Dell laptop keyboard letter has come off

notakid

The Letter L has come off my sons Dell Laptop and will not attach back on. How can I fix it?
Thanks

albertross_2

it should just push back on, unless you have broken the plastic, in which case, you need a new key.

start, run, osk will work around the issue.

notakid

the plastic doesn't look broken but it won't click back in. Can I glue it?

raino144

The key shouldn't just 'push back on' flat with the keyboard. The mechanism underneath should be two small plastic pieces which you should be able to lift up (get a fingernail or a small pair of tweezers underneath) - these will lift up (in a similar manner to how an ironing board will stand up like in an X shape looking from the side) and whilst they are in the 'up' position you should be able to push the key back on (the pieces fit in in such a way that provides the 'bounce' on the key

imagine this: _ <-- this being a poor drawing of the key on its mounts!
................. X

I used to use a precision screwdriver to support the mounts while putting the key back on but I guess something like a cocktail stick may work.

I hope this helps ( I used to work for Comet fixing the old display laptops like this)

notakid

That makes a lot of sense thank you! It does look like an ironing board. The problem is as well the one bit of the ironing board the / bit keeps coming loose. But I have been trying to fit it in "flat" so I'll have another go.