It is annoying when your keyboard keeps producing two keys simultaneously. Don’t worry. We’re here with 12+ ways to fix mechanical keyboard double typing so that you won’t have to waste your time and tons of money at a computer repair store.
Wonder if there is anything more irritated than a problematic keyboard? You type an A and it gives you two A-s. Or, you press W and S so your character will jump and roll on the run, but it turns out he jumps twice, resulting in missing the rolling. As a result, your essay cannot be completed smoothly and your gaming experience is ruined.
This somewhat gives you the picture of what mechanical keyboard double typing is. Basically, it is when you press a key one time, that the keyboard will respond two times at once. Besides the name keyboard double typing, it may be heard as keyboard chattering. Whether you call it keyboard double typing or keyboard chatting, it’s still a big nuisance for everyone.
The bad news is keyboard double typing can even happen on expensive, high-end mechanical keyboards or keyswitches. But, the good news is the double typing problem is fixable, and you can do the job yourself before getting to the final solution - seeing the keyboard doctor.
You can watch the video below for a visualization of the keyboard chattering problem.
There are several reasons behind a double-clicking mechanical keyboard. Getting to know the causes can be a remedy itself as you may think of solutions or know how to prevent it from happening.
Most of the time dust or ‘alien’ objects under the keycaps is the main criminal for your keyboard double typing. The keyswitches cannot run perfectly if there is a thick layer of dust or strange things get in their way. Dust and other debris also cause other problems to your keyboard and degrade your keyswitch longevity.
Cheap switches, old switches, or damaged switches may not allow your typing experiences to happen as normal. A problem within the springs or metal leaves inside a mechanical switch can make the keyboard chattering happen often.
Forgetting to update your keyboard driver can be one of the reasons. An outdated driver can not keep up with your computer and hence, bad communication between the keyboard and a processor happens, or a hole in the keyboard security is born.
If you tend to go hard on your keyboard when typing or drop it several times, the issue of keyboard double typing is likely to happen. Rough handling can cause physical damage to the fragile components of your keyboard, especially if your keyboard is made with cheap and flimsy materials.
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The double typing problem can be due to your keyboard setting. Low-tech users may not aware of the hard-drive settings, so you may set or do not know it’s set wrongly. For example, setting a long repeat delay can make the keyboard produce more than one character with a single press.
Sometimes, you may want to remap your keyboard for the best personal customization. If that’s true, check out our article here on how to remap your keyboard.
Not many people are aware of this reason since it is not a big factor. But, a too high temperature can result in the keyboard double typing, so it’s worth noticing.
Here is what you are waiting for - 9 ways to fix your mechanical keyboard double typing issue, so you don’t have to meet a mechanic (or at least not yet).
Note that you may need to try all the methods before reaching the one that truly works. After trying them all, if double typing still happens, you should seek professionals’ opinions and avoid opening your keyboard to see what’s going on inside.
Once people yell in annoyance, “Why is my keyboard typing double letters?”, the first reaction is probably to re-plug their keyboard.
Double typing may arise from a defective USB cable or a port transmitting the wrong signals to your keyboard, leading to a malfunction. When you replug the keyboard, it re-establishes the connection with your computer, potentially resetting any temporary glitches in the communication between the two.
For this method, you can follow the quick four steps below:
While this method is straightforward, it may not address more complex keyboard typing problems. If you continue to encounter the same problem frequently, you should try the other solutions listed below.
The simplest method and the most popular method for almost any computer problem is to click on the restart button. You should start with restarting your computer before doing anything mentioned later.
How to do:
Often, a major reason for multi-typing, especially if your keyboard is a bit on the older side, is dust or ‘alien’ objects stuck inside it. A thick layer of dust can mess with the smooth functioning of sensitive key switches in their way.
It's time to give your keyboard a good cleaning! But keep in mind that it's not as simple as just turning it over and shaking out the dust.
