Keyboard Ghosting Explained
Why your keyboard fails to register multiple key presses.
What is Ghosting?
"Ghosting" is a phenomenon where some key presses are not sent to the computer when multiple keys are pressed simultaneously.
This commonly happens in games. For example, you might be holding W (move forward), Shift (sprint), and Space (jump). If your keyboard has ghosting issues, pressing a fourth key (like R to reload) might simply be ignored.
check_circle Test for Ghosting
Open our Keyboard Test Tool. Hold down both Shift keys and try to type a sentence like "THE QUICK BROWN FOX...". If letters are missing, your keyboard has ghosting.
Understanding Rollover (KRO)
The ability of a keyboard to handle simultaneous key presses is measured by "Rollover."
- 2KRO: Most cheap membrane keyboards can only handle 2 simultaneous key presses reliably.
- 6KRO: Common in older USB keyboards. You can press up to 6 keys plus modifiers (Ctrl, Alt, Shift).
- NKRO (N-Key Rollover): The gold standard for gaming. You can press every single key on the keyboard at once, and they will all register.
Why Does Ghosting Happen?
Keyboards use a matrix of rows and columns to detect key presses. To save money, manufacturers often wire keys in a way that creates "blocks." When three keys in a specific block are pressed, the controller gets confused and ignores further input to prevent "ghost" (false) inputs.
Higher-end mechanical keyboards use diodes on every single switch. This isolates each key, allowing for full NKRO.
How to Fix It
Unfortunately, ghosting is a hardware limitation. You cannot fix it with software updates or drivers.
- The Solution: If ghosting impacts your gaming or typing, you need to upgrade to a keyboard that supports Anti-Ghosting or NKRO. Most mechanical keyboards feature this by default.
- Workaround: If buying a new keyboard isn't an option, try remapping your game keys to different areas of the keyboard (e.g., using ESDF instead of WASD) to avoid the problematic matrix block.