Alt F4 not Working: How to Fix & Activate Again
- If the Alt F4 is not working in Windows 10 the problem might be because the FN lock is disabled.
- Run the built-in Windows keyboard troubleshooter to find and fix issues related to your keyboard.
- You can fix issues such as this one simply by modifying a couple of registry entries.
- If Alt+F4 is not working to shutdown your PC, be sure to try all the solutions from this guide.
The Alt + F4 key combo, when pressed, closes the currently active window. However, some users have reported the Alt F4 not working Windows 10 issue.
Apart from closing the currently active windows, the Alt F4 combo also helps you shut down, hibernate, sleep or sign out of your computer. Now, if this key combo is not doing anything, it may require fixing.
Alt F4 can stop working due to driver issues, incorrectly configured system input settings, and hardware failure. Continue reading to know how to fix the Alt F4 not working problem in Windows 10.
What do I do if Alt F4 is not working in Windows 10?
1. Check FN Lock
If the Alt F4 key is not working on a Windows 10 laptop, check if it requires an FN key to activate the combo. The Function keys in a laptop usually serve multiple purposes, such as working as multimedia keys by default.
To activate the function keys, laptops come with a dedicated Fn key that unlocks the function properties.
For example, instead of pressing the Alt + F4 key directly, press and hold the Fn key on your keyboard, and press the Alt + F4 key. This should either close the currently active window or bring up the Windows shutdown settings.
This is a simple solution, but it might help if Alt + F4 is not working on your PC.
2. Update keyboard drivers
Outdated or corrupted keyboard drivers can affect your input functions. To fix the issue, make sure you have the latest keyboard drivers installed.
While you can update the keyboard drivers manually, driver updater utilities are by far a better solution. These types of utilities will find and update both missing and outdated drivers on your Windows PC.
There are a plethora of programming tools accessible online that can successfully update all of your PC keyboard drivers.
First and foremost, install a driver downloader such as Outbyte Driver Updater on your computer and check in the utility menu for new updates.
The software identifies your keyboard and searches its database for important updates. The program will later supply upon the detection of the most recent driver. It is the quickest and easiest technique for updating your keyboard drivers.
3. Turn off Sticky Keys
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Ease of Access.
- Scroll down and open the Keyboard tab from the left pane.
- Scroll down and click toggle the switch to turn off Use Sticky Keys.
- Close the Settings window and then check if the Alt F4 key combo is working.
Sticky Keys helps differently-abled people to access their computer. When enabled, it will allow a key to be activated even after it is released.
While it is an excellent feature, having it enabled can prevent the user from using keyboard shortcuts to carry out some actions.
4. Run keyboard troubleshooter
- Click on Start and choose Settings.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Open the Troubleshoot tab from the left pane.
- Click on the Additional troubleshooters option.
- Scroll down and select the Keyboard option.
- Click the Run the troubleshooter button. It will scan your system for keyboard-related issues and recommend some fixes.
After running the troubleshooter, check if Alt + F4 is still not working on your PC.
5. Disable Legacy Fx function in BIOS
- Turn off your PC completely.
- Press the power button to restart and start pressing the F2 or F12 key on your keyboard right away. Keep pressing the keys until you access BIOS.
- Once in BIOS, open the Configuration tab. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate.
- Use the down arrow key to highlight Hotkey Mode.
- Use the left and right arrow key to set Hotkey Mode to Disabled.
- Save the changes and exit BIOS.
After the restart, check if you can use the Alt F4 key on your keyboard to close apps and access the shutdown menu.
If the issue persists, modify some registry entries to resolve the issue. Alternatively, change function keys in Windows 10 to bind your F4 key to another key.
6. Modify Windows Registry settings
- Press the Windows key + R to open Run.
- Type regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
- In Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer - In the Explore folder, check if an entry named NoWinKeys exists. If yes, double-click to open it and then set the Decimal value to 0.
- If not, right-click on the Explorer folder, go to New and choose the DWORD (32-bit) value.
- Rename it as NoWinKeys.
- Double-click on the newly created entry and set the decimal value to 0.
Exit Registry Editor and check if you can use the Alt+ F4 shortcut on Windows 10.
7. Check for hardware issues
Even if the issue persists after following all the troubleshooting steps, it is time to diagnose your keyboard for hardware issues. Laptop and external keyboards over time can wear off and may require replacement.
While you can use an external keyboard, this may not be ideal for those who use their laptop on the go or carry it out. Contact your laptop service center for a better diagnostic of your computer keyboard.
The Alt F4 not working issue in Windows 10 usually occurs due to Fn lock being enabled. Run the keyboard troubleshoot and perform other troubleshooting steps listed in this article to resolve the issue.
Did you manage to fix this issue? Let us know in the comments section below.