You might need a more thorough cleaning, and below, we give two methods to clean your keyboard effectively and put an end to the double typing issue.
Keeping your keyboard in good shape is smart, and regularly using compressed air can help prevent issues like keyboard double typing letters. Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Turn off your computer and disconnect the keyboard to ensure safety during the cleaning process.
Step 2: Take off the keys that are causing trouble.
Step 3: Use short bursts of canned or compressed air to blow away dust. Spray the air across the keyboard in a zigzag way, rotating it to cover all sides of the keys. To avoid any damage, do not spray directly under the keys.
Step 4: Let the keyboard dry for a few minutes to allow any remaining moisture from the compressed air to evaporate before reconnecting it.
Step 5: Plug your keyboard back into the computer, power it on, and check if the double-typing issue is fixed.
Check out the video below for easy cleaning:
If the problem sticks around, just repeat the process, ensuring to give extra attention to any stubborn spots. This deep keyboard cleaning guide will help you make your keyboard last longer.
If it’s just some keys chatter, you can continuously tap them with a strong enough force. This is simple but quite effective. However, don’t exert using this method as it can make the problems more serious. A couple of tries will be enough to see whether it works and turn to other solutions.
For stubborn double typing issues, careful cleaning with isopropyl alcohol can help. Follow these quick steps to resolve the issue:
Step 1: Unplug the keyboard and take out the keycap of the switch that is malfunctioning.
Step 2: Dampen a cotton swab or cloth with isopropyl alcohol.
Step 3: Carefully apply alcohol to the switch and gently clean the areas around it where dust or debris may accumulate.
Step 4: Allow the keyboard to air dry overnight or for several hours to ensure isopropyl alcohol completely evaporates.
Step 5: Reconnect your keyboard and check to see if the issue is still there.
Safety precaution:
Watch the video for a more straightforward process.
A keyboard driver is like a middleman that helps your keyboard talk to your computer. If you ever experience keyboard double typing, or even if your computer doesn't recognize your keyboard at all, it could mean that the keyboard driver is missing or needs an update.
The good keyboard double-click fix is to update your keyboard driver by following these simple steps:
Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and select ‘Device Manager’ from the context menu. Or you can search for ‘Device Manager’ on the search bar.
Step 2: In Device Manager, find and expand the ‘Keyboards’ category.
Step 3: Right-click on your keyboard's listing and select ‘Update driver’.
Step 4: Choose the ‘Search automatically for drivers' option. Windows will search online for the latest driver and install it if it is available.
Step 5: Once the update is complete, restart your computer to apply the changes. That's it!
Note: This method applies only to Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.
Nevertheless, not every computer system can update the generic drivers for your keyboard accurately. In this situation, there are two alternative methods to tackle it
If Windows doesn't find an updated driver, go to the official website of your keyboard manufacturer. Look for the "Support" or "Downloads" section to find the latest driver for your specific model.
You can also use third-party driver update software to streamline the process. However, be cautious and choose reputable software to avoid potential issues.
A not-up-to-date keyboard driver? Easy! Just update it. Here is how to make sure the driver can keep up with your PC.
A mechanical switch is a component under the keycap that sends signals from your typing to your computer’s processor. If not all keypresses perform double typing but just a few, those keyswitches might be damaged already so they need to be replaced.
The thing is it’s a real hassle to replace the switch by yourself, especially if this is your first time. Nonetheless, in case you use a hot-swappable keyboard, it’s not hard to replace the double-typing switches. You just need to make sure having the right switches for your keyboard.
For a detailed explanation of replacing mechanical switches, feel free to check out our article right here.
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The repeating key rate refers to the speed at which a key continues to register a keystroke when it is held down. If this rate is set too high, the keyboard may register multiple keystrokes, especially if the switches are sensitive.
Finding the right balance in the repeating key rate settings can help minimize double typing while ensuring that your keyboard responds appropriately to your typing speed.
