Why Your Keyboard Is Typing In All Caps

Your keyboard is one of the most important computer peripherals, but it doesn’t always work as expected. Sometimes, you might encounter issues with its performance, including a glitch that forces it to type in all caps.

The Causes

Your keyboard’s performance depends on three factors:

1. Hardware: The keyboard and its features.
2. System: Your operating system and the drivers it uses.
3. Software: Program settings and font styles.

These three must work together to ensure your keyboard functions properly. If one of these factors has issues, your keyboard may not work as intended and might, for example, start typing in all caps.

To determine why your keyboard is typing in all caps, we need to look into these three factors and then distill them into the exact reasons for your keyboard malfunctioning.

1. Caps Lock Is Enabled

The most common reason for a keyboard to type in all caps is the Caps Lock key. It’s located on the left side, between the Tab and Left Shift keys. This key enables or disables the caps lock feature, which forces the keyboard to type in all caps.

Some keyboards have a separate backlight for the Caps Lock key to indicate it’s enabled. However, if you’re using a regular keyboard, it may not have this feature, so you’ll need to test it to see if it’s causing the issue.

It’s normal for a person to press the Caps Lock key accidentally, so it wouldn’t be surprising if this is causing the problem. Press it again to disable it and start typing to see if you get lowercase input.

2. Shift Key Is Jammed

The Shift keys (left and right) allow you to temporarily change your keyboard’s case input or use the symbols on the number row. Holding it down while typing forces the keyboard to type in all caps and symbols. Due to the position of these keys, it’s easy for them to get jammed or stuck without the user noticing it.

Membrane keyboards usually suffer from this issue, especially those in use for a few years. Giving it a little push or nudge should “unstick” the Shift key and allow you to type in lowercase again.

The difference between an enabled Caps Lock and a pressed Shift key is the input you get when you press the keys on the number row. If the Caps Lock key is enabled, the input from the number row will be the numbers on the keys. If the Shift key is jammed or stuck, the input will be the symbols on those keys.

3. Font or Entry Field Forces Uppercase Input

This reason falls under the software factor that affects how your keyboard works. Some font styles don’t support lowercase, and developers designed some input fields to display uppercase text only.

There’s no way to fix this because it’s a native setting for the application that you’re using. The only thing you can do is replace the font you’re using. However, if the program or input fields require uppercase input, the font style wouldn’t matter.

An easy way to test this is to open a text editor (e.g., Notepad) and start typing. If your input is lowercase, the issue you’re experiencing is likely from the font style or settings of the input fields you’re using.

4. Uppercase Settings Enabled

The case setting is program-dependent and forces your keyboard to type in whatever case you set. There are different options for this, including:

• Sentence case: Capitalizes the first letter of each sentence.
• UPPERCASE: Forces all input to be in all caps.
• lowercase: Forces all input to be in lowercase, even if you’re holding down the Shift key or have the Caps Lock enabled.
• Title Case: Capitalizes the first letter of every word.

You’ll find this setting in almost every office application, often accessible via an “Aa” icon. If you’re unsure whether the program is causing your keyboard to type in all caps, open a text editor and start typing. If you can type accurately, you might need to change the case setting in the program you’re using.

5. Filter Keys Are Enabled in MS Office Applications

Filter Keys is a Windows accessibility feature designed to assist people who have difficulty pressing multiple keys simultaneously or in rapid succession. Accidentally triggering the shortcut for it can change the keyboard settings on your computer.

Holding the right Shift key down for 8 seconds triggers the Filter Keys shortcut, which asks if you want to enable Filter Keys. Clicking “No” or “Cancel” on this notification can force your keyboard to start typing in all caps.

How to Fix It

If you suspect that you or someone else accidentally closed this notification, triggering the change in keyboard settings, press both Shift keys (left and right) simultaneously to reset the settings for Filter Keys. This will allow you to type normally again.

To prevent this issue from happening again, you may want to disable the Filter Key shortcut:

1. Press and hold the right Shift key for 8 seconds to trigger the Filter Keys shortcut.
2. Click the “Disable this keyboard shortcut in the Ease of Access keyboard settings” link.
3. Open the Windows Search box and type in “Accessibility keyboard settings.”
4. Click the “Filter keys” option.
5. Click the “Keyboard shortcut for Filter keys” to turn it off.

6. Keyboard Settings Mismatch

Different keyboard settings exist for any operating system. Whether you’re using Windows, macOS, or Linux, you must set the appropriate settings for your computer. One reason the keyboard types in all caps is that your settings don’t match the one you’re using.

Some think keyboard settings don’t matter, but they instruct the computer on what to type based on keystrokes. A keyboard set to English (UK) will have different keystrokes than English (US), despite being both English. If you have a different language set on your computer, it may cause it to type in all caps.

How to Fix It

To fix the keyboard language mismatch, update the settings on your computer and select the language you want your system to use when typing.

Here’s how to change the language settings for different operating systems:

• For macOS: Use this guide from Apple. Use the dropdown menu to select the version you’re using.
• For Windows 10 and 11: Here’s a guide from Microsoft. Use the tab to switch between different versions and see the instructions.
• For Ubuntu and Debian-based distros: Here’s a guide from Ubuntu. If you’re using a different Linux distro, you may have to search for it on the distro’s official website.

Changing the language settings for your computer won’t fix the issue but will ensure that you’re not pressing the wrong keys when typing. This will help prevent accidental presses on keys that may trigger the keyboard to start typing in all caps.

7. Corrupted or Outdated Keyboard Driver

Computers need drivers to communicate with other peripherals, including the keyboard. If the driver you’re using is outdated or corrupted, your keyboard may not work as intended, or it may not even work at all. Keeping your operating system and drivers updated is essential.

How to Fix It

For Linux, some distros may not auto-detect the drivers you need, so you’ll have to search for them and install them manually.

For Mac, your system will automatically detect the drivers you need. If there’s a corrupted driver, the system will handle it and initiate a fresh install for your keyboard. If you’re having issues with your keyboard while using Mac, search for available updates.

For Windows, check the keyboard driver to see if an update is available. If you have a corrupted keyboard driver, uninstall it from the system and restart your computer to allow it to create a fresh install.

8. Defective Keyboard

Whether you’re using a membrane or mechanical keyboard, they will start to fail at some point. Some keys may register incorrectly and activate keys you’re not pressing. Another reason for a keyboard to type in all caps is a malfunctioning Caps Lock key.

If your keyboard registers incorrect keystrokes, consider replacing it. However, if you’re only dealing with a faulty Caps Lock key, you can change a setting within your computer to continue using it.

How to Fix It

An advanced setting in Windows allows you to change the key you’re using for the Caps Lock feature. Instead of using the Caps Lock key, you can use the Shift key to enable or disable the Caps Lock.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run program window.
2. Use this code to open the keyboard settings: Rundll32 Shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL input.dll,,{C07337D3-DB2C-4D0B-9A93-B722A6C106E2}. This will open the Text Services and Input Languages settings.
3. Go to Advanced Key Settings.
4. Select Press the SHIFT key to turn off Caps Lock.
5. Click Apply, then OK to save your settings.
6. Restart your computer.

After changing this option, you can turn the Caps Lock feature on or off, even if your Caps Lock key is malfunctioning. Still, if this is already happening, consider getting a new keyboard to prevent other typing issues.