What might cause both shift keys to stop working at the same time?

Are the other keysworking. Cap lock, etc.

Maybe another key, such as Caps Lock, Alt or Ctrl, is stuck in the down position?

It could be dust or something else, surprising that they would stop at once. Usually, if my keys stop working the first thing I do is pop them off and clean under them. Nine times out of ten that solves it.

The first thing to try (even before the cleaning that @asmonet suggests, I would think – but it’s a good idea to do that as well) is to reboot the machine.

When you realize how many things have to work ‘just so’ to make the computer work properly, both mechanically and electronically, as well as software and process control, it’s amazing to me that it works as well as it does as often as it does without excess tweaking and futzing.

So reboot the machine, and while that’s going on tip over the keyboard (if it’s a detached one) and tap it on a desktop or other hard surface to knock out the ‘chunks’ of debris that may have fallen between the keys. But I don’t think it’s a mechanical issue, since both shift keys have failed, and they’re at opposite sides of the keyboard. I suspect a software issue of some kind, which a reboot should reset.

If it’s USB unplug it, wait for all the beeps and bongs to stop and plug it back in. Or hold down
CTRL-SHIFT-ALT on the left side of the keyboard for a moment.

I use occurrences like this to decide that I need a new keyboard.

I don’t think that I can replace the keyboard on my laptop, can I? (I just got home a little bit ago and haven’t tried any of the other suggestions, yet.)

Laptop keyboards are frequently replaced, and it doesn’t even take long to do. But if you’re not used to disassembling and reassembling your laptop, then it’s best to have it done by someone familiar with the process.

If you have an IT department at work, then someone there probably does this, or can recommend a repair shop that you can have it done while you wait. It’s probably not very expensive, either.

If your OS isn’t Windows XP, then the following might not exactly apply to your laptop, but here it is:

Start > Control Panel > Printers and Other Hardware > Keyboard > Hardware > Troubleshoot

I once had a laptop with a keyboard that decided to spazz out. Troubleshooting and rebooting never did the trick. What finally cured it was turning it off, unplugging it, and removing the battery for a while. It’s my understanding that removing all power from a laptop fixes random glitches relatively often. It might be worth a try.

Hi, from your description, I think maybe you have started the “viscosity”. Please try five quick batter on the shift key to get the “viscosity setting window” then cancel the “viscosity functionary”.
In case both of the shift keys still don’t work, check your keyboard, maybe there is something wrong with it.

that didn’t bring up the window, is there another way to bring up that menu/

@ANef_is_Enuf Did you try what @bobbinhood suggested?

no, i completely forgot. i will try that today.