What is Keyboard Tester?
Keyboard Tester is a free, web-based utility designed to help you verify the functionality of every key on your computer keyboard. Whether you're using a full-size desktop keyboard, a compact TKL (tenkeyless), or a MacOS keyboard, this tool provides a visual interface to detect input instantly.
When you press a physical key, the corresponding key on the virtual keyboard lights up with a glowing effect. This allows you to easily spot dead keys that are not registering, or keys that might be registering intermittently.
Supported Layouts
Full (100%)
TKL (80%)
MacOS
Why Test Your Keyboard?
- Verify New Purchases: Ensure your brand new keyboard has absolutely zero defects out of the box.
- Troubleshoot Issues: Determine if a non-functioning key is a hardware problem or a software glitch.
- Check Used Gear: Essential for buyers and sellers of second-hand mechanical keyboards to verify condition.
- Spill Damage Check: Quickly assess the extent of damage after an accidental liquid spill.
- Test Media Keys: Verify that volume controls and playback keys are working correctly.
How to Use the Keyboard Tester
Using our tool is straightforward and requires no installation or registration. Just load the page and start pressing your keys.
Step-by-Step Guide
Choose Your Layout
Select your keyboard layout from the dropdown menu — Full (100%), TKL (80%), or MacOS. The keyboard display will adjust accordingly.
Start Pressing Keys
Begin typing on your physical keyboard. You will see the keys on screen light up with a glowing effect as you hold them down (Active state).
Check Tested Keys
Once you release a key, it turns green (Tested state). The progress bar updates to show your testing progress.
Test Media Keys
On Full layout, test volume controls (Mute, Volume Up/Down) and Play/Pause button in the numpad area.
Verify Special Keys
Don't forget to test function keys (F1-F12), navigation keys (Arrows, Home, End), and modifiers (Shift, Ctrl, Alt/Option, Win/⌘).
Test N-Key Rollover
Try pressing multiple keys simultaneously. If your keyboard supports N-Key Rollover, all pressed keys should light up at once.
Review History
Check the history log to ensure keys are registering in the correct order and without double-presses.
Controls
Reset Button
Clear all progress, reset the progress bar, and start fresh.
Sound Toggle
Enable/disable auditory feedback when keys are pressed. Green icon means sound is ON.
Layout Selector
Switch between Full, TKL, and MacOS layouts without losing your tested keys progress.
Key Features
Our Keyboard Tester is designed with both casual users and enthusiasts in mind, offering features that go beyond simple key detection.
Multiple Keyboard Layouts
Full Layout (100%)
TKL Layout (80%)
MacOS Layout
Advanced Detection
- Visual Feedback: Distinct colors with glowing effects for active (pressed) and tested (released) keys make tracking progress intuitive.
- Press Animation: Keys visually "press down" with scale effect and multi-layer glow when activated.
- Progress Bar: Visual progress indicator shows percentage of keys tested in real-time.
- History Log: A real-time log of recent keystrokes helps you spot "chattering" or double-typing switches.
- Media Keys Support: Test volume controls and playback keys on Full layout.
User Experience
Sound Feedback
Optional click sound confirms key registration — enabled by default.
Layout Memory
Your preferred layout is saved and restored on next visit.
Dark Mode Support
Interface automatically adapts to system themes with enhanced glow effects.
Responsive Design
Keys and gaps scale proportionally to fit your screen width.
Privacy Focused
All key events are processed locally in your browser. No keystroke data is ever transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my "Fn" key not working?
The "Fn" (Function) key on most laptops and keyboards is a purely internal hardware modifier. It does not send a signal to the computer's operating system directly, so web browsers cannot detect it. This is normal behavior.
Why aren't my media keys working?
Media keys (Volume Up/Down, Mute, Play/Pause) are only shown on the Full (100%) layout. Additionally, some keyboards send these keys through hardware-level processing that browsers cannot intercept. Try pressing them anyway — they may still register on certain keyboard models.
What is Key Ghosting?
Ghosting occurs when you press multiple keys simultaneously, and an extra key that you didn't press gets registered. Our tool helps you visually identify if random keys light up when you are holding down clear combinations.
What is N-Key Rollover (NKRO)?
NKRO refers to the ability of a keyboard to correctly register all keys pressed at the same time. Most standard keyboards support 2-Key or 6-Key Rollover. Gaming keyboards often support full N-Key Rollover. You can test this limit by pressing multiple keys simultaneously.
Which layout should I choose?
- Full (100%): Standard desktop keyboards with numpad
- TKL (80%): Compact keyboards without numpad
- MacOS: Apple keyboards with Command (⌘) and Option keys
Why does my Win/⌘ key show an icon instead of text?
We display the Windows logo icon and macOS Command (⌘) symbol for better visual recognition. The key still detects and registers as MetaLeft or MetaRight in the history log.
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