Laptop Keyboard
Laptop Keyboard Replacement
TechBrotherz, a walk-in repair store at 3317 17 Ave SE in Calgary, Alberta, replaces laptop keyboards. What the job costs reflects how the machine is built rather than how bad the keyboard is: some lift out after a few screws, and others are riveted into the palm rest.
Laptop keyboard replacement at TechBrotherz in Calgary is quoted after we have seen how the keyboard is fitted, because that is what the job turns on. On some laptops the keyboard lifts out from the top after a handful of screws, and on others it is riveted into the upper case, which means replacing the whole palm rest assembly. Most keyboard work is finished the same day.
Key facts
- Quote: Free at the Store, part and labour included
- Typical time: About 45 minutes
- Included: The part, the labour and the testing
- Warranty: 60 days on the part and the work
- Appointment: Not needed, walk in during opening hours
Last updated
Compared
What Decides How Big a Job a Laptop Keyboard Replacement Is
| Construction | What the repair involves | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| Serviceable keyboard module | A few screws from underneath, the keyboard lifts out from the top, one ribbon cable | The lower end of the range |
| Riveted into the upper case | The whole palm rest assembly is the part, and the machine is substantially dismantled | The upper end of the range |
| Backlit keyboard | The backlight layer is part of the assembly, so the repair is the same either way | Set by the construction above |
| Single keycap off | The cap clips back onto an intact scissor mechanism at the Store | Often nothing to pay |
Symptoms
Which Symptoms Point at This Repair?
If your device is doing one of these, this is usually the repair it needs.
- Keys that do not register, or need pressing hard before they respond.
- Keys that repeat characters on their own, or type continuously without being touched.
- A drink spilled on the keyboard, whether or not it seems to be working now.
- Keycaps missing, or a key that has come off and will not clip back on.
- Backlighting that has stopped working across the whole keyboard or in one section.
The Repair
What Does This Repair Actually Involve?
Written out so you know what you are paying for, not to make it sound complicated.
- Step 1
The Fault Is Confirmed With an External Keyboard
Plugging in a USB keyboard separates a failed keyboard from a driver or operating system problem in about a minute.
- Step 2
The Construction Is Identified
Some keyboards come out from the top after removing screws from underneath. Others are riveted into the upper case, which changes the part and the price.
- Step 3
The Machine Is Opened and the Keyboard Released
On top-mounted designs the keyboard lifts away and its ribbon cable unplugs. On riveted designs the whole palm rest assembly comes out.
- Step 4
The New Keyboard Is Fitted and Connected
The ribbon cable is seated properly in its retaining clip, which is the step that decides whether every key works or one row does not.
- Step 5
Every Key Is Tested Individually
The whole keyboard is checked key by key, along with the backlight and the trackpad, before the machine goes back.
What Should You Do About a Spill on a Laptop Keyboard?
Shut the laptop down immediately, do not wait for it to shut down cleanly, and hold the power button until it turns off. Unplug the charger and, if the battery is removable, take it out. Then turn the machine upside down so the liquid drains away from the board rather than into it.
Do not turn it back on to check whether it still works. Power and liquid together is what destroys components, and a laptop that survived the spill can be killed by being switched on to test it. Bring it in rather than leaving it to dry out and trying again in the morning.
Sugary drinks are worse than water, because the sugar stays behind after the liquid evaporates and keeps conducting between contacts. Coffee, juice and pop all fall into that category, and they need cleaning rather than drying.
Why Do Keyboard Prices Vary so Much Between Laptops?
The spread on laptop keyboards is about construction rather than quality. On many business laptops the keyboard is a serviceable module: remove a few screws from underneath, and it lifts out from the top with one ribbon cable. That is a quick job with an inexpensive part.
On many consumer and thin-and-light machines the keyboard is riveted into the upper case at the factory. It is not designed to be removed at all, so the replacement part is the whole palm rest assembly, complete with the keyboard already fitted, and the machine has to be substantially dismantled to change it.
Neither approach is better to type on. It is purely a manufacturing decision that shows up as a price difference years later at repair time. We identify which one your machine is before quoting.
Can a Single Key Be Fixed Instead of the Whole Keyboard?
Sometimes, and it is worth asking before paying for a keyboard. A keycap that has popped off usually clips back on if the small plastic scissor mechanism underneath is intact, and that is a two-minute job at the Store rather than a repair.
If the scissor mechanism itself has broken, individual replacements are available for some models and not for others. If the key does not respond at all even when pressed directly on the rubber dome underneath, the fault is in the membrane layer, and that is not repairable on its own.
Bring the laptop in and we will tell you which of the three you have. It costs nothing to look, and the answer is sometimes that you do not need a repair at all.
Is a Replacement Keyboard or an External One the Better Answer?
For a desktop-replacement laptop that lives permanently on a desk, an external USB keyboard is a perfectly reasonable answer and costs less than a repair. If the machine never moves, there is no strong argument for replacing the built-in keyboard, and we will say so rather than sell you the repair.
For a laptop that actually gets carried, the built-in keyboard is the point of the machine, and an external one is not a substitute. That is the case where replacement is worth doing.
One caveat matters. If the keyboard failed because of a spill rather than wear, the liquid may have reached beyond the keyboard, and using an external keyboard leaves that unaddressed. A spill should be looked at properly whether or not you intend to replace the keyboard.
By Model
Where This Repair Differs by Model
Business laptops
Frequently designed with a serviceable keyboard module that lifts out from the top, which makes them the quickest kind to replace.
Thin-and-light consumer laptops
Usually riveted into the upper case, so the part is a whole palm rest assembly and the machine has to be substantially dismantled.
Backlit keyboards
The backlight layer is part of the keyboard assembly, so a backlight failure means the same replacement as a key failure.
Honest Limits
When This Repair Is Not Worth It
- When a single keycap has popped off and the mechanism underneath is intact, since that clips back on.
- When the laptop lives permanently on a desk and an external keyboard does the job.
- When a spill has reached the board, because the keyboard is then the smaller of two problems.
Every price on this page includes the part and the labour, and every repair carries a 60-day warranty on the part and the workmanship. Prices for every device TechBrotherz repairs are on how quoting works.
Questions
Questions About Laptop Keyboard Replacement
Laptop keyboard replacement at TechBrotherz in Calgary is quoted once we have seen how the keyboard is fitted, free of charge, before any work starts. A serviceable keyboard module that lifts out from the top is the smaller job. A keyboard riveted into the upper case means replacing the whole palm rest assembly, which is the larger one.
Hold the power button until the laptop turns off immediately, unplug the charger, remove the battery if it is removable, and turn the machine upside down so liquid drains away from the board. Do not switch it back on to test it. Power and liquid together is what destroys components. Bring it to TechBrotherz rather than drying it out.
Sometimes. A keycap that has popped off clips back on if the scissor mechanism underneath is intact, which is a bench job rather than a repair. If the mechanism is broken, individual replacements exist for some models. If the key does not respond when pressed directly on the rubber dome, the membrane has failed and the keyboard needs replacing.
For a laptop that lives permanently on a desk, an external USB keyboard is a reasonable and cheaper answer, and TechBrotherz will say so. For a laptop that gets carried, the built-in keyboard is worth replacing. If the failure came from a spill, have the machine looked at regardless, because liquid may have reached beyond the keyboard.
Related pages
Walk in and we will price it at the Store
TechBrotherz is at 3317 17 Ave SE in Calgary. No appointment needed, and nothing starts until you have agreed the price.