Keyboard and Mouse Not Working: Diagnose Wired and Wireless Faults

When the keyboard and mouse stop working, work from the simplest physical checks outward: power, cable or battery, port, and pairing. If the devices fail on a second computer too, replacement is justified; if they work elsewhere, the fault is likely with the original PC and buying new peripherals will not help.

Start With Power, Cables and Ports

Before changing any settings, confirm the hardware is actually connected and powered. For wired devices, unplug the USB cable and wait briefly so Windows can unload the device driver, then plug it back in. Move the device to a different USB port on the PC. If a USB hub sits between the device and the computer, confirm the hub has power; if the device still fails, remove the hub and connect directly to a port on the PC.

Inspect the cable for visible damage. For battery-powered keyboards and mice, check that the batteries are correctly seated and either fully charged or fresh. Look for dirt blocking keys or sensors. These checks cost nothing and resolve a meaningful share of dead-peripheral cases before any software step is needed.

• Unplug, wait, and replug the USB cable
• Try a different USB port on the PC
• Power the hub or bypass it entirely
• Check for cable damage and battery condition
• Clear dirt from keys and optical sensors

Wireless-Specific Checks: Receivers, Reset and Pairing

For a wireless device using a USB receiver, unplug the receiver, wait about ten seconds, and plug it back in; the wireless link should re-establish. Look on the underside of the device for a reset button, which disconnects and reconnects the wireless connection. Some receivers also carry a reset button.

For Bluetooth peripherals, confirm Bluetooth is on and the device is paired. Microsoft's Surface accessory guidance describes holding the pairing button for five to seven seconds until a light blinks, then adding the device through Settings, Bluetooth and other devices. If the pairing light flashes three times and then goes off, the device is likely still paired to another computer within range; remove it from that computer and pair again. Turning airplane mode on for ten to fifteen seconds and then off, and disconnecting other Bluetooth devices, are also listed as remedies for interference.

• Reseat the USB wireless receiver after about ten seconds
• Press the device reset button if one exists
• Re-pair Bluetooth devices and watch the indicator light
• Three flashes then off usually means paired elsewhere
• Reduce the number of connected Bluetooth devices

Is It the Device or the Computer?

The single most useful diagnostic is testing the keyboard or mouse on another PC. If it works there, the original computer is the likely source of the problem. If it fails on the second machine as well, the device itself is suspect and replacement becomes reasonable. Note that some devices require their driver to be installed before they will work, so a failed test on another PC is only conclusive when the correct driver is present there.

A wired device can serve as a control. If a wired mouse works while several wireless mice do not, the fault is narrowed to the wireless path rather than the computer's input handling generally. This is a diagnostic, not a permanent fix.

• Test the device on a second computer
• Confirm the correct driver is installed on the test PC
• Use a wired device as a comparison control
• Working elsewhere points to the original PC, not the peripheral

Software and Settings Worth Checking

If the hardware checks pass, move to Windows. Check for updates through Windows Update, which can deliver keyboard and mouse improvements; on non-Surface PCs, the manufacturer may also have updates. Restarting the PC refreshes drivers if updates were recently applied. In Device Manager, you can open the device, select the Driver tab, and choose Update Driver.

Some symptoms are settings rather than failures. If typed characters do not match the screen, confirm the keyboard input language matches the display language under Time and language settings. Slow or erratic cursor movement can sometimes be improved by closing open apps, checking reported battery levels, and adjusting pointer speed under Mouse settings. Special keys that stop working can indicate missing updates.

• Run Windows Update and restart
• Update the driver through Device Manager
• Match input language to display language
• Adjust pointer speed for cursor problems
• Close open apps if input feels slow

A Practical Order of Operations

Work through the checks in cost order so you do not buy hardware prematurely. Begin with power and cabling, then ports and hubs, then wireless pairing, then the second-PC test, and only then software. Keep a written note of what you tried and what changed, because a device that works after a reseat but fails again later points to a loose connection or failing cable rather than a settings problem.

If the keyboard works but the mouse does not, focus on the mouse's own power, pairing and receiver before touching system-wide settings. A single unresponsive device is usually a device-level issue; both failing at once more often suggests the computer, a shared hub, or a shared receiver.

• Power and cable first, software last
• Record each step and its result
• One device failing points to that device
• Both failing points to the PC or shared connection

Limits, Managed Devices and Data Safety

These steps apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11 as described in Microsoft's guidance, and to Surface and Microsoft accessories where noted. They are not a universal script for macOS, Linux, or every brand of peripheral. If the computer is managed by an employer or school, stop before changing drivers or device settings and contact IT support; policy may block updates or restrict pairing.

If input failure prevents you from saving work, do not attempt destructive disk operations or registry edits to regain control. Connect a known-working keyboard or mouse first, back up important files, and only then pursue deeper changes. Avoid downloading drivers from unverified sites; use Windows Update or the manufacturer's official support channel.

• Guidance is Windows-focused, not cross-platform
• Managed devices should go to IT before changes
• Back up files before deeper troubleshooting
• Use official driver sources only

When to Replace and When to Keep

Buy a replacement only when the evidence supports it: the device fails on a second PC with the correct driver installed, or it shows no power and fresh batteries or a known-good cable do not revive it. If the device works on another computer, keep it and troubleshoot the original PC instead. If a wired substitute works reliably, the computer's input handling is functioning and the wireless peripheral or its receiver is the likely culprit.

Do not replace a keyboard or mouse merely because a single troubleshooting step failed. Replacing a device that works elsewhere wastes money and leaves the real fault in place. Conversely, once a device has been confirmed dead on a second machine, further software steps on the original PC will not help.

• Replace when the device fails on a second PC
• Keep the device when it works elsewhere
• A working wired substitute implicates the wireless path
• Stop troubleshooting the PC once the device is confirmed dead

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