Typing Tools
Keyboard tester
Press any key to check that it works. Held keys glow amber and tested keys turn green, so you can quickly spot dead or stuck keys. The live readout also shows the key name, event.code, and keyCode.
Key
—
event.code
—
keyCode
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Amber = held now · green = tested OK
How to test your keyboard
Click anywhere on this page so it has keyboard focus, then press each key one at a time. As you hold a key, the matching key on the on-screen layout turns amber; when you let go it turns green to show it has been tested and works. Keys that stay grey have not registered — those are the ones to investigate.
Work methodically across each row so you don't miss anything. If a key feels sticky or needs extra force, you'll often see it flicker or register late, which is an early sign of wear or debris under the keycap. The live readout at the top is handy for developers too: it shows exactly what event.code and keyCode the browser reports for each physical key.
Common keyboard problems this finds
- • Dead keys — never light up, usually a hardware or connection fault.
- • Stuck keys — register without being pressed, or stay highlighted after release.
- • Intermittent keys — need extra pressure or only register some of the time.
- • Wrong-key mapping — a different key lights up than the one you pressed, pointing to a layout or remapping issue.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I test if a keyboard key is working?
- Press the key and watch the on-screen keyboard. If the matching key lights up amber while held and turns green after release, it registered correctly. Keys that never light up are likely dead or unresponsive.
- Why isn't a key lighting up?
- A key that never lights up may be physically dead, disconnected, or blocked by debris. It can also indicate a driver issue. Try the key in another application to confirm whether the problem is hardware or software.
- What do event.code and keyCode mean?
- event.code is the physical key identifier the browser reports (for example 'KeyA' or 'Space'), independent of your keyboard layout. keyCode is a legacy numeric code for the same key. Both are useful for developers debugging keyboard input.
- Does this tester work for laptop keyboards?
- Yes. It works with any keyboard the browser can read — laptop, external USB, Bluetooth, or mechanical. Some media or function keys may be intercepted by the operating system and won't reach the browser.
- Is anything I type recorded?
- No. The tester only reads which keys are pressed to light them up on screen. Nothing is stored, logged, or sent anywhere — it all happens locally in your browser.
- What's the difference between this and the ghosting tester?
- This tester checks whether each individual key registers. The keyboard ghosting / N-key rollover tester checks how many keys your keyboard can detect simultaneously, which matters for gaming and fast typing.