Is the Start Menu Working?
The Windows keys most basic function is to pop launch the Start menu.
If this isnt working, the fault may lie with the Start menu rather than the keyboard.
If a core process has stopped working, the Start menu might stop working too.
If it doesnt, youll know that the problem is likely a software one in nature.
This includes the aforementioned problem where the Start menu refuses to open even when clicked.
Click Start then hit the Power button followed by Restart.
Once youre back on the Windows desktop, test your Windows key.
You candisable Sticky Keys in Windowsby pressing the Shift key five times in a row.
Filter Keys is another accessibility feature that may also interfere with the Windows key.
You could also connect another keyboard to the problem PC.
Mechanical keyboard users canreplace the switch on the keyboard that is causing the issue.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
If you have a standard membrane keyboard, its time to replace the whole peripheral.
(Youll need to click it twice since the first click triggers a modifier key).
Some keyboards have a Windows key locking feature that allows you to kill the Windows key.
Jason Fitzpatrick / How-To Geek
This is handy for gamers who dont want to accidentally trigger the Start menu while playing.
This may be a key combination, or it may be a setting in any third-party keyboard management apps.
Take a peek at relevant keyboard documentation to see if your keyboard includes this functionality.
While youre at it check yourAuto HDR, GPU priority, and power management parameters too.
you’ve got the option to then use this information to narrow down the cause of your issue.
If the Windows key works, you know that the issue is limited to your user account.
Jason Fitzpatrick / How-To Geek
