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Do you have an IBM ThinkPad laptop with a missing key on the keyboard? Not a problem, you can fix the keyboard without taking your laptop to a repair shop. It’s not even necessary to disassemble the laptop and replace the whole keyboard. If you have all the pieces from the fallen key, then the repair process shouldn’t take a lot of time. These instructions will explain how to assemble the key and install it back on the keyboard.
The key pieces are small and it may be very challenging to put them together, so be patient and have plenty of light in the work area.
If you are missing the key or one of the pieces, you can find them here. A single key assembly (including mounting hinges) will cost you about $5-$6 including shipping.
If you cannot find the right key but still want to fix the problem, then you’ll have to replace the whole keyboard. You’ll find keyboard replacement instructions in the IBM hardware and maintenance guide here.
Finally, if you still cannot figure out how to install the missing key back on the keyboard or if you have another laptop brand, check out this instructions for fixing keyboard keys.
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March 26th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Very very helpful! Thanks a bunch!
April 20th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
it was a great article and helped to push back my 6. Fantastic and thanks for taking time to publish it
June 26th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Would never have thought to go to eBay to purchase replacement key. Easily found the right one for $6 including shipping. Thanks so much! My company was actually going to replace the entire machine due to the missing key. What a waste that would have been.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Emily,
Replacing the laptop because of one missing key? Yep, that would have been a waste. If there is a problem with the laptop keyboard, you can replace just the keyboard, not the entire laptop.
July 26th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I had a removed Tab key. It snapped in bottom first. Had to tuck the key under the upper edge of the Caps Lock key below it and then snap it in as it slid upwards into position. It may be the structure behind this key is similar but different from the smaller letter and number keys.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Thanks so much! I never would’ve been able to figure it out without this guide! I’m not a mechanical person by any means so I was so proud of myself that I did it, thanks to you!
September 12th, 2008 at 6:10 am
[...] Anyway, I did look it up and holy cow, not only did I find it, but I was able to do it all by myself! I’m not a very mechanically-inclined person so I I’m very proud of myself! Yay, me! So if your IBM Thinkpad ever loses a key, click HERE. [...]
November 1st, 2008 at 7:06 am
Thanks so much.It took me a while but,finally i acheived it.Thanks a ton
November 10th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Dear Sir
At the moment, i use one laptop Furisu Biblo NB16
but my laptop meet prolem with the keyboard as follows:
When i type the word i only,i gain ui and when I type the word p I receive op. I take out the keycap and retainer and clean. but my keyboard still no change. Please give me the way to repair my keyboard.
Thank and Best Regards
Tran Van Tuan
November 30th, 2008 at 5:15 am
PLZ HELP ME MY LAPTOP IS DAMAGE WHEN I ON MY NOTEBOOK ERROR IS THEME KEY STICK PRESS F1 FOR SETUP BUT IT IS NOT WORKING THE KEYBORD IS NOT WORKING ALL THE KEYS ARE NOT WORKING ONLY THE POWER BOTTON
January 29th, 2009 at 11:33 am
please help my cmos is locked up. We loaned my laptop out when we got it back someone put a password on it we dont know what it is
January 29th, 2009 at 11:36 am
RAY MACE,
If this is an IBM ThinkPad laptop, you are screwed. They are very secured. I don’t know how you can bypass the BIOS password besides replacing the whole motherboard.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I just ordered my replacement shift key that my 2 year old snapped off. Thanks for making it so easy to find a vendor to sell the very thing I needed, but didn’t think I would find, for a total cost of $3.88 including shipping.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Thanks, you saved me a trip to the supportcenter. Very tricky to get the small pieces in the right place. Now i can use the s button although it is not as it were originally. I think it is time to get a new keyboard anyhow.
/P
November 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Awesome. Thank You! My key was still intact, but your instructions showed me how to reinstall it…Invaluable
January 21st, 2010 at 10:25 am
Nice but what if the part where you assemble the key is damage.
On the thinkpad r60 you have little pieces of plastic sticking out and 2 out of 4 are broken….
i guess i need to change the whole thing
January 21st, 2010 at 3:50 pm
dextermat,
I guess you are talking about the key lifting mechanism, I call it a retainer.
If the retainer is broken, you’ll have to replace it with a new one.
Search for a new key on eBay. You can buy a new key with a new retainer together.