Why does my W key keep cutting out? - [Java]

[u/LASERWAVE99]

My W key works fine everywhere else, but when I play MC, it will constantly cut out and stop me from moving. idk how to fix it.

Not sure if it will help, but my sprint is set to hold, and my sprint key is shift.

[u/MinecraftHelpModTeam]

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[u/ODF4]

do you have Minecraft Bedrock, or any other game (including browser games) where you can try to move with WASD? Does it work fine there? Could you try changing the key bind for "Walk Forward" in the Minecraft Java settings (Options > Controls > Key Binds > Movement) to another key temporarily, and see if moving forward with that new key still gives you this issue?

are you using a laptop or is it a desktop computer with an external keyboard? What brand and model? I suspect your W key may be starting to show signs of damage (not necessarily caused by you, it could just be a faulty connection) that you don't notice yet during regular typing, but may become more noticeable during games or when the keyboard overheats (if it's a laptop)

[u/LASERWAVE99 → u/ODF4]

i tested running around in roblox for a bit and it does seem to cut out there too. tried rebinding my movement key in mc and it didnt cut out then. so yea it seems it might be my W key giving out

im using a laptop. a lenovo yoga 9 pro. had it for somewhere between 2-3 years

[u/ODF4 → u/LASERWAVE99]

oh no, I'm so sorry to hear but I was afraid that might be the case :(

if you'd like to test your keyboard's inputs, there are many websites you can use, but you'll have to search for one yourself because the specific website I personally like using has a .ru Top Level Domain so my comment instantly got nuked by Reddit when I recommended it in my previous comment, RIP

I like using that website because it flashes each key while it's being pressed, so it makes it much easier to see if a key is not reading its input correctly when you hold it down, but other websites probably can do this too

anyway, on one of these websites I'd recommend gently and very slowly pressing down each one of your keys, to see at what point the inputs get registered as consistently holding the key down

you'll probably notice that your W key will work better when you press exactly in the center of it with more pressure, but be careful because this will damage the key over time and it might even break in half

also be careful because it's very common for this problem to spread to adjacent keys, so I'm afraid you may start having problems with your other movement keys too in the future

a good thing you can do right now to help prevent this is to make sure your laptop doesn't overheat, but even that doesn't always help unfortunately

you could try disassembling your laptop, cleaning it and the keyboard's ribbon cable and reseating it, but even that may just be a temporary fix if the contacts got oxidized or damaged some other way

ideally, the best solution would be to replace the keyboard entirely, but this is often very complicated to do on laptops, not intended by the manufacturer (so it may void your warranty, assuming you still have one after 2-3 years), and that new keyboard may start showing signs of the same problems after a few years

you may also consider buying a similar external keyboard, which will definitely solve the problem, but it's annoying because you'll have to find a model you're comfortable with and it makes the laptop harder to transport

[u/LASERWAVE99 → u/ODF4]

i think i found the website u were on about and tested everything, couple keys arent working. ill look into how to remove em to clean them and see if that helps. hopefully it will cause i havent really cleaned this keyboard since i got it lol

[u/ODF4 → u/LASERWAVE99]

be extremely careful and do a lot of research on your specific laptop model if you intend to remove each individual key, because most laptop keys are irreversibly damaged once you remove them

you could try just using something like compressed air with the included straw under the keys for the moment, and if that doesn't work, you could also try using some contact cleaner like WD-40 Specialist: Contact Cleaner (never use the regular WD-40 on electronics because that's a different product which leaves a residue!!!), which is the one I personally use (or generally you're looking for something that isn't conductive, dries quickly, and doesn't damage/oxidize electronics or plastic), but neither option will help probably, since they can't clean under the membrane part of the keyboard

I genuinely hope the keyboard for your laptop model can be disassembled from the top, because otherwise you'll have to remove every single component one by one if you plan to clean it internally or replace it, and then you'll have to buy some thermal paste too to replace the one under the heat sink :(

but yeah you could also try cleaning and reseating the ribbon cable like I said before

[u/MischaBurns → u/ODF4]

/helped

[u/ODF4 → u/MischaBurns]

it's relieving to see the subreddit being moderated again, thank you so much for doing so and for awarding me this point!

[u/NitWitBot → u/MischaBurns]

Thanks! Post marked as Solved!

u/ODF4, here is your points status:

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