How to Fix Reversed Caps Lock in Windows

If pressing the Caps Lock key turns your text into lowercase and leaving it off produces uppercase, your keyboard’s Caps Lock behavior has been reversed. This usually happens after a registry tweak, a keyboard utility, or a stuck Shift key. This guide shows you how to restore normal Caps Lock behavior in Windows 10 and 11 using the Registry Editor, a simple PowerShell command, or by checking keyboard settings.

What You’ll Need

• Administrator access to your Windows PC (to open Registry Editor or PowerShell as admin).
• Your keyboard connected (built-in or external).
• About 5 minutes of time.

Step-by-Step

1. Test the current behavior. Open a text editor (like Notepad) and press Caps Lock once. Type a few letters. If they appear lowercase, the key is reversed. If they appear uppercase, the key is normal—skip the fixes below and check for a stuck Shift key or a keyboard driver issue.
2. Check your keyboard’s physical state. Press and release the Shift keys on both sides. If either feels stuck or sticky, the system may interpret Shift as held down, which inverts Caps Lock behavior. Clean around the keys or gently tap them to release any debris.
3. Use the Registry Editor (most common fix).
   1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
   2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
   3. Look for a binary value named Scancode Map. If it exists, right-click it and choose Delete. Confirm the deletion. This value can remap keys and is a common cause of reversed Caps Lock.
   4. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer. Test Caps Lock.
4. Use PowerShell to reset the scancode map. If you prefer a command-line method:
   1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
   2. Type the following command and press Enter: Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout" -Name "Scancode Map"
   3. If you get an error saying the property does not exist, that’s fine—it means no scancode map is set. Restart your PC and test.
5. Check for third-party keyboard software. If you have installed software from your keyboard manufacturer (e.g., Logitech Options, Corsair iCUE, Razer Synapse), open it and look for a “Caps Lock� or “key remapping� section. Ensure Caps Lock is set to its default function, not toggled to “inverted� or remapped to another key.
6. Verify Windows language and keyboard layout. Sometimes a different keyboard layout (like Dvorak or a non-English layout) can make Caps Lock behave oddly. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & region. Under “Preferred languages,â€� click your language and choose Options. Check that the keyboard layout is the correct one (e.g., “US QWERTYâ€� for English). If it’s wrong, remove the incorrect layout and add the correct one.
7. Run the keyboard troubleshooter. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Find “Keyboard� and click Run. Follow the prompts. This can detect driver or hardware issues.
8. Update or reinstall the keyboard driver.
   1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
   2. Expand Keyboards, right-click your keyboard device, and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. If no update is found, try Uninstall device, then restart your PC—Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.

Common Mistakes

• Deleting the wrong registry key. Make sure you are in the Keyboard Layout folder, not Keyboard Layouts (with an “sâ€�). Deleting the wrong key can cause serious input issues.
• Not restarting after the registry change. The Scancode Map is read at boot time; without a restart, the fix won’t take effect.
• Assuming it’s a hardware issue immediately. Reversed Caps Lock is almost always a software setting, not a broken key. Don’t buy a new keyboard before trying these fixes.
• Using a third-party remapping tool that conflicts. If you use tools like AutoHotkey or SharpKeys, they can override the registry. Disable or uninstall them temporarily to test.

Tips

• Before editing the registry, create a restore point: type “restore pointâ€� in Start, select “Create a restore point,â€� and click “Create.â€� This gives you a safe rollback if something goes wrong.
• If you want to test quickly without restarting, you can sign out and sign back in—this sometimes reloads the keyboard layout, but a full restart is more reliable.
• If you use multiple keyboards (e.g., laptop and external), test both. The issue might be specific to one device, pointing to a driver problem rather than a system-wide setting.
• Keep your keyboard software updated. Manufacturers often fix bugs that cause key behavior anomalies.

Troubleshooting

If the fix didn’t work:

• Check if the Scancode Map is still present. Re-open Registry Editor and confirm the value is gone. If it reappears, a startup program or policy is re-adding it. Run msconfig and disable suspicious startup items, or check Group Policy (if you have Pro/Enterprise) under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Removable Storage Access—though that’s unrelated, a similar policy could be forcing a keyboard layout.
• Try a different user account. Create a new local user account and test Caps Lock there. If it works, the issue is tied to your user profile’s settings. You can then migrate your files and settings.
• Boot into Safe Mode. Restart your PC, hold Shift while clicking Restart, then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and press 4 for Safe Mode. If Caps Lock works normally in Safe Mode, a third-party driver or software is interfering. Disable non-Microsoft services via msconfig.
• Check the physical key again. If the key is physically damaged, it might be sending a different signal. Try using an on-screen keyboard (Win + Ctrl + O) to see if Caps Lock works there. If it does, the physical key is likely faulty.
• Reset your keyboard settings to default. In Settings > Devices > Typing (Windows 10) or Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Typing (Windows 11), click “Advanced keyboard settingsâ€� and then “Resetâ€� to restore default keyboard behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did my Caps Lock get reversed in the first place?
A: It’s usually caused by a registry tweak (like a Scancode Map), a third-party remapping tool, or a stuck Shift key. It can also happen after a Windows update or when you accidentally change the keyboard layout.

Q: Is it safe to delete the Scancode Map registry value?
A: Yes, if it exists. It’s not a standard Windows value; it’s only present when someone has remapped keys. Deleting it removes those remappings, which is exactly what you want if Caps Lock is reversed.

Q: Will this fix work on Windows 7 or 8?
A: Yes, the registry path and PowerShell command work on Windows 7, 8, and 10. Windows 11 also uses the same path. The Settings steps may differ slightly, but the registry method is universal.

Q: What if I don’t have a Scancode Map value?
A: Then the issue is likely not a scancode remap. Check your keyboard software, try a different keyboard, or run the troubleshooter. Also make sure you’re not accidentally pressing Fn + Caps Lock, which some laptops use to toggle a special function.

Q: Can I reverse Caps Lock intentionally using this method?
A: Yes, you can create a Scancode Map to swap Caps Lock with a different key, but that’s a more advanced process. For simply reversing Caps Lock, you’d need a custom map; however, most users want to fix it, not create it.

Q: My Caps Lock light is on but letters are lowercase—what does that mean?
A: That confirms the key is reversed. Follow the steps above. If the light is on and letters are uppercase, then Caps Lock is working normally—you might just be looking at a stuck Shift key.

Related

• How to Weatherproof Windows: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide
• Fix “The Parameter Is Incorrect” Error in Windows
• How to Check Which ChatGPT Model Answered Your Prompt