My computer is behaving as if the shift key is depressed, but letters still come out lowercase. For example, if I click somewhere in text, it shift-selects the entire text to wherever I click. Numbers come out like %^&&*. When I click icons on the desktop, it shift-selects the icons. Clicking on a program on the taskbar opens up a new instance of the program instead of the window that's already open (I never knew shift clicking on the taskbar did that until this wonderful little issue).

I tried restarting with and without the keyboard plugged in, and it does the same thing. It started doing this randomly while I was working (web development). I also turned off sticky shift keys as someone suggested on a forum, but this doesn't seem to be it. And what is particularly weird is that I am still typing in lowercase letters.

ANY help would be much appreciated!

Update: I gave up and went to format/reinstall Windows, so I was trying to go to the BIOS (to change my boot media to the CD drive) by hitting the DEL key on the boot, but it seems it's not recognizing that key press, which is similar to how it behaves when I'm in Windows. So, what are your thoughts if I have the same problem even before Windows boots, with two different keyboards?

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7 Answers

I had nearly the same exact problem except that I would get upper case letters when typing. I tried everything I could think of to get it fixed. What wound up fixing the issue for me was opening up the onscreen keyboard. I have no idea why this worked.

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You may want to check you've not accidentally turned on Sticky Keys ("Control Panel" -> "Ease of Access Center" or "Accessibility" (depending on your Windows version), then kick on the option for "Sticky Keys", and make sure it's not turned on).

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This is a software problem, not a hardware problem. I've done this before, though I don't know how, and the easiest way to fix it is by:

• Going to the Control Panel;
• Going to the "Ease of Access" or "Accessibility" center;
• Clicking on "Change How Your Keyboard Works";
• Making sure that the box next to "Sticky Keys" isn't checked (so Sticky Keys isn't turned on);
• Scrolling to the bottom and clicking on "Keyboard Settings";
• Then in the window that opens, going to the "Buttons" tab at the top, clicking on "Restore Defaults";
• Clicking "Apply", then "OK" and doing the same ("Apply", then "OK") in the original window.

This should fix the problem. It'll override whatever it was that you did to make your keyboard think the shift key was pressed down.

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I had the same problem and the ease of access settings didn't help either.

What I did was just Hold down the SHIFT key for about 10 seconds then everything went back to normal. I don't know what triggered it since I never installed any new software but this did the trick.

Hope it helps someone in the future :)

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I replaced my CPU and it fixed the problem. Someone on another forum had a similar problem, and this fixed it for them as well. Very strange behavior. But replacing the CPU fixed it when nothing else would.

I experienced similar behavior.

Any attempt to disable the left shift lock from the "Ease of Access Center" failed. Was getting extremely frustrated and then attempted to disable it through the right shift.

Tapping the right shift five times, when the keyboard shortcut was marked as enabled through "Make the keyboard easier to use", successfully disabled the shift lock.

Again - the right shift toggle disabled it when the left shift toggle attempts would not.

I faced the same problem with my laptop Lenovo Z580, it is not a software issue, it is a Hardware issue that is your laptop keyboard might be damaged with dust, ants, water spilling on it, or etc. So, it is shorts circuited when you turned on your Laptop. It is better disable the keyboard by unplug the Keyboard band from your laptop and connect a external key board. If it is working fine now, then it is clearly a hardware issue, you must change your key board. I hope this will help to your the people who face the same issue. Thank you.