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On Windows 10 login, my "P" key does not function in the password field. I can get around the problem in two ways:

  • If I instead use my PIN to login, the P key works just fine once I'm actually logged-in and using applications.
  • Also, if I click the "forgot password" link, Windows tries to take me to the reset password screen, BUT that screen fails and I'm returned to the login screen. At that point the P key does work.

So bizarre. It's behaved like this for four days. It happens with both the USB keyboard that came with the computer and my bluetooth Microsoft-branded keyboard. Switching keyboards mid-entry does not fix the problem, and I haven't had a problem with any other keys. Any ideas on how I can fix this?

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  • Is "P" on a Num or Shift lock? That is one likely explanation
    – John
    May 26, 2020 at 15:45
  • @John, no; it is on neither.
    – David
    May 26, 2020 at 15:47
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    Shut down and try the other keyboard. Switching keyboards will not help. "P" works on my machines.
    – John
    May 26, 2020 at 15:50
  • @John once again, turning it off and back on again to the rescue. No more trouble (for now, anyway), and didn't even need to switch keyboards. Garrgh. I hate that that solution is a thing.
    – David
    May 27, 2020 at 15:45
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    I'm experiencing what I think is the same issue. What I find interesting in my case is that not only is the physical 'P' key ignored, so is the 'P' key on the onscreen keyboard - but ALT+112 is accepted. community.spiceworks.com/topic/… suggests that it may be to do with the screen-select menu displayed by Windows+P.
    – john_e
    Aug 9, 2021 at 13:28

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
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Switching keyboards will not help because of the native connection of the keyboard within the machine. "P" works on my machines, so try the following: Shut down entirely, restart and check if "P" is working. Also try a different keyboard using the same process.

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You can also use an Alt code. Try holding Alt and typing 80 on the keypad (Numlock on) then let go of the Alt, that should input a "P" or 112 for "p".

https://www.alt-codes.net/

However, it sounds like it just needs a Windows "fix", aka reboot.

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  • Nice. That solution works, too.
    – David
    May 28, 2020 at 15:29
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I had the same issue when I came in in the morning and tried to log in to my computer. I had a second keyboard, so I swapped it out and had the same issue. Rebooting the computer fixed the problem.

Note: Both keyboards are Logitech wireless keyboards.

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    – help-info.de
    Jul 15, 2022 at 12:01
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I also experienced that this morning. My laptop is an HP Envy.

The letter 'p' jumped to another line. It was weird. I wrote all the numbers and the alphabet, and when I pressed 'p', it goes to the right side, and next letter 'o' would be at its left. I also wrote the numeric characters, but they showed different characters. Stopped for a while as I got stressed.

Closed the laptop and let it 'breathe' for a while. Then when I opened it, I reviewed some apps installed, uninstalled unnecessary ones.

Finally, I cleaned my keyboard with cotton and disinfectant. I read somewhere online to touch some special keys like 'shift', 'ctrl', etc a few times. I decided to just clean it gently. It worked.

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This looks like a very weird software bug that keeps happening to me from time to time. Only solution is reboot or use the alt code.

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