Filter Keys

Alice writes that on Windows Vista, she was typing a message in Windows Mail and inadvertently turned on…something. She writes that “Since I did this, when I type a word I have a click sound when typing each letter. If I make a mistake and backspace it won’t backspace. I have to hit the backspace several times or delete and then the backspace.”

What Alice has turned on is a little known feature called Filter Keys, which can make an audible click each time a key is pressed and accepted. It can also choose not to accept very brief keystrokes as well as repeated ones. The theory behind this is that it prevents people that bounce their fingers on the keys from accidental input. Luckily the fix is straightforward.

1. Click Start and then Control Panel.
2. Click Ease of Access (Ease of Access center in Classic View)
3. Click “Change how your keyboard works” (“Make your keyboard easier to use” in Classic View)
4. Uncheck the box labeled “Turn on Filter Keys”, click Apply, click Save.
5. You’re done!