In just the last few days I’ve seen exactly the same issues. Enter, Delete and Backspace are the worst, but the D key also cuts out sometimes. All are intermittent. 13th gen running Windows 11. The fact it is the same keys is interesting.
I reseated all the cables, blew it out with air, and updated the BIOS/Firmware. So far it seems more reliable, but that is the problem with intermittent issues. I’ll update if it happens again.
The issue is back, same keys. Still doing the rounds with support for a replacement.
If I just every conceivable photo in the first email they would still come up with something new to ask for.
The way that Framework is treating this issue (if it is under warranty just replace the damn thing - this failure is not uncommon) is unfortunate. The fact that keyboard failure rate is high and they are not addressing the root of the cause by issuing a fix or redesigning things so that reliability is no longer an issue is most annoying. I now consider frequent keyboard replacements a cost of doing business with Framework 13 laptops.
I have had many different laptops in my life and keyboard failure usually is not an issue until 5 or more years of use.
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If you want a replacement under warranty, then it’s just necessary for them to have a very thorough procedure, considering the laptop is designed to as easy as possible to be opened, its guts played with by us. If not careful, we can damage things easy. Multiple people in other threads have posted keyboard issues that were traced to them creating a break in one of the flat ffc cables.
You want a company to “just replace the damn thing” under warranty with minimal checking for user damage? Sure. But at best, you get other laptops which are minimally user repairable often with soldered ram & wifi, at worst you get “warranty void if removed” tamper-resistant stickers.
You can’t have a company the does everything to make it easy and encourage us to play with the guts of the laptop, and also super easy no questions warranty replacements, you just can’t. It would kill Framework. People will absolutely abuse it, no question.
The thorough procedure Framework has now is due to those people.
https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/12tbg6d/psa_warranty_claims_and_framework_support/
After an audit of warranty claim tickets recently, it’s pretty clear that there are a good number of incidents were damage was caused by the customer, and is not covered under Framework’s Limited Warranty. The stories I’ve read are quite grand, and entertaining, but our team/engineers are pretty skilled at determining actual product failures or CID (Customer Induced Damage). While we understand that having to pay for replacement parts is a bummer when mistakes are made, which can happen given the DIY-nature of our products, our Support team is far more willing to find amicable solutions and alternatives to standard replacement if customers simply own the error and tell the truth vs taking us down a long, windy path full of false statements, and honestly, impossible scenarios.
[snip]
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Thank you for that link. I agree that user CID damage should generally not be covered under warranty. A number of tests are appropriate before replacing a part under warranty - making sure the cable is plugged in correctly and re-seating the cable and maybe a few more but beyond that, especially considering the failure rate of keyboards that I have experienced, it gets a bit excessive.
I haven’t seen any keyboard issues that were traced to breaks in the ffc cables so maybe requesting a close-up photo of that area would be appropriate (kinks in the cable?).
I have had a few bits replaced under warranty and my experience has been that the first few questions tend to be reasonable but then it tends to get silly (just my experience).
The reason I put up with the two big framework issues I have (keyboard and USB devices not being recognized half the time) is because I really appreciate the way these computers can be serviced.
I was amazed when, on my first Framework13, I realized that the case screws were captive. While it sounds silly, that little detail made a huge impression on me. It said “hey, we are really looking at even the tiniest details to give a great customer experience”
In general, customer support for me has been excellent … well above the industry norm.
I am frustrated by the lack of information on my two biggest issues. Are the keyboard failure rates (not including CID) high or am I just lucky with my failures? If the keyboard issues are real, what is being done to resolve them. Same with the poor USB functionality.
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A small kink in one or more lines can sometimes be all that’s visible, a trace broken without tearing the insulation. But a tear through the insulation I think will be more common here.
This was the most recent one posted
(Linux) Bottom and right parts of keyboard not working
Two in this thread, with pictures of a pretty big tears
Damage to touchpad cable / keyboard either not working at all or only some keys / glued side
It sometimes feels like there might be a higher level of FWL13 keyboard issues. It’s difficult to judge though. We don’t even know how many 13" units FW has shipped.
USB issues do seem to come up often. I wonder if what FW tries to do with their ports, as many ports as possible, as high speed & full function as possible, reliably, is just hard to do at a reasonable price. I hope it doesn’t come down to that.
Thanks for the link to the cable issue, I was not aware how sensitive the cable was (despite the warnings that I did in fact see). I will be extra careful and probably add a cable to my next parts order to have it on hand just in case.
I still have a dud keyboard that I recently replaced - I will double check the cable! Some keys on it sometimes require double pressing to register.
On a related matter - ever heard of keys (or the touch pad) being too sensitive. I have assumed this to be an operator problem since it happens on all my computers but thought I would ask since you seem to be very knowledgeable.
I’m fine with a thorough procedure, but when every time I complete a set of steps they come back with more steps.
Across 6 emails from me, including the original report (that included a lot of the details they asked for again) they asked me to do the following:
- Reseat cables
- Blow it out with air
- update BIOS
- provide some pictures inside
- Provide a video of the intermittent failure
- Reset the BIOS
- Install Windows updates
- More pictures inside and out
- Which keys again is it?
