Mechanical keyboard malfunctioned? How to fix it yourself
Although mechanical keyboards have the advantage of being highly durable, they can break down. If your mechanical keyboard should break down, we have compiled a list of measures that you can take yourself.
Table Of Contents
If the product is within the warranty period, send it to the manufacturer for repair.
The basic premise is that if a malfunctioning keyboard is within the manufacturer’s warranty period, it is best to send it to the manufacturer for repair instead of trying to repair it yourself.
Although there is a non-zero chance that your keyboard will be out of warranty after you request repair, most failures due to normal use will be repaired free of charge, so please consult with the store of purchase or the manufacturer first.
Do-it-yourself repairs if warranty is not honored
Find out what is wrong with the product.
First, find out whether the problem is software or hardware related.
If it is a software problem, you can almost 100% solve it yourself if you know the problem, or you can consult the manufacturer’s support.
On the other hand, the hard part is hardware failure. First, find out where the malfunction is. We use the keyboard to find out what is wrong, whether the keys are unresponsive, the cable is disconnected, or there is a buildup of debris.
When a mechanical keyboard malfunctions, the following five are the main failure points.
- keyboard base
- communication function
- battery
- key switches 1. cables
- cables
As a matter of course, the closer to the base, the more difficult it is to repair.
Find out how to deal with each one individually.
Once you have identified the problem, research on the Internet to find out how to deal with each of them.
For example, in the case of mechanical keyboards, the most common failure is the mechanical keyswitch, which causes problems such as ineffective keyswitches or chattering (keys being pressed multiple times).
If you do some research on the Internet about keyswitch failure, you will find that there are several ways to deal with the problem.
- repair the keyswitch
- replace the keyswitch
When researching, it is fundamental to research each manufacturer’s model of mechanical keyboards, as the parts used by each manufacturer often differ.
For example, you can find information by searching for “manufacturer model number repair”. If you cannot find the information in Japanese, try searching in English as well, such as “manufacturer model number repair” or "manufacturer model number replacement.
Determine if you can repair it yourself
Once you know how to repair the problem, first determine whether you can do the repair yourself. Repairable means not only whether you can do the same work yourself, but also whether you can obtain repair parts.
If you are replacing a keyswitch, you will need a replacement keyswitch, and if the keycap is damaged, you will need a keycap of the same size.
As for repair work, in some cases the repair can be done simply by spraying contact resister, while in other cases it may be necessary to disassemble and remove the keyswitch from the base using solder.
Of course, the closer to the circuit board you repair, the more expertise is required and the higher the risk of repair failure.
You should consider whether you are capable of repairing the keyboard and what the risk is of ruining the keyboard itself if you try to repair it, and then decide whether you will repair it or not.
If the repair fails…
We hate to think about it, but there is a non-zero chance that you will try to repair a mechanical keyboard yourself and fail.
If you do fail, you still have several options.
- send the keyboard to the manufacturer for repair
- ask a store specializing in keyboard repair
- sell it as junk
- keep the usable parts as spare parts
The difficult part is whether to send the keyboard that failed to be repaired to a repair shop for further repair. Basically, it is best to send the keyboard to the manufacturer for repair, but if there are traces of repair, the repair may be refused, so if it is refused, ask a store that specializes in keyboard repair.
If you decide not to repair it (i.e., not to use it anymore), you can sell it as junk at auctions. The price will be lower, but it is better than disposing of the keyboard as garbage.
If you like the keyboard that failed, you can buy an identical model and keep the one that failed as a spare part.
