How to Open Laptop Keyboard?

Let’s be honest. There is nothing more frustrating than when you are typing away peacefully and all of a sudden some of the laptop’s keyboard keys stop working in the middle of your important work. Maybe at some point you spilled a coke or a coffee or some dust particles have found their way into every nook and cranny of your precious machine. 

Hey it happens to all of us it's only a matter of time before things wear out. So now you finally decide to fix things and want to open your laptop keyboard. And you may be nervous or afraid that it's a daunting task like surgery.

But don't worry in this guide we will walk you through every process to make sure you get things right on the first try. Whether you are cleaning it and or replacing it with a new laptop keyboard everything will be easy peasy japanesey. So buckle up and let's take a deep dive and get to know how it all works.

‍

Why Open Your Laptop Keyboard in the First Place?

Before we answer the how part. We first need to know why it happens. Well to be honest there are many different reasons why it happens. 

And we have listed some of those here so take a look:

• Cleaning: Many people love to clean their essential stuff and naturally laptops are no stranger to this process. 

‍

So some dust particles, food crumbs or a drink spill can mess up your laptop keyboard and that's just one of many reasons.

• Replacement: The other reason is when some keys just wear out and stop working because everything has a life span. And that is another reason why replacing the keyboard is crucial.

• Hardware Access: In some models you have to remove your laptop keyboard first if you want to access other components like RAM, hard disk etc.

‍

But hey everyone has a different reason so whatever is yours as long as you take things slow and steady you don't have to worry about anything going disastrously wrong.

‍

Important Things You Will Need

Before you start rolling up your selves and getting ready for the big operation. You need to have the following things in your arsenal.

• A small Phillips head screwdriver. You can also buy a set with different heads at your local hardware shop.

• A flat opening tool like a plastic spudger or you can use your old bank credit card that is of no use to you anymore.

• A small bowl or a magnetic mat to keep all your laptop keyboard screws safe. Don’t lose them they are vital.

• An anti static wrist strap this one is optional but a safer choice to avoid any damage to your machine.

• A compressed air blower or a soft toothbrush can be used to clean things out.

‍

Have everything ready. Great let's move to the most crucial part of this article shall we?

‍

Step by Step Procedure to Open Your Laptop Keyboard

‍

At this stage there is no going back. Your mind is set on so now let the battle begin:

‍

Step 1: Power Down and Disconnect

You might find this really surprising but sometimes people just forget to shut down their laptops. This leads to the most significant problem which is a short fuse so always make sure you cut the power off completely and that doesn’t mean putting it in sleep or hibernation mode. For safety reasons unplug the charger as well from your laptop. 

Tip: Press and hold the power button for a few seconds after removing the battery to discharge any residual power.

‍

Step 2: Find the Keyboard Screws

Now turn your laptop upside down and look for those small screw holes.  Make sure to carefully unscrew them and put all those precious screws in a bowl or on a magnetic sheet. Losing them is like a lost pin in a haystack. It just happens so fast.

‍

Step 3: Gently and Carefully Lift the Laptop Keyboard

Now here is the most delicate part carefully turn your laptop back to the front side and then gently open the screen lid. The majority of the new laptop keyboards are held together by small clips along the top edge so use a flat tool or an old credit card. Insert it on one corner of the keyboard and then carefully pry it out so that no clips get snapped. If you feel like you are stuck make sure to carefully recheck for any screws or clips that you might have missed. Patience is key to success. 

‍

Step 4: Disconnect the Ribbon Cable

Finally after your laptop keyboard is loose from all the clips you will see a thin ribbon cable that connects to the motherboard. Be careful so you don't want to pull the cable off violently. Look for a small latch or a locking mechanism where the ribbon cable is connected. Gently open the latch and as you see the cable is loose lift the keyboard and put it in a different place.

Pro Advice: Make sure to take a photo of how it's connected to the latch. Your future self will be very grateful for this small detail.

‍

Step 5: Clean or Replace the Keyboard

So now finally after the laptop keyboard has been taken out. Grab your compress air blower or a soft clean toothbrush and start doing what you can to make everything neat but be careful and gentle. Don’t use too much force. If you are dealing with a sticky mess of keys then use a lightly damp cloth that is not too wet and carry on.

But if you want to replace it with a new laptop keyboard. Then simply take out the newly bought product and carefully attach the ribbon cable to it. Make sure that you hear a click sound or use the picture you took before and follow it carefully to see how it was attached. 

There you go. I told you it would be helpful.

‍

Step 6: Putting Everything Back and Doing a Test Run

‍

Done with all the cleaning or replacement. Put everything back the way you did it. Carefully press the keyboard down until you can get in the correct position for the snaps to reattach themselves back into it. Then flip the laptop over with care and put all the screws back that you have safely set aside earlier. Put the battery back as well if you took it out. Plug your laptop into its charger and power it back on.

Voila now all you need to do is carry out a few tests by typing in Word and pressing different keys to get all that fantastic typing experience. Isn't it all great again?

‍

Some Helpful Tips and Precautions to Take

• Be Gentle: Your laptop keyboard isn’t a Rubix cube. Using force will break it.

• Stay Organized: Keep all the screws and parts together in a safe place.

• Check Your Warranty: If your laptop is still under warranty then ask for the help of an authorized professional. Don’t do it on your own as it will void your contract with the company.

• Please Don’t Rush: Take your time and be patient because haste makes waste.

‍

When to Seek Help from a Laptop Professional

‍

While there is a significant chance that opening your laptop keyboard by yourself will go without any problems. There are some moments where things will go wrong so getting professional help is a smart move especially if you aren’t feeling too confident in yourself to do the job.

You can ask for their assistance if you are in the following situation:

• You are not familiar with and are uncomfortable with the delicate electronic parts.

• Your laptop is a new model and very tricky to understand.

• The issue is more than just taking out the keyboard.

‍

Conclusion

Opening a laptop keyboard might feel intimidating at first. But it is surprisingly very manageable when you break it down into little steps. So whether you are clearing stubborn particles or replacing new keys the effort involved in fixing it yourself is worth it. So grab your gear and take a deep breath. Because you got this champ.

‍