- How about the touch pad?
My last issue (refused to boot) took over a month to resolve and 20 minutes of video.
I’m sure the next email will require some sort of ancient ritual under a full moon with a blood sacrifice, all recorded in fully immersive 3D .
If the first email gave me all the steps and requirements I would be fine. But responding to each email with more requirements is frustrating and drags things out.
After my last issue I had to go buy a whole new laptop. Starting to wonder if it is even worth fixing my Framework and it is more disposable then I hoped.
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Now I am updating the Firmware to the Retimer ports…
13th Gen Intel Core Retimer port01 310
13th Gen Intel Core Retimer port23 310
Last time they specifically said to only update to BIOS 3.05
So next email will be to reset the BIOS again, apply Windows updates, and more pictures…
Now they want me to use compressed air again. I wish they would review the history before trying to come up with new ways to waist my time.
I have a similar input cover issue on my 11th gen, bending the frame indeed temporarily solve this problem. My issue is also consistent with it only affecting the right half of the keyboard (mostly the “enter” key, but I believe the arrow keys were also intermittently affected). My laptop had no problem 6 months prior to the keyboard issue. I doubt a little bend below mm would result in enough bend in the flat cables or the connectors.
So far I’ve tried
- Redo all input cover related connectors (doesn’t help
- Switched between multiple OS and tested in BIOS (Doesn’t help
- Bend the frame (consistently help
Finally told I was out of warranty.
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I have the same issue an my guess is that its some kind of electrostatic buildup problem. Seems to me like blowing (with your mouth) into the keyboard (in between the keys) often fixes the problem. I had a similar issue with my Razer Black Adder Chroma mouse, where it would not register clicks / double click and gamers figured out that blowing into it helps because the moisture in the air does something to the static charge. It immediately clicked that the problem might be similar, and usually when I try it helps, though sometimes I need to try for a while (that’s why I’m not sure if it isn’t mechanical or something else, as I need to lift the laptop and move it etc.)
The fact that here and elsewhere people describe similar issue, similar keys (D, backspace & enter most severe) also suggests the issue is not some random hw or sw failure.
I came looking on the forum because blowing into the keyboard almost every time I take my laptop away from my work station is lame and annoying. 
I’m also having issues with keyboard keys intermittently not working, those I notice myself are -, 0 and p (qwerty keyboard, so all in the same upper-mid-right region). I will try to exhaustively detect other keys affected.
Here would be my summary of user feedback in this thread — and in the many other similar threads on the forum (see topics linked to the current one) or elsewhere (reddit) :
- Many people tried cleaning the keyboard or reseating the cables, but no one reports that it solved their problem.
- Some people ordered a new input cover and it solved their problem, at least for a while.
- Some people are just bending the frame (or blowing into their keyboards while making a wish) and it is reported to work reliably.
- There has been no official acknowledgment of a systemic issue with the keyboard. (No judgment here, as I don’t have experience on what volume of user reports hints at a notable issue.)
I will try to bend the frame (3) and see if it reliably makes the problem go away temporarily – it’s an easier first step than changing the input cover (2).
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After following this thread for a while, I took matters into my own hands and tried to isolate the issue. I was able to get my faulty keys to respond by holding down the keyboard flat flex cable connector on the motherboard side.
So I took a soldering iron and made a messy reflow job of the connector pins on the cable side and now my keyboard is back to fully functional!
Seems like after unplugging and replugging the keyboard from the motherboard, that connector comes loose from the cable and needs to be resoldered. If you don’t want to risk making your cable worse, I suspect ordering a new keyboard-to-motherboard cable will work just fine.
You can see my beautiful (or messy) solder job below.
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I hear a lot of frustration on this thread about Framework’s handling of these issues. FWIW, they handled my ticket promptly and gave me a full list of what they wanted in the first response. (It still took a while, but that’s entirely because I didn’t manage to get the right pictures for a while.) So, if you have this issue, I suggest that you try your luck with the support folk instead of just giving up and ordering a new keyboard
It looks like there is a structural/systemic quality issue with the keyboard or its connecting cables. This should be acknowledged and documented somewhere – for example, this seems strongly related to the “knowledge base” issue My keyboard isn’t working, which could be more precise and explain the issue and resolution in more details. Ideally they would also be working on getting replacement parts that are less faulty.
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Agreed. I’ve never had a keyboard fail on a laptop before (though I’m aware it happens). It seems to happen far too often on the Framework laptops. I am very close to tossing my framework into the refuse bin and going with a very different, less repair friendly company. Maybe repair friendly isn’t the answer if it comes with part integrity issues.
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The issue was getting worse for me and blowing did not seem to help anymore.
On an instinct I have taped some office duct tape on the metal part under the flat cable connecting mother board with keyboard (front panel). So far (2 days) the issue is 100% gone. Will report back if it happens again.
Different people might be dealing with a different issue, but the one that is affecting me, was described in exact specific details by multiple people (backspace, enter, d not working), so is too reproducible to be a random component failure.
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