Sticky Keys

Turn off Sticky Keys on Windows

• Press Shift five times in a row to turn Sticky Keys on or off. Windows usually asks first.
• Or open Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard and switch Sticky keys off.
• To stop the five-Shift prompt, open the Sticky keys settings and turn off the keyboard shortcut for Sticky keys.

Turn off Sticky Keys on a Mac

Open System Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard and turn off Sticky Keys. In its options you can also turn off pressing Shift five times to toggle it.

How to tell if Sticky Keys is on

Press and release Shift, then type a letter in any text field. With Sticky Keys on, the letter comes out as a capital even though you no longer hold Shift. The keyboard test shows the physical key presses, so it shows Shift as released: the difference is the clue.

Fix a physical key that sticks

• Turn off the computer or unplug the keyboard.
• Use compressed air around the key from several angles.
• After a sugary spill, wipe around the key with a cloth barely damp with rubbing alcohol and let it dry fully.
• On many desktop keyboards the keycap can be pulled off gently to clean under it. Laptop keycaps are fragile; look up your model first.

Test the key afterwards with the key tester. A key that keeps repeating without you touching it, or stays lit, is still stuck.