opens, select the Advanced Key Settings tab.
  - Check to see if Caps Lock is set to be turned off with the Caps Lock key or with the Shift Key. Adjust the settings how you like, then click OK.
- On a Mac:^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
  - Open
    Apple menu > System Settings. Scroll down and click Keyboard in the left-hand menu bar.
  - Click the Keyboard Shortcuts button and select Modifier Keys from the menu on the left.
  - Next to Caps Lock Key, click the dropdown menu to see which key has been assigned to Caps Lock. If it’s something other than your keyboard’s Caps Lock key, you can switch it back.
  - You can also select one of the other options if you frequently hit Caps Lock by accident and want to disable or reassign it (for example, choose No action if you don’t want any key to activate Caps Lock).
3
Disable FilterKeys (Windows only). FilterKeys is an accessibility setting, similar to Sticky Keys. When it’s enabled, your computer might ignore repeated key presses (making it harder to toggle caps on or off) or turn on a setting that ignores keystrokes if they don’t last a certain length of time. These settings can sometimes cause issues with unwanted capitalizations. The shortcut key for FilterKeys is the right Shift key, which allows you to toggle these features on and off by holding it down for a certain length of time. To turn this feature off altogether:^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- Open the Control Panel on your PC and double-click Accessibility Options.
- Click the Keyboard tab and select Settings in the FilterKeys section.
- If the box next to Use Shortcut is checked, uncheck it. Click OK, then click OK again to confirm.

Section 4 of 4:

Using a Keyboard Tester

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If other fixes don’t work, it’s possible that your keyboard isn’t functioning properly. There are tons of free websites you can use to test your keyboard and uncover any issues. Some popular options include https://keyboardchecker.com/ and https://keyboardtester.co/keyboard-tester.
2
Reset your keyboard if it’s not working correctly. If you discover a problem with your keyboard, you may be able to reset it. The best way to do this depends on the type of computer and keyboard you’re using. For detailed instructions on several methods for resetting a keyboard, check out this wikiHow article.
- Make sure any drivers or other software associated with your keyboard are up to date.
3
Replace your keyboard if all else fails. If there’s a physical problem with your keyboard that you can’t fix by cleaning it or repairing problem keys, then it might be time to get a new keyboard.
- If you have a laptop with a built-in keyboard, you can always attach an external keyboard.

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Tips

Sometimes all you need to do is reboot your computer. If all your keyboard settings seem to be correct and your Shift and Caps Lock keys aren’t stuck or damaged, try restarting to see if it fixes the glitch.

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