Laptop Keyboard Repair - Replacement

By: Nancy Mirr

Before you consider laptop keyboard repair, check out all your options. Why spend all that money if you could do the work yourself? You need to think laptop keyboard replacement not laptop keyboard repair. You potentially could save yourself lots of money. For example, if you happen to own a Compaq Presario, replacing the keyboard is really easy and can be done in just a few minutes. Follow these quick step-by-step instructions to this laptop keyboard repair tutorial.



First, gather your tools. You won’t need many; all you’ll need is a screw driver and a credit card. Yes, I did say credit card, not to purchase anything but to use as a tool to pry up the bezel which you will learn about shortly.



For safety reasons, always make sure you turn off your computer before you start to poke around inside. Now turn it upside down and remove the two screws from the bottom of the computer case. These two screws hold down the bezel which is the bar located right above the “F” keys. Now turn the computer right side up again and take your credit card and wedge it between the keyboard and the bezel and gently pry the bezel up and out of the slots. You want to use something like a credit card that is plastic and has rounded edges rather than say a metal screw driver. You might hear a bit of popping noise as you lift out the bezel but that is normal.



Now you will have the top edge of the keyboard exposed. Take hold of the keyboard at the exposed edge toward the screen and gently lift it up and pull it away from the touch-pad end while slowly flipping it over. You will see the keyboard data ribbon. To remove this ribbon, you need to unlock the little plastic connector that is holding it in place. Do so by pushing down toward the system board and then pull up on the corners. The piece comes straight up, not out, and the ribbon will be released. With the ribbon now free, carefully pull the ribbon out of the connector and remove it along with the entire keyboard.



Finally you are ready to install the new keyboard. Take the new keyboard in your hands and place it upside down so you have easy access to the ribbon. Do not twist the ribbon as this could damage it. Put the ribbon end into the connector and lock it in place by gently pushing down on it. It only goes into the connector one way so there is no confusion about that. Now flip the keyboard over so it is right side up and match the pegs with the slots and push it in place. It is now time to replace the bezel with the two screws. Turn over the computer and replace the two screws you removed from the bottom. Now power on your computer and see if it works. If the keyboard is not working, turn off the computer and check that you properly installed the ribbon and try, try again.