Follow the below steps to adjust the delay rate in the operating system.
Step 1: Open ‘Control Panel’.
Step 2: In the ‘View by’ drop-down list, choose ‘large icons’ or ‘small icons’.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Keyboard’ tab, and then the ‘Keyboard Properties’ window will open.
Step 4: Change the ‘Character repeat’ slider from ‘Short’ to ‘Long’. And, change the ‘Repeat rate’ slider from ‘Fast’ to ‘Slow’.
Step 5: Click 'Apply' or 'OK,' then restart your computer.
Note: This method applies only to Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the operating system and various applications. Adjusting registry settings related to keyboard response can impact how the system interprets and processes keystrokes.
Issues like double typing may arise from settings such as a too-sensitive repeat rate, low debounce time, encountering "ghost typing", and incorrect registry editor.
You can change the keyboard response in the registry to fix double typing. However, registry modifications can significantly impact your computer. Thus, you should create a backup before proceeding to avoid something going wrong.
Now, you can modify the keyboard registry with these steps.
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run box.
Step 2: Type ‘regedit’ and click OK.
Step 3: When the ‘Registry Editor’ opens, open this folder by ‘HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Accessibility\Keyboard Response’
Step 4: Double-click the ‘Auto-Repeat Delay’ to open the ‘Edit String’. Change 'Value data' to '500,' and click OK.
Step 5: Double-click the ‘Auto-Repeat Rate’ to open the ‘Edit String’. Change to ’50’ in the ‘Value data’. Then, click Okay.
Step 6: Double-click the ‘Bounce Time’ to open the ‘Edit String’. Change 'Value data' to '50,' and click OK.
Step 7: Restart your computer to check for problem resolution.
Note: This method applies only to Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.
Making registry changes requires care to avoid unintended consequences. If unsure, you should seek expert advice or explore alternative solutions through the control panel or device manager settings.
If none of the above solutions show an improvement, it’s time to consider bringing your mechanical keyboard to the repairers or getting a new one. This should be based on your judgments on which ways bring more benefits, both functionally and financially.
Go for a new keyboard if those things are your situation. First, your keyboard warranty is still valid so there is a none-to-little charge. Second, the repair fees are higher than buying a new keyboard. Last, there is a high chance the keyboard double typing will reoccur.
For a good brand new keyboard, it’s best to gather the necessary information before bringing back any new one such as: types of keyboard sizes and layouts. spacebar dimensions...
Still confusing about where to start? These Toplist will definitely offer you great help:
One of the best remedies for the keyboard double typing ‘syndrome’ is using the keyboard chattering software. The software is safe to use and super effective. All you need to do is download the keyboard chattering software and run it.
Here is how to get the software and use it.
To run this software automatically without redoing the above steps every time your computer opens, do these.
Filter Keys is an accessibility feature designed to ignore brief or repeated keystrokes, which can reduce the likelihood of unintentional double typing. When Filter Keys is enabled, Windows will ignore brief or repeated keystrokes.
Yet, the process of enabling Filter Keys is quite different for each different Windows operating system.
Windows 7
Step 1: Open the Start menu and navigate to the Control Panel.
Step 2: View by Small icons.
Step 3: Click on 'Ease of Access Center', then select 'Make the keyboard easier to use'.
Step 4: Turn on 'Filter Keys' and click OK.
Windows 8/8.1
Step 1: Open 'Ease of Access Center'. Press the shortcut keys, Windows + U.
Step 2: Click 'Make the keyboard easier to use'.
Step 3: Turn on 'Filter Keys' and click OK.
Windows 10
Step 1: Open the Start menu. Click 'Settings'.
Step 2: Select 'Ease of Access'.
Step 3: Select 'Keyboard'.
Step 4: Turn on 'Use Filter Keys' and click OK.
Windows 11
Step 1: Open the Start menu, then click 'Settings'. (You can also press Window keys + R to open Run, then type 'control')
Step 2: Go to 'Accessibility', then select 'Keyboard'.
