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Having trouble with your arrow keys not working in Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 can be frustrating. The arrow keys are essential for navigating through messages, chats, and other elements within Teams.

This issue can happen due to various reasons, including software glitches, keyboard settings, or conflicts with other applications.

Fortunately, there are several straightforward solutions to help you get your arrow keys working again without much hassle.

In this guide, you will find simple, step-by-step instructions to troubleshoot and fix this problem.

Quick Note: Prerequisites and Basic Checks

• Check your keyboard: Make sure your keyboard is properly connected and functioning. Try using the arrow keys in other applications like Notepad or a web browser.
• Restart Microsoft Teams: Sometimes, simply closing and reopening Teams can resolve temporary glitches.
• Restart your PC: A quick system reboot can refresh drivers and software states that might be causing the issue.
• Update Windows and Teams: Ensure both Windows 11 and Microsoft Teams are up to date, as updates often fix bugs.

Step 1: Check Keyboard Input Settings

Your keyboard input settings might interfere with how keys behave in apps. To check this:

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings (gear icon).
2. Go to Time & Language, then select Typing.
3. Scroll down and make sure options like “Filter Keys” are turned off. Filter Keys can cause your keyboard to ignore quick or repeated keystrokes.
4. If Filter Keys is on, toggle it off and test your arrow keys in Teams again.

Why this matters: Filter Keys is an accessibility feature, but it can unintentionally block some keystrokes, including arrow keys.

Step 2: Clear Microsoft Teams Cache

Microsoft Teams stores temporary files called cache, which can become corrupted and cause unexpected behavior.

To clear the Teams cache on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Close Microsoft Teams completely. Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray and select Quit.
2. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type %appdata%MicrosoftTeams and press Enter.
4. In the folder that opens, select all files and folders by pressing Ctrl + A, then press Delete.
5. Restart Microsoft Teams and check if the arrow keys are working now.

Why clear cache? This removes temporary data that could be causing conflicts without affecting your saved conversations or files.

Step 3: Disable Hardware Acceleration in Teams

Hardware acceleration uses your GPU to improve performance but can sometimes cause keyboard or display issues within apps.

To disable hardware acceleration in Teams:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner and select Settings.
3. Under the General tab, scroll down to find Disable hardware acceleration.
4. Check the box to disable it.
5. Restart Teams to apply the change.

Note: Disabling hardware acceleration can fix input and graphical glitches but might slightly reduce performance.

Step 4: Update or Reinstall Keyboard Drivers

Outdated or faulty keyboard drivers can cause input problems. Here’s how to update or reinstall them:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Keyboards section.
3. Right-click your keyboard device and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow prompts.
5. If updating doesn’t work, right-click the keyboard device again and select Uninstall device.
6. Restart your PC. Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers.
7. Test your arrow keys in Teams again.

Why this helps: Drivers control how your hardware communicates with Windows. Updating or reinstalling can fix bugs or corruption.

Step 5: Check for Conflicting Applications or Add-ins

Sometimes, other software running in the background can interfere with keyboard input in Teams.

Try these steps:

• Close unnecessary apps, especially clipboard managers, keyboard remappers, or custom input tools.
• Temporarily disable any third-party antivirus or firewall software to rule out interference.
• Restart Teams and test the arrow keys again.

If this fixes the issue, you can isolate which app is causing the conflict by enabling software one by one.

Step 6: Use the Web Version of Microsoft Teams

If the desktop app continues to have issues, try using the web version as a temporary workaround:

1. Open your preferred web browser.
2. Go to teams.microsoft.com.
3. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
4. Check if the arrow keys work properly in the web interface.

This method helps determine if the issue is specific to the desktop app or related to your account or system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why are my arrow keys working in other apps but not in Teams?

This usually indicates a software-specific problem within Teams, such as cache corruption, hardware acceleration issues, or settings conflicts.

Can a Windows update cause keyboard problems in Teams?

Yes, sometimes Windows updates can introduce bugs or change settings that affect input devices. Keeping drivers updated often solves this.

Is it safe to clear the Teams cache?

Yes, clearing the cache only removes temporary files and does not delete your conversations or files stored in Teams.

Will disabling hardware acceleration affect Teams performance?

It might slightly reduce graphical performance, but it often fixes input or display problems. You can re-enable it later if needed.

How do I know if another app is causing the arrow key problem?

Try closing apps one by one and see if the issue resolves. Antivirus, clipboard managers, and keyboard utilities are common culprits.

When Nothing Works

If you’ve tried all the above steps and the arrow keys still don’t work in Microsoft Teams, consider these final options:

• Contact Microsoft Support: Visit the official Microsoft Teams support page for help.
• Reinstall Microsoft Teams: Uninstall Teams from your PC, download the latest version from the official website, and reinstall it.
• Use System Restore: If the problem started recently, restoring your PC to an earlier state might help.
• Try a Different Keyboard: Test with another keyboard to rule out hardware failure.

Conclusion

Arrow keys not working in Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 can disrupt your workflow, but most problems can be fixed with simple troubleshooting steps.

Start by checking basic keyboard settings and restarting Teams, then move on to clearing the app cache and adjusting hardware acceleration.

Updating drivers and ruling out conflicts with other software are also important steps.

If all else fails, the web version or reinstalling Teams can serve as effective alternatives.

By following this guide carefully, you should be able to restore full arrow key functionality in Microsoft Teams and get back to smooth navigation.