MIDI keyboard not working? How to test and fix it

First, find out where the problem is

A MIDI keyboard that "doesn't work" can fail in three places: the keyboard isn't sending, the computer isn't receiving, or your music software isn't listening. The fixes are different for each, so narrow it down before changing anything.

Open the MIDI keyboard test and play a few keys. If notes light up there, the keyboard and connection are fine and the problem is in your DAW or app settings. If nothing appears, the problem is the keyboard, cable, driver or browser, and the checks below will find it.

MIDI channels a keyboard can send on

16

range of every note, velocity and CC value

0–127

note number of middle C (C4)

60

How to test a MIDI keyboard online

1. Plug in your MIDI keyboard and switch it on. Close any music software that might be using it.
2. Open the MIDI keyboard test in Chrome, Edge or Opera.
3. Press Connect MIDI and allow MIDI access when the browser asks.
4. Check the Inputs panel. Your keyboard should be listed by name.
5. Play every key, first softly and then hard. Each one should light up on the 88-key piano, brighter for harder hits, and leave a grey dot once played.
6. Press the sustain pedal and watch the Sustain pedal tile change between Up and Down.
7. Move the mod wheel, pitch bend, knobs and faders, and watch their values in the Controllers panel.

The Message log shows the newest 60 messages with their channel, type and data, which is the quickest way to see exactly what the keyboard sends.

Which browsers support Web MIDI?

The test uses the Web MIDI API. Chrome, Edge and Opera support it on desktop and Android. Firefox supports it too, but asks you to allow a site permission first. Safari doesn't support Web MIDI, and neither does any browser on iPhone or iPad, so use a different browser or device for the test.

If you see "MIDI access was blocked", the browser or a site setting refused access. Allow MIDI devices for the site in the address-bar permissions, reload, and press Connect MIDI again.

Why is my MIDI keyboard not detected on PC or Mac?

If the Inputs panel says No MIDI inputs, work through these in order:

• Cable. Many USB cables only carry power. If the keyboard lights up but isn't detected, try a cable you know carries data, ideally the one that came with it.
• Port. Plug straight into the computer instead of a hub or the front panel of a desktop, and try another port.
• Power. Some keyboards need their own power supply, especially larger ones, and won't start properly on USB power from a weak port or hub.
• USB MIDI mode. Some keyboards can send MIDI over a 5-pin DIN socket or over USB, chosen in a menu or by a switch. Check it's set to USB.
• Driver. Most current keyboards are class-compliant, which means they work without a driver on Windows and macOS. Older or more complex devices may need the maker's driver. Check the support page for your model.
• Start order. Some devices are only detected if they're switched on before the browser starts. Close the browser completely, turn the keyboard on, then reopen the test.
• Another app holding it. On Windows, a MIDI device can often only be opened by one program at a time. Close your DAW and any other music apps, then try again.

On a Mac, Audio MIDI Setup (in Applications, then Utilities) has a MIDI Studio window that lists connected devices, which is a useful second check. If you're not sure what system you're on, system specs shows your operating system and browser.

Keyboard works in the test but not in my DAW

If the MIDI keyboard test sees every note, the keyboard is fine. Look in your music software instead:

• Enable the keyboard as a MIDI input in the software's MIDI or preferences settings. Many DAWs list every input but only listen to the ones you switch on.
• Arm or select the track you want to play, and check it's set to receive from your keyboard on the right channel or on all channels.
• Check the track has an instrument loaded. A MIDI track with no instrument records notes but makes no sound.
• Close the browser test before opening the DAW, in case only one program can use the device at a time.

No velocity, dead keys and stuck notes

Velocity is how hard you hit a key, from 1 to 127. The Last note tile shows the velocity of every note you play. Play one key softly and then hard: the number should change a lot.

• Every key always reads 127, or the same value. Check the keyboard's velocity curve setting first; some have a fixed-velocity mode. If only one key does it, its sensor is faulty.
• A key never lights up. It isn't sending notes. If it's one key, the contact under it is dirty or worn. If a group of neighbouring keys fails together, it's often a ribbon cable or circuit board fault.
• A note stays lit after you let go. The key didn't send a note-off message. The Held now tile counts keys currently down, so it should return to 0 when your hands are off the keyboard. A note that sticks over and over usually means a worn or dirty key contact.

Sustain pedal works backwards

If notes sustain when the pedal is up and stop when you press it, the pedal's polarity doesn't match the keyboard. Pedals come in two types that work in opposite directions. The test makes this easy to see: the Sustain pedal tile reads CC64, and should show Down only while your foot is pressing.

If that doesn't help, look for a polarity switch on the pedal or a pedal setting in the keyboard's menu.

Check channels and CC numbers

Every MIDI message is sent on one of 16 channels, and knobs and faders send control-change (CC) messages with a number from 0 to 127. If a knob does nothing in your software, the Message log shows which channel and CC it really sends. The mod wheel is normally CC1 and the sustain pedal CC64. Any other CC you move appears under Other CCs.

Match these to what your software expects, or use its MIDI learn feature, which maps a control to whatever the knob sends.

Next steps

Once every key, pedal and control shows up correctly in the MIDI keyboard test, the hardware is working. Next, check the rest of your setup: play tones through your speakers or headphones in the sound test, and record a few seconds in the microphone test if you sing or record. If either gives trouble, our guides cover a microphone that isn't working and headphones only playing in one ear.