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Laptop Keyboard Repair & Replacement in London

Dead Keys, Keyboards That Won't Type, and Spill Damage — Diagnosed Before Anything Is Replaced

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4.8-star Google rating 25+ years experience Putney workshop SW15 From £60 90-day warranty on repairs

Last updated: August 2026

Overview

Keyboard not working? First we work out why

A keyboard that stops typing is one of the most misdiagnosed faults we see. Sometimes it genuinely is the keyboard. Just as often it is a ribbon cable that has worked loose, a driver or filter-key setting, a stuck function lock, a failing keyboard controller on the board, or a spill from three weeks ago that is only now corroding a trace. Replacing the keyboard fixes exactly one of those. So we triage first — on the bench, with an external keyboard, a live boot and a proper look inside — and only then tell you what it needs. Work is done in our own workshop on Lower Richmond Road in Putney, with free collection and return across South West London.

Whole keyboard dead — nothing types at all
Some keys not working, or typing the wrong character
Keys sticking, repeating, or needing a hard press
Spilled a drink, and the keyboard failed shortly after
Windows laptops and MacBooks Common parts held in stock 90-day warranty on repairs
Is it the keyboard, a driver, or a spill? Brand and model patterns we see repeatedly Repair the key, or replace the keyboard?
What you get

What every keyboard replacement job includes

90-day warranty

The work we carry out is covered by a 90-day warranty. If the same fault comes back inside that window, we put it right.

Free collection and return

We collect and return across South West London at no charge, so you do not have to make the trip to get your machine looked at.

Common parts held in stock

Screens, batteries, keyboards, RAM and SSDs for the models we see most are on the shelf at our Putney workshop, so the usual jobs are not waiting on a supplier.

Same-day turnaround is available on many jobs — ask when you book and we will confirm availability and any additional cost before we start.

Features

What Our Keyboard Service Covers

Triage Before Replacement

We establish what is actually broken before quoting a part. External keyboard test, live boot to rule out Windows or macOS settings, connector reseat, and a look for liquid ingress. If a £0 fix will do it, that is what you get told.

Full Keyboard Replacement

Where the keyboard itself has failed, we fit a correct-layout UK replacement — including backlit versions where the machine originally had one. Common models are held in stock; less usual ones are ordered once you have approved the quote.

Individual Keys and Keycaps

One key missing, loose, or refusing to press properly is usually a broken scissor clip or hinge rather than a dead keyboard. Where the mechanism can be rebuilt or the keycap replaced, that is far cheaper than a whole assembly.

Spill and Corrosion Assessment

Liquid rarely stops at the keyboard. We open the machine, check the membrane, connector and the board underneath for corrosion, and tell you honestly whether a new keyboard will hold or whether there is board damage behind it.

MacBook Keyboards and Top Cases

On most MacBooks the keyboard is riveted into the top case with the battery and trackpad, so it is a bigger job than a Windows laptop swap. We assess whether a full top-case replacement is warranted or whether the fault sits elsewhere.

Ribbon, Connector and Controller Faults

A whole row of dead keys, or a keyboard that works until the lid moves, usually points to the ribbon cable or its ZIF connector rather than the keys. We reseat, repair or replace the connector, including board-level work where the socket has lifted.

Process

How We Handle a Keyboard Fault

Simple steps to get your problem solved quickly and professionally.

1

Tell us what it does

Which keys, when it started, and whether anything was spilled. Those three answers narrow the cause dramatically before the machine is even opened. Call, WhatsApp, or walk into the Putney shop.

2

Bench triage

External keyboard test, live boot, connector check and an internal inspection for liquid. This separates a genuine keyboard failure from a driver, connector or board-level fault.

3

Fixed quote

You get the actual cause and one fixed price covering parts, labour and turnaround. Nothing is ordered and nothing is dismantled further until you say yes.

4

Fit and type-test

The replacement goes in, then every key, modifier and function row is tested — plus the backlight and trackpad, which share the same area. You collect a machine that has been typed on, not just reassembled.

In Depth

What to Expect

Prefer the quick version? The sections above cover most needs. Expand any topic below for more detail.

Is it the keyboard, a driver, or a spill?

Four faults produce almost identical symptoms and have completely different fixes. This is how we tell them apart:

A genuinely failed keyboard

Scattered dead keys, a keyboard that works cold and fails warm, or nothing at all while an external USB keyboard types perfectly. The membrane or its traces have gone, and replacement is the fix.

A driver or settings problem

Filter keys switched on, a stuck Fn or number lock, a corrupt keyboard driver after an update, or a wireless keyboard the machine has silently reconnected to. Costs nothing to fix and needs no parts at all.

A cable or connector fault

Whole rows or blocks of keys dead, or the keyboard cutting out when the lid is moved. The ribbon has worked loose or the ZIF connector has failed — reseated or repaired, not replaced.

Delayed spill damage

Typing was fine after the spill, then keys started failing days later. Corrosion is spreading on the membrane or the board beneath. A new keyboard alone will fail again if the board is not dealt with.

This is why we test before we quote. Around a third of keyboard enquiries turn out not to need a new keyboard at all.