Step 3: Turn on 'Filter Keys' and click OK.
Step 4 (Optional): Restart the system and test if any repeated letters occur.
Another easy keyboard double-typing fix is using the keyboard chattering software. The Keyboard Chatter Fix, or kcfix.exe, minimizes keyboard chatter by setting up a millisecond delay between transmitted responses to your PC.
To implement this fix, you must first run the Keyboard Chattering Fix software in the background while typing. Although the software lacks an auto-start option, you can manually place its EXE in the Startup folder and use it with these steps.
1. Download the keyboard chattering software from this link.
2. Unzip the file to execute the keyboard chattering application.
3. When the 'Keyboard Chattering Fix' opens, navigate to the 'config' tab.
4. Enable 'Chattering Filter'.
5. Set the Threshold at 90 ms, gradually increasing it until chatter is eliminated. Click 'Apply' to save the threshold setting.
For automatic execution every time your computer starts, follow these steps:
With these configurations, the software will automatically remove any secondary keypresses within 90 ms, effectively eliminating chattering. If you experience key omissions, simply reduce the chattering threshold to a lower value.
While this quick trick is effective, it may not provide a lasting solution. There could be underlying, serious issues within your keyboard that need a thorough exploration and fix.
Addressing cable-related issues can be a straightforward solution to fix a mechanical keyboard from double typing. If your keyboard's USB cable is in trouble, it can send duplicate signals and lead to erratic behavior, including double typing.
To address potential cable-related problems, you should:
Step 1: Inspect the cable for any visible damage, kinks, or fraying, or experiencing connectivity issues.
Step 2: If you notice any issues, consider replacing the cable. If the double typing issue is resolved with a new cable, it means a problem with the original cable.
Step 3: If the issue persists, further troubleshooting may be needed to identify and resolve other potential causes.
A mechanical switch is a key component beneath the keycap, transmitting signals from your typing to your computer's processor. If not all keypresses perform double typing but just a few, those switches might be worn or damaged and need to be replaced.
If you own a hot-swappable keyboard, the process of replacing double-typing switches is straightforward. You just need to make sure you have the right switches for your keyboard.
Here's a quick guide:
For non-hot-swappable keyboards, replacing switches may involve soldering, so it's recommended for those with experience or seeking professional assistance.
Check out our detailed guide to the mechanical switch replacement process.
If none of the above solutions show an improvement, it’s time to consider bringing your mechanical keyboard to the repairers or getting a new one. This should be based on your judgments on which ways bring more benefits, both functionally and financially.
Go for a new keyboard if those things are your situation. First, your keyboard warranty is still valid so there is a none-to-little charge. Second, the repair fees are higher than buying a new keyboard. Last, there is a high chance the keyboard double typing will reoccur.
For a good brand new keyboard, it’s best to gather the necessary information before bringing back any new one. Apart from a mechanical keyboard, an optical keyboard or a low-profile keyboard is also a good option for a nice typing experience. Furthermore, if you cannot bear the loud noise coming from pressing down the keys, a quiet keyboard will be your best friend.
Quite many factors result in the mechanical keyboard double typing problem, ranging from many layers of harmful dust to the wrong keyboard setting. The thing is, nothing can go right anymore when the typing goes wrong all the time.
The best things are investing in a good keyboard and taking good care of your delicate company. Some good practices are frequent cleaning, occasional hard-drive updating, and rough-using avoidance. However, soon or later problems like keyboard chattering will happen after a long using time. That is why we are here to help with 12+ ways to fix mechanical keyboard double typing. Thank you for reading and hope it helps you somehow.
There are some ways to fix the mechanical keyboard double typing issue.
Here is a summary of the causes behind the keyboard double typing problem.
You should decide on replacing your keyboard or bringing it repaired. Remember not to open the keyboard to fix it by yourself if you have no knowledge of the subject.
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