When it comes to cleaning or changing your mechanical keyboard’s switches, removing them is one of the crucial steps. Dirt, dust, and debris can accumulate under the switches, affecting typing accuracy and responsiveness. Mechanical keyboards come with a puller that you can use to remove the switches. But if you unfortunately lost your puller then you may want to know How to Remove Keyboard Switch Without Tool!
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of how to remove keyboard switches without a tool. Learn the anatomy of a keyboard switch and master removal techniques using household items to customize your keyboard without professional tools. Dive into the world of DIY keyboard customization, where enhanced personalization is just a few steps away.
How to Remove Keyboard Switch Without Tool?
Mechanical keyboards feature key switches that locate under every key. The keys on these keyboards come with a keycap that has the character, number, or symbols that press when typing. Mechanical keyboards provide various conveniences, and in terms of gaming keyboards, this keyboard is the best.
To remove keyboard switches on the mechanical keyboard, you’ll require a cap driver in ideal circumstances. Such keyboards come with a limited engine, while others do not have one as part of the purchase price. However, since we’re trying to figure out how to remove keycaps on a mechanical keyboard without a puller, we’ll use a paper clip, credit card, death Memory Card, Knife, or other equivalent wedges.
To learn How to remove key switches without puller, follow the steps below.
Step-01: Place the Mechanical keyboard you intend to remove keyboard switches from your work table in a clean, dry area. You can remove the key-caps without the need to open the keyboard or handle the PCB.
Step-02: Use a Knife, Unused Memory Card, or a credit card to remove keyboard switches. You may also use anything like a twisted paper clip, a house key, or a PV porthole. The goal is to add equal upward pressure on both sides of the key in the same direction.
Step-03: Pull the keycap with equal pressure. Make sure you are not bending the keycap in any single direction. Excessive pressure on the keycap from a single direction can cause the switch to break or damage your keyboard’s keycap.
Step-04: Applying even pressure to the key switches will cause the keycap to disconnect from the bottom switch. This way, you can remove all the key switches one by one easily.
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Important Instructions
- Longer keycaps like space keys will require extra support as well as extra care that can be broken during the removal process.
- If your keyboard features LED lights, you might need to take special precautions to avoid damaging them. It’s a good idea to unplug the light and turn it off.
- You need to be extra careful if you use a knife to remove the key switches. It is best to refrain from using a sharp knife as this may damage your own or your keycaps.
- Do not repeatedly remove keyboard switches unless absolutely necessary. Just remove that specific keycap to clear only certain keys.
The FAQs
How do you remove keycaps without tools?
You can bend a paperclip to function similarly to a keycap remover in place of a knife as well as flathead screwdriver. The paperclip may be made to hook underneath a key in exactly the same manner as a keycap puller by entirely unbending it, reshaping it into a “U,” and then bending the ends inward.
Can you reuse keyboard switches?
Typical keyboard components include connections, PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), switches, as well as keycaps. These parts can be recycled and reused if they are in excellent shape and work with the intended new keyboard design.
How to clean keyboard keycaps?
Take off the keycaps from the keyboard in order to clean it. After adding the keycaps to the warm, soapy water container, let it sit for half an hour or more. Ensure that all of the keycaps are immersed in the water.
Wrap Up
One of the most important practices for cleaning a mechanical keyboard is understanding how to remove key switches without a puller. The tutorial here will help you ideally learn How to Remove Keyboard Switch Without Tool.