Has the volume keys on your keyboard stopped working? I can imagine how annoying it would be to reach your taskbar to adjust the volume. Ain’t it? But don’t worry, you’re not the first to face this. I’ve been a victim of this issue too, so I know how to get out of this trouble.
Here I’ll share some effective ways to fix your keyboard in a snap. So let’s not waste any more time and get right into it!
1. Check your keyboard connection
Before worrying about any serious issue, let’s begin by simply checking your keyboard connection. I need you gently unplug and replug the USB cable and see if it fixes the keyboard. If this doesn’t work then your USB port might’ve gone faulty. Try changing the port and check if the keys started to work. Still no response? Well, then the flaw is somewhere else. So let’s keep digging!
2. Restart your computer
It may sound quite basic but restarting your computer can solve tons of small errors like these. So just go for a restart and hope it works your way. If not, try the next method.
3. Clean up your keyboard
When was the last time you cleaned up your keyboard? Can’t recall? Well, then there’s a chance that dirt might’ve clogged your volume keys. Take a clean cloth and thoroughly clean your keyboard, especially around the volume keys. Now check if the keys started working. No luck? Move on to the next solution.
4. Take a look at your settings
Sometimes wrong settings can be the cause of this problem. So you need to make sure your keyboard settings are not faulty. If you have a specialized keyboard with additional volume controls, you’ll have to look for any special settings or software that needs to be set up correctly. And while you’re in the settings, go to your audio settings and make sure that the right audio device is selected.
5. Check the HID
Nothing wrong with your settings? You should check if your HID (Human Interface Device) is disabled for some reason. All you need to do is start it again and that’ll fix your issue. Here’s how you can do it;
- Type services in your search bar and click on the best match that appears on top
- Now scroll down the list until you find Human Interface Device
- Right-click on it and go to the properties
- Then change the startup type to automatic and click on start > Apply > Ok and you’re done
If your HID was already started then try uninstalling it and let your PC reinstall it by itself. If this trick doesn’t work then keep going.
This method works most of the time but if you’re still facing the issue, don’t worry! We’re not out of solutions yet!
6. Reset the Windows Audio Service
While the services tab is open, I’d suggest resetting the Windows Audio service too.
- Scroll down the list to find the Windows Audio service
- Right-click on it and then select restart from the menu
This service takes care of your computer’s sound and restarting it might fix the problem.
7. Run Hidserv service
Now that you’re looking into the software errors, you might as well take a look at the Hidserve service in your task manager and make sure it’s running. To do that;
- Open your Task Manager
- Find the Hidserv service and see if it’s running or not
- In case it’s running, just leave it as it is and close the Task Manager
- But if it’s stopped, right-click on it and click Start
Hopefully, after this, your volume keys would start to work.
8. Uninstall or Disable any third-party keyboard software
Did you recently install any third-party keyboard apps or software? If yes then it might’ve interfered with your keyboard and may have reassigned the functions of your keyboard keys. In this case, you just have to disable or delete that software to bring your volume keys back to life.
9. Update your drivers
Your keyboard can also malfunction because of some glitch in your keyboard drivers. So I’d recommend updating your drivers or you can delete and reinstall the drivers to resolve the issue. Never done it? Here’s how;
- Search device manager in your search box and open it
- Look for the keyboard and right-click on the driver
- Now you can either go for update driver or uninstall the driver
- If you clicked update driver, just wait for it to complete
- But if you clicked uninstall driver then you just have to restart your computer and it’ll automatically install the missing driver
- If this doesn’t work, you can click on the keyboard and select scan for hardware changes and the driver will be installed
10. Inspect for any hardware damage
If nothing has resolved your issue so far, I’m thinking your keyboard may have any hardware damage. To confirm that, test your keyboard on any other device to see if the volume keys work. If they don’t work, you’ll need to go to a technician or if you have some experience then take your tools out. If all else fails, you may need to buy a new keyboard.
Some other possible fixes
If none of the above solutions worked for you, I got some extra tips here for you to try;
- Double-check that the volume of your headphones or speakers is not turned down
- Make sure that you didn’t accidentally press the mute button
- Try a different application to see if the keys work
- If you’re facing this problem with your laptop, you must be sure that your function keys are unlocked.
- If nothing works, you can always use the on-screen volume slider
Final thoughts
That’s a wrap-up! Now you know everything you need to do if your volume keys stop working. Hope it helped! But if you still couldn’t fix your keyboard, don’t hesitate to explain your problem in the comments below. I’ll see what we can do about it.
Muhammad Allayhan, a gaming and PC hardware virtuoso, breathes life into pixelated worlds. A legendary overclocker, he unlocks hidden power in gaming rigs. Navigating from 8-bit realms to today’s masterpieces, Muhammad’s words immerse readers in an ever-evolving digital odyssey. Join him as he reveals the secrets of gaming’s cutting edge.
