How to disable a keyboard key in Linux (Ubuntu)?

Question

my keyboard is damaged, the keyboard key [é] is always pressed and it prevents me from working. On windows I found the software sharpkey to disable the [é] button but on Ubuntu I can't found no solution. On many forums they talks about Xmodmap but I can not work on the terminal as the [é] button is often PRESSED. Please could you give me a solution for that issue. Thanks

Answer 1

What I would try:

1. Connect a USB keyboard in there, or get into the machine using ssh.

2. Open a terminal, and run xev -event keyboard. It will show some stuff on screen. If you omit the arguments, you will notice that it will show some more stuff if you move your mouse, as well.

3. Then, press the key combination you want to disable [é]. The info in the screen will change, and you will have to look for the keycode value.

4. Run something like this, changing <value> for the value you got for the keycode in the last step:

   xmodmap -e 'keycode <value>='
   

   For example, if I want to disable the ~ key ( Shift + ` ), I would have to run:

   xmodmap -e 'keycode 49='
   

I have only tried this with more standard keys, like Caps Lock... but I guess it should work with this as well. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

A simple bash script for my personal use has been uploaded at https://github.com/anitaggu/ikbdop.

To disable internal keyboard of laptop,

./ikbdop.sh detach

To enable the keyboard again

./ikbdop.sh attach

A brief howto is also uploaded at YouTube

Answer 3

None of the above-mentioned method works on Wayland. I am not sure about other desktop environments, but the easiest way to disable a specific key on a specific keyboard on sway-wm is to use keyd. It however requires the terminal and I would suggest you to use USB keyboard after removing the physical keyboard till this is done.

1. Clone keyd from GitHub, build it and start the daemon.

git clone https://github.com/rvaiya/keyd
cd keyd
make && sudo make install
sudo systemctl enable keyd && sudo systemctl start keyd

2. Find the name of the problematic key and keyboard. Run sudo keyd monitor to get something like this:

device added: 0fac:0ade keyd virtual keyboard (/dev/input/event20)
device added: 03f0:5341 PIXART HP Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Consumer Control (/dev/input/event18)
device added: 03f0:5341 PIXART HP Wireless Keyboard and Mouse (/dev/input/event17)
device added: 03f0:5341 PIXART HP Wireless Keyboard and Mouse (/dev/input/event7)
device added: 06cb:7f13 Synaptics TM3253-001 (/dev/input/event5)
device added: 0001:0001 AT Translated Set 2 keyboard (/dev/input/event0)
keyd virtual keyboard   0fac:0ade   enter up
keyd virtual keyboard   0fac:0ade   kp5 down

I have got two keyboards attached. One is PIXART HP Wireless with 03f0:5341 and another AT Translated Set 2 keyboard with 0001:0001. These codes are what keyd uses to recognize your keyboards. So make note of the code and the key name for the next step. The last column gives the key names. Here, I left enter and pressed down kp5.

3. Edit the file /etc/keyd/default.conf to:

[ids]
0001:0001 #code of attached keyboard from earlier
[main]
kp5 = noop #Ignore the key 'kp5'

4. Finally, sudo keyd reload

To disable a specific key from all keyboards. Edit the default.conf mentioned above as

[ids]
*
[main]
kp5 = noop

Answer 4

It simply looks good and simple using xmodmap -e 'keycode 117='

I use this to disable the page down key and it works. Why don't you try this once . Do it ..

Answer 5

1) Detect the keycode for the keyboard key you want to disable:

Method A:

This method only works if you're trying to disable regular keys, not F1, F2, F3....etc

As you're reading this answer, right-click anywhere on my answer -> click Inspect Element or Inspect, paste this code into the console tab and press enter:

window.addEventListener('keypress', (e) => console.log(e.keyCode) )

Click again on my answer with your mouse left button, and press the key you want to disable, you'll notice a number printing in the console of the browser.

copy that number and follow the next step.

Method B:

this method should work with every key on your keyboard open the terminal, and use the xev utility as follows:

$ xev -event keyboard

a small window will open, press the key on your keyboard that you want to disable, and close the small window, you'll notice output on your terminal, among this output, you'll see something like keycode 93. copy the keycode for that keyboard key and follow the next step.

2) Disable the key:

open the terminal, and use the xmodmap utility as follows:

xmodmap -e 'keycode <value>='

• in place of the <value> above, replace it with the keyCode you got from step 1 method A or B.

Answer 6

Using the above method, I got

xmodmap:  commandline:1:  bad keycode command (missing keysym list)

I had to enter:

xmodmap -e 'keycode 133=NoSymbol'

(This keycode disables the b****y irritating 'Windows' key.

Answer 7

You can also change the keyboard for new one. It is possible to order a keyboard for your particular laptop on the net and it comes by post envelope somewhere from China.

You can also just disconnect you keyboard and use external USB one. It is easy to open your laptop and disconnect a little cable going from the keyboard to the motherboard.