Keyboard not working in Windows 10 Apps + Start Menu

I recently updated to Windows 10 anniversary update and recentlly notiecd the PS/2 Keyboard has stopped working in Windows 10 apps such as the settings menu and the start menu. Desktop apps and control panel work fine including shortcuts buttons such as volume up, web browser etc.

The default driver installed seems to be Lenovo ThinkPad driver PS/2 keyboard (which the keyboard Is not). I uninstalled the driver, un-plugged keyboard and tried changing the driver to the standard driver and HID keyboard driver with no luck.

How can I get the keyboard to work in the Windows 10 app section?

Thank You

TheIdiot

Posted 2016-09-17T12:45:55.797

Reputation: 401

This sounds like a hardware failure. My PS/2 keyboard has no problems on my system – Ramhound – 2016-09-17T12:49:50.027

@Ramhound Possibly but I don’t understand why it works for the desktop section. I thought it could be a driver or security issue between the keyboard and Win 10 Metro Section. – TheIdiot – 2016-09-17T12:54:30.623

1The chances of it being a driver problem, is very unlikely, PS/2 driver hasn't changed in years. Have you tried a different keyboard? – Ramhound – 2016-09-17T20:28:56.807

@Ramhound - I was having the same issue, the keyboard works fine in other apps, but just not for the start menu or built-in windows 10 apps like the calculator. – Tasgall – 2018-01-24T09:26:26.050

@Tasgall If the keyboard works then it literally cannot be a driver problem – Ramhound – 2018-01-24T12:13:59.257

@Ramhound - it also means it can't be a keyboard hardware problem. The answer to run ctfmon.exe fixed the issue for me, so it looks like an OS issue. – Tasgall – 2018-02-25T15:15:58.867

Answers

If you are still stuck try this simplest of the solution.

Press Win + R (to open Run )
copy paste and press enter to run this program. "C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe". it brings back the language bar and for me it allowed me to type in windows search, start menu and WINDOWS 10 apps again

I think it is due to missing Language bar or some think like that

zas

Posted 2016-09-17T12:45:55.797

Reputation: 591

3Wow, this worked for me. Now start menu reacts to keyboard again!. Thank you very much! – Jakob Sternberg – 2017-07-16T23:02:08.573

2This is crazy, it worked – hardkoded – 2017-10-13T12:31:15.563

4Is there a (preferred) way to ensure that ctfmon.exe runs on system startup? I can run it and the problem goes away but only until I reboot. – Craig Silver – 2017-11-19T05:52:44.690

1This is - at least for me - only a temporary fix which works until the next reboot – dufte – 2019-04-26T07:26:58.433

In my case the CTF Loader was called by the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service (TabletInputService), which was disabled because I am not using a tablet. Setting that to manual and then re-enabling Microsoft/Windows/TextServicesFramework/MsCtfMonitor in the Task Scheduler Library did the trick. If that does not work, try setting it to automatic. But I think manual (triggered) is the way it is supposed to work. – Tharkon – 2019-07-25T23:36:56.403

How on earth can it be that Microsoft has not bothered to fix this yet? – Daniel Williams – 2019-12-11T18:57:16.047

@Daniel Williams 2020 here, still facing the issue, guess they are focusing more on pushing bloatware using windows updates rather than working on actual issues. – Harshiv – 2020-02-10T16:05:30.310

I had the same problem. This is what worked for me:

Open Task manager.
Find Cortana or SearchUI on the Processes tab
Right click it - End task

tolache

Posted 2016-09-17T12:45:55.797

Reputation: 431

The funniest thing is, this is the worst rated answer on this post but it did solve my problem. – Sebastien – 2017-04-18T13:56:07.147

Seems like Cortana is having a bit o'fun with my keyboard. – Sebastien – 2017-04-18T13:57:04.137

This just worked for me as well - zas' answer had no effect. – verism – 2017-07-05T09:15:31.667

2"SearchUI.exe" on the details tab in task manager – StingyJack – 2017-07-09T21:04:51.927

If killing the process doesnt work, then restart the "Windows Search" service. From task manager, File-->Run then open cmd.exe with admin priv (checkbox). In the window that pops up, type sc stop WSearch and hit enter, then type sc start WSearch and hit enter – StingyJack – 2017-07-09T21:12:12.917

Worked for me, too! Wonder why, but I'm happy :) – Dana – 2018-02-07T19:18:01.977

Weird, but worked for me too! – CrApHeR – 2018-03-19T16:31:57.230

Thanks, this worked. I couldn't find Cortana in Processes tab, but based on the comments, looked for SearchUI.exe and killed it (it was in Suspended state at that time). Saved me from rebooting/logout-login. – jaychris – 2019-01-26T23:52:08.590

1This is - at least for me - only a temporary fix which works until the next reboot – dufte – 2019-04-26T07:29:37.160

I solved the problem by ending the "search" process in task manager. (I have cortana disabled)

Israel Saba

Posted 2016-09-17T12:45:55.797

Reputation: 51

Found this solution that worked for me:

http://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/64757-keyboard-does-not-work-windows-store-apps.html

(Win+R > taskschd.msc > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > TextServicesFramework. Right click MsCtfMonitor and choose Enable. Reboot your PC.)

Gaspar Chaves

Posted 2016-09-17T12:45:55.797

Reputation: 41

This answer helped me! – BestR – 2017-09-01T07:31:01.273

You can just right click Run after clicking Enable as well. Also make sure that the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service (TabletInputService) is available. – Tharkon – 2019-07-25T23:37:50.987