Brand and model patterns we see repeatedly

Different manufacturers fail in different ways, and knowing the pattern shortens the diagnosis:

  • Slim ultrabooks such as the Asus ZenBook — thin travel and tight tolerances mean scissor clips and keycaps break more readily than the membrane
  • Business ranges such as the Dell Latitude and Lenovo ThinkPad — heavy daily typing, so worn membranes and lifted ZIF connectors are the usual culprits
  • Acer and budget consumer laptops — a single non-working key is far more often a broken hinge clip than a dead keyboard
  • HP and Lenovo models with a bonded palm rest — the keyboard is not a bottom-up swap, so labour matters more than the part price
  • MacBooks — keyboard riveted into the top case with the battery and trackpad, making accurate diagnosis before committing essential

Whatever the badge, the process is the same: prove the fault, price the real fix, then do it.

Repair the key, or replace the keyboard?

Not every keyboard fault justifies a whole new assembly, and we will say so:

  • One or two keys with broken clips or missing caps — rebuild the mechanism, keep the keyboard
  • A row or block of dead keys — check and repair the ribbon and connector before condemning the part
  • Random dead keys across the layout, or liquid on the membrane — replacement is the honest answer
  • An old machine where the top case would need replacing — we will price it, but we will also tell you if the spend does not stack up

The aim is a keyboard you can type on without thinking about it, at the smallest sensible cost.

Not sure what you need? We're happy to help.

Call us or Get a free quote
Pricing

Keyboard Replacement Pricing

Starting from

£60

Keyboard replacement sits in the £60–£200 range, and the part is what moves the number: a common Windows laptop keyboard is near the bottom of that range, while a MacBook top-case assembly is near the top. Single-key and connector repairs are often cheaper than a full replacement, which is exactly why we triage before quoting. Same-day turnaround is available on stocked parts and carries a surcharge, disclosed when we quote.

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Fixed Quote Before Work · 90-Day Warranty on Repairs · Free Collection & Return Across South West London

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

My laptop keyboard has stopped working — is it always the keyboard?
No, and this is the single most useful thing to know before you spend money. Plug in a USB keyboard: if that types fine, the machine and Windows are healthy and the fault is in the built-in keyboard, its ribbon cable or its connector. If the external keyboard also misbehaves, you are looking at a software, driver or board-level problem and a new keyboard would change nothing. Our guide to a laptop keyboard that has stopped working walks through the checks you can safely do yourself first — filter keys, function lock, driver reinstall — and most people fix it there without paying anyone.
Only some keys have stopped working. Can you repair just those?
Often, yes. The pattern tells us a lot. A scattered handful of dead keys usually means a damaged membrane trace, and that means a keyboard replacement. A single key that feels loose, sunken or unresponsive is normally a broken scissor clip or keycap, which we can rebuild for far less than a full assembly. A neat row or block of dead keys — a whole number row, or everything on the left — points at the ribbon cable or its connector rather than the keys themselves, and reseating or repairing that connector is a much smaller job. We identify which of the three you have before quoting.
Which laptop brands do you replace keyboards on?
All the mainstream ones — Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, MSI, Toshiba, Samsung, Microsoft Surface and Apple — plus most business ranges such as Latitude, ThinkPad, EliteBook and ZenBook. Some designs are simple bottom-up swaps, others require the palm rest or full top case to come off, and that difference shows up in the labour rather than the part. We confirm which yours is at triage. Keyboard work is part of our wider laptop repair service, so if the fault turns out to be the board, hinge or power circuit, it is handled in the same workshop.
I spilled a drink on it and now the keyboard won't type. What now?
Power it off, unplug it, do not press keys to test it, and get it looked at quickly — corrosion continues working long after the machine has dried out, which is why keyboards often fail days or weeks after a spill. Fitting a new keyboard onto a board that is quietly corroding is money wasted, so we always assess underneath first. If liquid has reached the logic board, our liquid damage repair service covers the strip-down, ultrasonic clean and board-level work, and we will tell you before ordering a keyboard whether the machine is worth it.
Do you replace MacBook keyboards too?
Yes, with one important caveat about how Apple builds them. On most modern MacBooks the keyboard is riveted into the top case alongside the battery and trackpad, so a genuine keyboard failure means replacing that whole assembly rather than a standalone keyboard — a bigger and pricier job than the equivalent Windows laptop. That makes the diagnosis matter even more. Sticky keys, a dead backlight and post-spill symptoms are covered in our guide to MacBook keyboard spills and sticky keys, and the repair itself sits within our MacBook repair service.
How long does a keyboard replacement take, and where are you?
Where the part is in stock, most Windows laptop keyboards are same-day or next-day; ordered parts typically add a day or two, and MacBook top-case work takes longer because of the strip-down involved. We give you a realistic turnaround with the quote rather than after. Our workshop is on Lower Richmond Road in Putney, SW15 — walk-ins are welcome — and we offer free collection and return across South West London if you would rather not travel. Same-day service is available and carries a surcharge, which we tell you about at quote stage.

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Coverage

Service Areas

We provide Laptop Keyboard Repair & Replacement in London across South West London

Serving Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Putney, Clapham, Balham, Tooting, and surrounding areas.

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Keyboard Not Typing? Let's Find Out Why

Bring it into the Putney workshop or book a free collection. We triage before we quote, so you only pay for a keyboard if the keyboard is genuinely the problem.

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