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[Solved] Steelseries Keyboard Not Working? (Here’s The Fixes!)

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Steelseries keyboards come with top-of-the-line features such as multi-zone RGB lighting, addressable macro keys, and premium build quality.

Unfortunately, despite their high-quality build, some copies might start exhibiting issues after a few weeks or months of usagIf your Steelseries keyboard stopped working all of a sudden, we have compiled a few easy-to-follow steps you can try to get your keyboard back to working order.

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How to Fix a Malfunctioning Steelseries Keyboard?

A recent Windows update, software patch, or faulty USB port can cause your Steelseries to suddenly stop working.

Fortunately, most connectivity or driver-related issues in Windows can easily be fixed through the quick and easy methods that we have lined up below.

Try out the troubleshooting steps we have featured to fix your malfunctioning Steelseries keyboard’s software or hardware problems.

Reboot your Computer

A simple reboot will often fix software-related problems within Windows. If your Steelseries keyboard was working fine just a while ago but suddenly stopped working recently, try rebooting your PC to see if that solves the problem.

A reboot/restart will often be enough to solve software-related problems not just on Windows PCs but on many other devices as well.

Device drivers are generally loaded onto the PC’s RAM at startup, as this gives Windows quick access to the necessary device drivers to keep your mouse, keyboard, webcam, and other PC peripherals working as intended.

Whenever you reboot or restart your PC, any data stored within your computer’s RAM or Random Access Memory is cleared – including keyboard drivers – giving your PC a chance to reload the necessary drivers for your Steelseries keyboard.

With that said, a proper reboot will require you to completely ‘Shut Down’ your Windows PC and start it back up by pressing the ‘Power’ button on your computer.

Try a Different USB Port

Using a different USB type or just switching to a different USB port can fix a malfunctioning Steelseries keyboard.

USB ports and devices can be a bit finicky sometimes – some USB ports might work fine one day but refuse to work properly the next time.

Then there are the multiple USB versions available right now. Some USB devices, such as modern keyboards, might require a specific USB version to function properly.

For example, some keyboards might not work properly on anything less than a USB 3.0 port – USB 2.0 or lower might not have enough juice to power a modern keyboard with all of its RGB lighting and other power-hungry features. 

Another way to make sure that you are not running into a power issue with your Steelseries keyboard is to use your PC’s rear-panel USB ports instead of the front-mounted ones, even if your front panel features USB 3.0 ports or better.

If your Steelseries keyboard is not working, the quickest and easiest fix will be to try other USB ports on your desktop PC or laptop to rule out the possibility of a broken or incompatible USB port on your PC.

If plugging your keyboard into a different USB port does not work, move on to the next step, where try to see if the keyboard is functional at all.

Plug your Steelseries keyboard into a different PC

To rule out the possibility of a Windows compatibility error, try plugging in your Steelseries keyboard into another PC. If your keyboard works fine on a different machine, then your PC/Windows copy might be the problem.

As farfetched as it may seem, sometimes, Windows just completely ignores or refuses to detect a random USB device that’s plugged into the computer for no good reason. 

Most of the time, the problem could stem from either a software or hardware compatibility issue on Windows’ end rather than the hardware itself, especially if your keyboard was working perfectly fine coming from a different PC previously.

Simply plugging your Steelseries keyboard into a different computer will immediately rule out the possibility of your keyboard being completely broken on a hardware level. If your Steelseries keyboard works fine on another machine, then there is a good chance that your problems might just be software-related.

Factory Reset your Steelseries Keyboard

*for Apex 3, Apex 5, Apex 7, and Apex Pro series keyboards

Modern Steelseries keyboards have a built-in reset function that can bring the keyboard back to factory settings.

If you are experiencing connectivity issues with your Steelseries keyboard, a simple factory reset should help bring your keyboard back to its out-of-the-box settings.

How to Factory Reset Steelseries Keyboard

  1. Unplug the keyboard from your PC.
  2. Press and hold the Scroll wheel button + OLED Menu button/Multimedia button.
  3. Plug your Steelseries keyboard into your PC while still pressing the two buttons.
  4. Wait until the keyboard lights flash.
  5. Release the Scroll wheel button + OLED Menu/Multimedia button.

A Factory Reset should address any software-related issues isolated to your specific Steelseries keyboard copy.

However, if your keyboard works fine on a different PC yet refuses to work on your personal computer, then the problem is most likely isolated to your personal computer rather than the keyboard itself.

Follow the troubleshooting methods below to address software-related issues that are keeping your Steelseries keyboard from working properly on your PC.

Read More: [Solved] ASUS T100 Keyboard Not Working (With Quick Solution)

Update Steelseries Engine App

Steelseries keyboards come with bundled software that controls RGB lighting, keyboard macro keys, and other keyboard functions. Updating this software can help fix a malfunctioning Steelseries keyboard.

A Factory Reset should bring your keyboard back to stock configuration and take care of firmware-related issues.

However, if your keyboard is still not working properly, you can try to update or install the newest version of the Steelseries Engine app to see if that helps.

How to Update the Steelseries Engine app

  1. Launch the Steelseries Engine app.
  2. On the upper right corner of the Steelseries Engine window, click on the horn icon.
  3. Check if updates are available for the Steelseries Engine app.
  4. When an update is available, clicking on Update will take you to the Steelseries website where you can download the latest version of the Steelseries Engine.
  5. Download and install the latest version of the Steelseries Engine app.

Update Your Steelseries Keyboard Firmware

If your Steelseries keyboard is not working, then updating your keyboard’s firmware through the Steelseries Engine app can help address this problem.

Despite how technologically advanced the latest and greatest keyboards out on the market are, there will be instances where they end up shipped with faulty or buggy firmware.

In such cases, these keyboards might work fine for a few days, weeks, or even months but start to exhibit software-related issues soon after.

Manufacturers usually release firmware updates to address these issues as soon as possible. So if you and a few other owners of the same keyboard model are experiencing similar problems, you can expect to receive a firmware update for your Steelseries keyboard almost immediately.

How to Update Steelseries Keyboard Firmware

  1. Launch the Steelseries Engine App.
  2. Click on the ‘My Gear’ tab.
  3. Click on your Steelseries keyboard card.
  4. When a firmware update is available for your Steelseries keyboard, an alert that says: “CRITICAL UPDATE: Click to install new firmware.” will show up under your Steelseries device card in the Steelseries Engine app. Click on the alert.
  5. Click on Start.
  6. Wait for the firmware update to finish loading.
  7. Disconnect then reconnect your Steelseries keyboard once the update is finished.

Update/Reinstall Windows Default Keyboard Drivers

Uninstalling then reinstalling the drivers that Windows defaulted to when you first installed your Steelseries keyboard can refresh connectivity issues on your Steelseries keyboard.

Whenever a new device is plugged into a Windows machine, Windows automatically installs the ‘best’ available drivers for that particular device.

However, a random Windows update can sometimes introduce driver conflicts that could keep your PC from recognizing your Steelseries keyboard altogether.

Reinstalling the drivers through Device Manager should refresh the driver that Windows is currently using to communicate with your keyboard and restore functionality.

  1. Right-click on the Windows Start button.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. In the Device Manager window, click the arrow beside Keyboards to expand the menu.
  4. Right-click on HID Keyboard Device.
  5. Click on Uninstall device.
  6. In the warning window, just click Uninstall.
  7. Do this for every item in the Keyboards menu.
  8. After uninstalling every keyboard driver from the ‘Keyboards’ menu, click on the Action menu in the upper right part of the Device Manager window.
  9. Select Scan for hardware changes.
  10. Wait for Windows to automatically reinstall the keyboard drivers.

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