Top 5 Ways to Fix Tab Key Not Working on Windows 11

Is your Tab key not working on Windows 11? The Tab key plays a crucial role on Windows computers, and when it becomes unresponsive, it can significantly impact your productivity. Whether you’re using it alone or with the Alt+Tab keyboard combination, getting it working can help with your productivity.

If you’re experiencing the same issue, various working solutions exist to resolve it. We’ll explore the quick ways to fix an unresponsive Tab key on Windows 11.

1. Check for Physical Damage

Have you recently dropped your keyboard or accidentally spilled liquid on it? Physical damage to your keyboard can affect the proper functioning of the Tab key. To confirm whether this is the case, visit a keyboard test website and press the Tab key to see if it registers on the website.

Keyboard Test Website

If the website fails to register the Tab key, it is likely damaged. In such situations, the only solution is to take your keyboard to a repair shop.

However, if you have urgent work requiring the Tab key, consider using the on-screen keyboard as a temporary solution. Alternatively, you can also assign an alternate key for the Tab function.

2. 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 the Windows + X keyboard shortcut and choose Task Manager from the menu that crops up.

Step 2: Right-click on the TeamViewer and choose End task.

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

3. 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 the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run tool.

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

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 3: Click the Advanced button.

Step 4: Check the ‘Apply repairs automatically’ box and click Next.

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.

4. 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 to disable Sticky Keys and Filter Keys to resolve the problem of the Tab key not working on Windows 11. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Select Accessibility from the left sidebar and choose the Keyboard option from the right pane.

Step 3: Disable the toggle next to the Sticky and Filter Keys.

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

5. 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: Press the Windows + X keyboard shortcut and choose Device Manager from the list.

Step 2: Double-click on the Keyboard listing.

Step 3: Right-click on your keyboard and choose Update driver from the context menu.

Step 4: Select the ‘Search automatically for drivers’ option.

Windows will now search for and download any available keyboard driver update. After that, restart your computer, and you will see that you’re no longer facing the issue.

Tab Key Not Working on Windows 11, Fixed

These were all the solutions to fix the Tab key not working on Windows 11. Often, unresponsiveness in keys is caused by physical factors, and taking the keyboard to a repair shop is recommended in such cases. However, if the problem arises due to a software or Windows issue, you can fix it using the above solutions.