1 Easy Setting: HOW TO FIX System Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working – Ctrl C, Ctrl V, etc. – Windows 10 New Lenovo Laptop

Windows 10 logo screen capture

How to Fix Microsoft Windows System Keyboard Shortcuts using just 1 setting:

  1. Open system CONTROL PANEL.  If it does not appear as shown below, make sure VIEW BY is set to SMALL ICONS or LARGE ICONS.  You could also try searching for KEYBOARD in search box.

    Windows 10 Control Panel with Small Icons Displayed, Screen capture

    When your keyboard shortcut copy past undo redo keys do not work try to check this setting

  2. Select your manufacturers keyboard manager.  Note this is a different place than just the KEYBOARD.  In my control panel, it says LENOVO – KEYBOARD MANAGER.
  3. Select Fn key and Ctrl key swap tab.  Then verify Swap Function is turned OFF.  Mine was turned ON by default, which meant the keys were reversed on my keyboard and I didn’t even know it!

    screen capture of keyboard settings window windows control panel

    If your keyboard CTRL keys are not working on Windows Laptop new or upgraded, check this setting.

While this is a really simple setting, it cost me a few hours of time when I could’ve been doing something a lot more productive.  Whoever decided this feature should be enabled by default – without any notification, and against what the keyboard says itself – should be in big trouble!! LOL

Commentary

It’s been awhile since Microsoft has seen me in their logs… I ditched my last laptop about 5 years ago for my very first Mac, a MacBook Air.  Unfortunately, several websites I use for business only work with an outdated version of Microsoft Explorer web browser.  I’ll typically remote access into a work PC and use Explorer from there, but I like to have something to use on the road, or at home.

Up until recently, I’d just use my spousal unit’s Dell laptop.  I’ve replaced Dell’s shoddy power plug at least 4 times, painstakingly taking the laptop apart and installing newly purchased parts.  But it seems to get slower by the month, despite regular maintenance updates, optimizing, etc., it’s just getting bogged down. I think it’s Windows 7. Blah. And I finally ran across a great deal on a new Lenovo L380 from Bestbuy… I always liked the ‘red button’ mouse in the middle of Lenovo’s traditional keyboards (I know many hate that thing!!)

Today is my third day with the new PC.  It’s really tough to go back to Microsoft after so many years of the enjoyable MacOS.  This is only for one website, from one business partner… so I won’t use it much, I intend on staying with my Mac for most daily tasks.  But I’m working on it…

Almost immediately, I noticed none of my Control keys worked.  Most often I use CTRL-C to copy highlighted text, and CTRL-V to paste, and CTRL-Z to undo.  But aggravatingly, none of them work.  I searched for hours – literally.  Most of the tutorials suggest updating keyboard drivers, deleting keyboard drivers, running Microsoft troubleshooting.  Based on posts I found on user forums and technical support sites, it seemed there was, in fact, a real user issue with Windows system keyboard shortcuts not working.  A bug somewhere!

I was surprised Windows offered to have someone call me “in 2 minutes” to help me!!!  I was astonished.  Sadly, and unsurprisingly, someone did call but did nothing but waste my time.  I told them my CTRL keyboard shortcuts weren’t working.  The representative said, for hardware issues, I must first contact both the point of purchase, and the manufacturer, before I was eligible for their hard-to-understand help.  I told them the keys all worked, just not together, and that it seemed to be a known Microsoft Windows 10 bug, based on my extensive online searches.  Nope – wouldn’t help me.  Waste of time.  At least they provided their phone numbers.  (888-237-8289 Bestbuy, 800-539-6275 Lenovo).

So I began looking at all the settings myself.  Again.  As if I hadn’t spend hours looking through all the settings. And suddenly, like it was always there, I fixed it in one simple setting.  Instructions above.

 

Phil

Grown up in Cleveland, Ohio, USA., previously lived in Phoenix, Arizona and Tampa, Florida areas, and recently co-located to Asheville, North Carolina area. Trained as an Army MP, but bit of a renegade career wise. Phil has owned successful businesses in insurance, private investigations, surety bail bond industries, and has experience in computer network engineering, hospitality advertising, asset recovery and repossession, and even a few years traveling most of the lower 48 states, Ontario and Northern Mexico as a commercial over the road truck driver. Career long entrepreneur, property investor and rental manager. Phil loves sharing his experiences of great food, travel, experiences and products.