{"id":54193,"date":"2025-03-07T11:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T11:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/?p=54193"},"modified":"2026-02-23T09:22:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T09:22:13","slug":"how-to-fix-mechanical-keys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-fix-mechanical-keys\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix Mechanical Keys\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Got a mechanical keyboard that\u2019s not working correctly? Whether it\u2019s sticky, unresponsive, or just plain broken, we\u2019ve got you covered. In this guide, we\u2019re breaking down everything you need to know about the most common mechanical keyboard issues and how to fix them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical keyboards are built to last, but even the best can run into issues. Maybe a key isn\u2019t registering, feels weird when pressed, or has just stopped working altogether. Don\u2019t panic! Most of these problems have simple fixes, from cleaning and lubrication to replacing a faulty switch.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dirt and Debris \u2013 The Silent Key Killers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over time, dust, crumbs, gamer sweat, and general grime can build up under your keycaps, making keys feel sticky or unresponsive. The fix? A good clean. WAIT! Before you go and chuck your \u00a3300 mechanical gaming keyboard into the dishwasher, there is a better way to clean your keyboard.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n
\"Top<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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You wouldn\u2019t think it, but our keyboards get a battering. From working all day to gaming all night, they see a lot of action and grubby fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Cleaning Time<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To get started, remove your keycaps with a keycap puller, blast out debris with compressed air, and give everything a gentle wipe with isopropyl alcohol. For deep cleaning, a soft brush or cotton swab works wonders. You can also clean your keycaps with warm, soapy water so long as you ensure they\u2019re fully dry before attempting to reassemble.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keys Feeling Scratchy? It Might Need Lubrication<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, when things are a bit tight, you just need a little lube. If your keys feel rough or scratchy when pressed, the switch likely needs lubrication applying. This is a slightly more involved process than cleaning your keyboard, but don’t worry! We\u2019ve put together an entire article on how to lube your switches.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yes, you heard us right\u2026 Puns and innuendos aside, a crucial step in building your own mechanical keyboard is lubricating your key switches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Time For Lube<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Broken Switch? Time for a Replacement<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The light inside is broken, but I still work \u2013 Vending machine. <\/em>Sometimes the best fix is simply a replacement. The good news is most mechanical gaming keyboards allow you to replace individual switches rather than having to replace the whole keyboard! For hot-swappable keyboards, replacing it is easy; just pull out the broken switch with a switch puller and pop in a new one.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n
\"How<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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When it comes to selecting the perfect key switch, there is a multitude of different options for you to choose from. To make this process easier for you, here at Overclockers UK<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>we\u2019ve compiled all of our expert knowledge about mechanical key switches into one article.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Choices Choices<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Cherry<\/div>

Cherry Xtrfy Kailh Yellow Jellyfish Clicky Switches<\/h3>

KB-026-XT<\/p>

\u00a339.99 GBP<\/span> \u00a3 30.95 GBP<\/span><\/p>-22.61%<\/span>

(incl. VAT)<\/p>

FREE SHIPPING<\/p>

in stock<\/p>ADD TO BASKET<\/a><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we know this sounds stupid. But seriously, turning off your keyboard, replacing the USB cable, or even trying a different USB slot on your PC can sometimes fix problems. Worst case scenario, it doesn’t work, best case, you\u2019ve just saved yourself some pain and suffering… well I mean, the eternal suffering of the human condition is still gonna be there, but you get what I mean.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s Not Me It\u2019s You… I Have Standards<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes it\u2019s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. Plus, there are plenty more fish in the Overclockers UK<\/a> sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Ducky<\/div>

Ducky One 3 Classic 65 USB RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Cherry Red – Black UK Layout<\/h3>

KB-2AP-DK<\/p>

\u00a386.99 GBP<\/span> \u00a3 69.68 GBP<\/span><\/p>-19.9%<\/span>

(incl. VAT)<\/p>

FREE SHIPPING<\/p>

in stock<\/p>ADD TO BASKET<\/a><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Glorious<\/div>

Glorious GMMK Pro 75% USB Gaming Keyboard Fox Switch White Keycaps Black Frame Pre-Built UK Layout<\/h3>

KB-042-GR<\/p>

\u00a379.99 GBP<\/span><\/p>

(incl. VAT)<\/p>

FREE SHIPPING<\/p>

in stock<\/p>ADD TO BASKET<\/a><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"CORSAIR<\/div>

CORSAIR K70 CORE RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Red Switch<\/h3>

PER-CRS-00927<\/p>

\u00a389.99 GBP<\/span><\/p>

(incl. VAT)<\/p>

FREE SHIPPING<\/p>

Pre order<\/p>ADD TO BASKET<\/a><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Still Not Working? <\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hey, don\u2019t worry. If none of these steps have worked for you, feel free to comment down below, and we\u2019ll do our best to help.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Got a mechanical keyboard that’s not working correctly? Whether it’s sticky, unresponsive, or just plain broken, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about the most common mechanical keyboard issues and how to fix them.  Mechanical keyboards are built to last, but even the best can run […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":54196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1334,1369],"tags":[372,791,470],"class_list":["post-54193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-peripherals","tag-how-to","tag-keyboard","tag-peripherals"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Fix Mechanical Keys\u00a0 | Overclockers UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to fix mechanical keys? It might seem like a daunting task, but don't panic! 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If you're still not fed up with me, you can also catch me over on the Overclockers UK TikTok and YouTube accounts.","url":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/author\/rob\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54193"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62722,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54193\/revisions\/62722"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.overclockers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}