This tech guide discusses the reasons for typing backward on a keyboard. Many people have experienced this at some point, which can be quite frustrating. There are a few possible explanations for why this happens, some tips on how to avoid it, and how to fix it.

Reasons for Keyboard typing backward and how to fix them

There are a few possible reasons for this issue, and I will try to cover them as much as possible here. For others, I will try to link better resources I haven’t covered yet.

1. Problem with keyboard plug

Keyboard USB and PS/2 Plug
Representation of Keyboard USB and PS/2 Plug

Sometimes, it is just a simple problem and can be fixed easily. For example, if it is a USB keyboard, unplug it and plug it in again. If it is a PS/2 keyboard, ensure the mouse is not plugged into the keyboard port to fix backward typing.

If the problem still exists, follow the rest of the points mentioned below in this guide.

2. Incorrect keyboard language

There are thousands of languages, and most are available for typing on the computer and reading. Some of them are similar to English while typing on a keyboard. A few days ago, I installed Italian on my Windows machine for the article but forgot to change it to the English (US) keyboard style I normally use.

Whenever I tried to type double quotes, it was outputting this type of “a” letter: “à.” After some moments, I realized I had changed the keyboard language and didn’t switch it back.

To simply change your keyboard language, press Window Key + Spacebar repeatedly. It will cycle through you with installed languages on the computer for the keyboard. If you see the language you want to use, then focus on that language and leave the keyboard keys.

You may need to restart to see the changes in effect. Also, if you need more assistance with this like your main language is not installed or uninstalled for some reason, then read this article: How to change keyboard language.

3. The keyboard layout is set incorrectly

An incorrect keyboard layout problem is somewhat similar to language ones. The only key difference here is that you might be using a US-style keyboard but not the US language, as there are many versions of English for the keyboard. So, for example, the UK has its own, Australia has its own, India has its own, and so on.

There are not many key differences but only a few. If you have a problem with some keyboard keys, you might want to check this out for a detailed tutorial on how to fix it. Also, please check this article: How to change the keyboard layout.

4. A stuck key on the keyboard

Plenty of times, there is some problem with the keyboard (I mean physically). For example, playing games too aggressively and pressing the keys with the same aggression might not be good for your keyboard, and If you’re having trouble with a stuck key on your keyboard, there are a few things you can try to fix.

For one, you can try gently cleaning the key with a cotton swab or a toothpick. If that doesn’t work, you can try gently prying the key up with a small Flathead screwdriver. If neither of those works, you may need to replace the key.

If you’re using any popular or some brand’s keyboard, then most probably, you will find a set online on Amazon or somewhere. If it’s a local brand and a mechanical keyboard, look at what switches are used in the keyboard. You will also find them easily.

If it’s a membrane keyboard, you might need to replace the inner keypad. Try searching for it online or go to a local retailer.

5. Keyboard driver is outdated or corrupt

If your keyboard driver is outdated or corrupt, you may experience problems using your keyboard. Here are some tips on how to fix this issue:

  1. Check for updates. Open your Device Manager and look for your keyboard driver. Right-click on it and select “Update Driver Software.” If there are any updates available, follow the prompts to install them.
  2. Uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver. If updates don’t fix your issue, you may need to uninstall and reinstall your keyboard driver. To do this, open your Device Manager and find your keyboard driver. Right-click on it and select “Uninstall.” Once it’s uninstalled, restart your computer. Your keyboard driver will be automatically reinstalled.
  3. Roll back your keyboard driver. If you’ve recently updated your keyboard driver and started experiencing problems, you can try rolling back to a previous version. To do this, open your Device Manager and find your keyboard driver. Right-click on it and select “Properties.” Under the “Driver” tab, click “Roll Back Driver.” If there’s no previous driver available, you’ll see a message saying so.

For a more detailed tutorial on updating keyboard drivers, head to the article: How to update keyboard drivers.

6. Problem with the computer’s registry

If your keyboard is typing backward due to issues with the registry, there are a few things you can do to fix the problem. The registry is a critical component of your computer, and if it becomes corrupt, it can cause various issues.

One of the first things you can do to repair your registry is run a registry cleaner. A registry cleaner will scan through your registry and fix any errors. There are a variety of registry cleaners available, and you can find one by searching on Google or going through with this Microsoft’s official guide.

Another thing you can do to repair your registry is to edit it manually. Manually editing the system’s registry is a more advanced option, and if you’re not comfortable with editing the registry, you should probably stick with a registry cleaner. However, if you’re comfortable editing the registry, you can find instructions on how to do so by searching on Google.

You can also check these videos if they would help you along:

How to edit System Registry on a computer
How to edit Windows Registry

If you still have issues with your registry, you can try restoring it from a backup. If you have a recent backup of your registry, you can restore it and hopefully fix the problem. You’ll need to use a program like System Restore to restore your registry from a backup.

Finally, if you still have issues with your keyword backward typing due to the system’s registry issue, you can try reinstalling Windows. Reinstalling the operating system will completely erase your hard drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. Reinstalling OS is the last resort option, but it’s worth a try if nothing else has worked.

7. Keyboard backward typing due to a virus or malware infection

If you believe it has something to do with the virus or your computer is infected by malware. Then it isn’t very easy to get rid of the viruses and malware.

Why should you consider keyboard backward typing happening due to malware?

If you haven’t changed anything in the computer’s settings or, specifically, in the keyboard or language setting, you installed software or an app. It doesn’t matter if you have installed it from an official or unofficial website. Some folks are always better and smarter than a whole organization.

How to fix it?

The usual approach:

  • If you believe your computer has a virus or malware infection, the best course is to run a virus scan using your anti-virus software.
  • If you do not have anti-virus software installed on your computer, several free options are available for download online.
  • Once you have run a virus scan, you should also take steps to protect your computer from future infections by installing anti-virus software and keeping it up-to-date.

The last resort and my personal preference:

  • Well, there are a bunch of anti-virus tools, but I wouldn’t recommend them to use. If you’re using Windows, simply run their official anti-malware programs like Windows defender.
  • Windows defender will conduct a scan of your computer for malware-containing apps, and you can remove them. It doesn’t resolve the problem if your keyboard is still typing backward. Then try restoring your system from a backup.
  • If you don’t have a backup point or the backup contains the same problem. Then back up your data in a cloud drive like Google Drive, Mega.nz, or whatever cloud service you like.
  • Then completely remove your operating system installation and everything in all drives attached to the computer by hard formatting (will take some time than the quick format option), but it will erase everything.
  • At last, reinstall whatever operating system you were using, and it should fix your keyboard backward typing problem.

8. Computer’s BIOS is outdated or corrupt

If you think the keyboard is typing backward due to the computer’s BIOS outdated version or it’s corrupted. Then follow these steps to fix it:

  1. Restart your computer and press F2 or DEL during bootup to enter the BIOS setup.
  2. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Update” or “Flash BIOS” section of the BIOS setup utility.
  3. Use the up and down arrow keys to select the BIOS update file from the list of available files.
  4. Press the “Enter” key to start the BIOS update process.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the BIOS update process.
  6. Press the “F10” key to save the changes and exit the BIOS setup utility.

9. Keyboard is faulty

Suppose you have tried everything from updating the keyboard’s language and fixing the computer’s registry to reinstalling the operating system and updating BIOS, but still, your keyboard is typing backward. In that case, it’s a problem with the keyboard hardware itself.

Get a new keyboard or try someone else before spending money on a new one. If the other keyboard works fine, buy a new one. Otherwise, take your system to a computer hardware technician to fix it as a last resort.