Symbol keys reversed after charging? How to fix

After charging your wireless keyboard, keys that used to type the right symbols now produce something else. A key that should type a question mark might show a slash, or a number-row symbol may not match the label. That does not necessarily mean charging damaged the keyboard.

First check whether the physical keys register, then compare what they type in a text field. The Keyboard Test can help you see whether presses are detected. Your computer's keyboard layout determines which characters those presses produce.

Test the symbol keys

Open the Keyboard Test on the computer where the problem occurs.
Press the affected keys one at a time, including the number-row keys and the punctuation keys. Check whether each press registers in the test.
Open a plain text field, such as a new document or search box, and press the same keys. Try them both by themselves and with Shift.
Check the language or keyboard layout shown in your computer's taskbar or menu bar. Compare it with the key labels on your keyboard.
If you can, connect the keyboard to another computer and try the same keys there. This helps separate a computer setting from a keyboard problem.

Do not use a website password box for this test. Some websites hide what you type, and the characters you enter may be saved or submitted by mistake.

What the result means

Every key registers, but the characters are different

The keyboard is sending input, but the active layout may not match the keyboard's printed labels. For example, a US layout and a UK layout place several symbols differently. Set the input layout to match the physical keyboard, then check the same keys in a text field again.

A key does not register in the test

The computer is not receiving a press from that key, so a layout change alone is unlikely to explain it. Reconnect the keyboard, check its battery, and test it in another app or on another device. If the same key fails in each place, the keyboard may have a physical fault.

The keys work on another computer

The keyboard is probably working. Check the layout and language settings on the original computer, and see whether the problem happens in more than one app. A single app may have its own shortcut or input setting.

The symbols change only while charging

Charging may coincide with the issue without causing it. Some keyboards change connection mode when a cable is attached, and unplugging or reconnecting can make the computer switch devices or restore a previous input state. Compare the same keys with the cable plugged in and unplugged, while keeping the selected layout unchanged.

How to fix the reversed symbols

Confirm the keyboard layout. On Windows 11, open Settings › Time & language › Language & region, select the language's options, and check the installed keyboard layouts. Choose the layout that matches the printed keys. On macOS, open System Settings › Keyboard › Text Input › Edit and select the matching input source. Then test a few symbols again.
Switch back to the intended input source. A language or layout can change accidentally, including while reconnecting a keyboard. On Windows, select the language indicator on the taskbar and choose the expected keyboard layout. On a Mac, select the input menu in the menu bar and choose the expected source. If you never use another layout, remove it from the keyboard settings to avoid switching to it later.
Check the keyboard's physical layout. Look at the key labels and any language or region marking on the keyboard. If the keycaps are printed for one layout but the computer uses another, either add the matching layout or use the keyboard labels as a guide to the characters produced by the current one.
Reconnect the keyboard after charging. Turn it off, unplug the charging cable, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. If it connects through Bluetooth, remove the keyboard from the computer's Bluetooth devices and pair it again. For a USB receiver, unplug the receiver and reconnect it directly to the computer.
Check whether the cable changes the connection mode. Some wireless keyboards can send input over the charging cable as well as wirelessly. Test with the cable disconnected, then reconnect it and compare. If the symbols change only in one mode, check the keyboard's manual for its mode switch or connection settings.
Restart the computer and check another app. A restart can clear a temporary input problem. If the symbols are wrong in one program only, check that program's keyboard shortcuts, language settings, or text-expansion tools instead of changing the whole computer's layout.

When the keyboard may be faulty

If the same symbol keys fail to register on more than one device, with the charging cable disconnected and a full battery, the problem is more likely in the keyboard than in the computer's layout. A key may be worn, dirty, or damaged. Do not pour liquid into the keyboard or pry off keycaps unless the manufacturer says they are removable. If it is under warranty, document which keys fail and contact the seller or manufacturer. Otherwise, replacement may be more practical than repair.

Why charging is not a keyboard layout setting

A keyboard layout is selected by the computer, not set by the battery's charge level. Charging can involve reconnecting or switching between wireless and wired input, which may make a timing-related setting change more noticeable. Testing the same keys in the Keyboard Test and in a text field helps distinguish a missed keypress from a key that works but produces an unexpected character.

The Keyboard Test checks input on the device you are using, so run it on the computer where the reversed symbols appear.