If your keyboard is not working in the BIOS, it can be a frustrating and difficult problem to troubleshoot. This issue can prevent you from accessing the BIOS settings, which can make it impossible to boot from a different device or make other changes to your system.
However, the solutions are pretty straightforward.
And in this article, we will explore some common solutions for resolving keyboard issues in the BIOS.
Before I answer that, you need to understand how a computer boot process works.
When you boot your computer, the control goes to the motherboard BIOS first. After that, it looks at the launch sequence and tries booting from the devices one by one sequentially.
The first device with a valid bootloader and OS gets to boot.
If your keyboard is not working on the boot menu, it could be caused by many factors. Some of them are keyboard drivers not initialized/recognized, USB ports not initialized, keyboard drivers not supported on BIOS, or faulty USB ports.
Luckily, you can fix these things pretty quickly and within minutes. You just need to have patience and follow the below-mentioned steps one by one.
However, sometimes the issue is caused by a faulty motherboard. In that case, you need to replace the motherboard.
How Do I Enable Keyboards in BIOS?
To enable the keyboard in BIOS, you need to choose the Disabled option for USB 3.0. Enter the BIOS mode in your computer, move to the Advanced tab, select USB Single Port Control, and there you will find the USB 3.0 option. After disabling it, save the changes and exit BIOS.
But first, when you enter BIOS or UEFI, you need to unlock the Advanced tab as it is not accessible by default.
Also, use an old PS/2 keyboard with generic drivers to navigate through the BIOS. These keyboards work by default on most motherboards, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
If you don’t have one, try using the keyboard you have in the USB 2.0 port or the top and leftmost USB ports on your motherboard (i.e., the primary USB port).
Here are the steps to enable the Keyboard on BIOS:
1. Enable USB Support
Maybe the integrated peripherals/default peripherals are not enabled in BIOS. So you need to allow it to use your keyboard.
Here are the steps to enable USB Support:
- Go to BIOS: Reboot your PC and go to BIOS.
- Navigate to integrated peripherals: Search for the option integrated peripherals or default peripherals. Depending on your motherboard, it can be named differently. Your goal here is to find an option that leads to USB/legacy keyboard support.
- Enable legacy USB support: Once you’ve found it, you’ll see a USB keyboard support option. On some motherboards, it’s also known as legacy USB support or legacy keyboard support. Whatever the naming may be, it’s the same setting. Enable it.
- Save the changes and exit. Now plug in your original keyboard after disconnecting the current keyboard and check if it works in BIOS.
2. Disable Fast Boot
Fast Boot is an option present on almost all motherboards. It causes USB devices to load after the OS boot and not before the BIOS loads.
As I said above, your OS boots after the BIOS. So if USB devices load after OS, they won’t be available on BIOS.
Reboot your PC and go to BIOS. The Fast Boot option is located under the Boot menu more often than not. So try finding it there. If you cannot find the option under the Boot menu, feel free to look at the other menus.
Once you’ve found the Fast Boot option, disable it.
Save the changes and turn off the PC. Replace the current keyboard with your primary one and try going to BIOS. See if it worked.
3. Clear CMOS
Clearing CMOS will cause your BIOS to reset to default settings.
Here’s how to clear CMOS:
- Shut down your PC and unplug the power cord.
- Remove the side panel of your PC case to get access to the motherboard.
- Find the CMOS battery on the motherboard. It is a small circular battery, usually located around the CPU. Refer to your motherboard manual if you have difficulty finding it.
- Carefully remove the CMOS battery. It should be pretty straightforward. Remember not to touch other parts of the motherboard; otherwise, you can cause an ESD.
- Put the CMOS battery back after about a minute. Make sure it’s fitted properly.
At this point, you can try turning on your PC and going to BIOS. If everything works, put back the side panel of the PC case, and you’re good to go.
You can also clear CMOS on the motherboard by using a CMOS jumper or the power button and factory resetting the BIOS.
4. Disable USB 3.0 on boot
Sometimes on newer motherboards, USB 3.0 is used during boot. It causes some keyboards not to work correctly.
Follow the steps below to disable it:
Turn off the PC and go to BIOS. Locate the USB configuration menu. On most motherboards, the menu is located under the Advanced menu. Find it and go inside.
You’ll find an option for Intel xHCI Mode. Change that from Smart Auto to Auto. If it’s already in Auto, change it to Disabled.
Save the changes and exit. Connect the main keyboard and see if it works.
Does USB Keyboard Work in BIOS?
USB keyboards should work in BIOS. If you have an old motherboard where the primary connections were PS/2, it might not work.
That’s because those old motherboards were configured keeping the PS/2 connection in mind. So it defaults to a PS/2 connection.
To check if you have such a motherboard, you can look at the rear I/O of the motherboard. If you see two separate PS/2 ports for the keyboard and mouse, that’s an old motherboard. 
Newer motherboards have one or zero PS/2 ports.
In case you have a newer motherboard, USB connections should work by default. And therefore, USB peripherals such as USB keyboards and mice will operate in BIOS.
Suppose it doesn’t, you can look at some fixes mentioned above to solve the issue.
Fix USB Keyboard will Not Work Before Boot
USB keyboard sometimes fails to work before boot.
Here are the steps to fix USB Keyboard not working before boot:
- Use the primary USB port using the top left motherboard USB port.
- Enable USB Legacy Support in BIOS.
- Disable Fast Boot. Using a compatible keyboard that the manufacturer says should work in BIOS.
How to Fix Keyboard Not Working Until Windows Loads
Try changing the boot order in case your keyboard doesn’t work until Windows loads.
If you change your boot order such that drives with no OS, such as optical drives or USB drives get priority first, then the BIOS will get enough time to initialize the USB drivers.
In case the BIOS keeps changing the boot order, make sure you are using the right SATA port, set the default OS, and try re-installing Windows on a new drive.
Follow the steps below to change the boot order:
- Go to BIOS
- Go to the boot menu
- Under boot order/sequence, place your HDD/SSD containing the OS below some drives with no OS.
- If there are two boot orders (one for legacy and another for UEFI), change both.
- Save changes and exit.
- Test if it worked.
If it doesn’t work, and you’ve already tried the several methods mentioned above, maybe you have a keyboard that doesn’t work in BIOS.
Visit your keyboard manufacturer’s website or contact them for more info.
FAQs
Can you BIOS without a keyboard?
You’ll need to press the BIOS key to enter BIOS during boot. After that, if you have a modern motherboard, you can navigate and change most settings using a mouse. But old motherboards with text-based BIOS need a keyboard to navigate through.
Can you enter BIOS with a wireless keyboard?
If you have a basic wireless keyboard that uses an RF transmitter to connect, it might work. But a lot of wireless keyboards, especially the BlueTooth ones, don’t work in BIOS.
Final Thoughts
It can be frustrating when you find that your keyboard is not working in BIOS. But following through with some simple steps like disabling Fast Boot, enabling Legacy USB, changing the boot order, or resetting BIOS will fix the issue for most people.
Also, if you have other queries, feel free to share them in the comments below. We’ll get back to you.
