Droid Virtual Keyboard Dead Zone - can't type p,l or DEL

It seems that my screen now has a dead zone in the bottom-right part of the screen. When I go to type the letters p,l or DEL, i get the letters to the left of them (o,k,m). The odd thing is that I can click directly on o,k,m and it works fine. It's almost like the keys were remapped.

Anyone else experience this one? Defective phone? I've had it for quote a while -- no cracks in it, no bad falls. Help! :smileysad:

Oh, and a restart or a battery pull did not fix it. Nor did a keyboard app replacement.

Accepted answers

ChrisBuck

The factory reset suggestion is junk. That's the standard line any time there is a problem that they don't know how to fix.

This is widespread, just do a Google search. It's happening on my Droid 2 Global after factory resets, battery pulls.

Incidentally, the same glitch that causes the dead zone on the right side of the screen causes a dead zone around the status bar in landscape mode.

I have found that sometimes by simply pressing the power button phone off and on, I am able to regain functionality in that area. Other times, I have found that if I start to send a text message, and include the letter "p" in the message (typing in portrait mode), I am able to get the right side back to working (as further tested using the keyboard in gmail).

This is bizarre, and it doesn't look like a hardware failure, since it is possible to get working.

So assuming there is a software bug somewhere, I'm looking at the running services every time it happens, by going to Settings > Applications > Running.

The stock music app is always doing something. Other apps:

Google Messaging Service

Global Unplug Service

Battery Manager - Wakelock Monitor Service

Multitouch Keyboard

Tried disabling them one by one, and no change in result. Entire right side of the keyboard still not operational. Help anyone?

All comments

sHaY_j

Wow, this is a first! Have you ever dropped your phone or waste something on it? The keys may be sticking to the keypad. Try going into your nearest Verizon Wireless store to have a technical manager look at the device to see if the wiring in the keyboard is defective. Let me know if this works! :smileywink:

Darthvodka

I have almost same issue... This is my post on the htc support forums.

I just got my incredible in the mail. I was trying to enter a couple contacts. I found the letter "t" will not type. Switched to number mode. It is even worse, Can't type 5, %, ), all are in the same column. Contacts will not allow you to turn the droid on its side and use the horizontal keyboard. Tried calibrating the keyboard it makes it worse. I can touch the letter "Q" and drag my finger across the screen and every letter in that row will highlight as I drag over it except the letter "t". Same thing happens in number / symbols mode start at either the 1, !, _, drag across everything will highlight as it is touched except the 5, %, ). I have 3 other coworkers with the incredible they do not have this issue on their phones. The issue occurs for them when they try on my phone so, it is not me fat fingering. They all got theirs at least a month before me. So I am wondering if it is an issue with the new screens or just a defect in my phone?

UPDATE

Called htc... No help suggested factory reset which I didn't mind as I have no data on the phone yet. Did not work. Next suggestion... Download a keyboard app... The free ones are crap. Why should I have to pay extra to make the device usable? I thought a working keyboard was apart of the initial $200.

ron45

I'm having the exact same problems as the original poster. Just to clarify, the problem on mine is only on the vertical virtual keyboard. The horizontal virtual and mechanical qwerty keyboards work fine. My problem started around July 1st and I've just been dealing with it since. Was wondering if the last OS update had something to do with this?

IgoreAbbyNormal

I have found that I am also having the same problem with the virtual keyboard as the original poster. Whenever I try to type 'P', 'l' or 'del' it always ends up typing the letter to the left of the key I pressed. Did anyone find a solution this problem by chance?

nutznboltz2003

I had the same issue. I took it in to a VZW center and they told me it needed to be replaced. It was never dropped, no damage, nothing. It worked in landscape mode at first, but after awhile, almost the entire right third of the screen stopped responding.

Cobjones

It might be due to the fact you aren't typing far enough to the right.

The screens have a learning curve. Try typing as far over as you can.

I had never had an issue.

nutznboltz2003

Cobjones wrote:
It might be due to the fact you aren't typing far enough to the right.

The screens have a learning curve. Try typing as far over as you can.

I had never had an issue.

Now, that could be an issue, but if it is like my problem, it was an issue with the phone itself. The nice rep I talked to on the phone told me I was her 8th caller that day with the issue. I'm wondering if the issue was the touch input screen becoming disengaged from the front glass and no longer sensing input.

IgoreAbbyNormal

Quick update, I discovered something interesting. I installed one of the free drawing tools to see how far over to the right it would let me draw and sure enough while drawing on the screen the paint brush would stop at the same area along the right side of the screen where the p, l and del keys are on the virtual keypad.

While testing this I accidentally pressed a little harder then normal (harder then you should) and the paint brush went all the way to the right side of the screen. To me that says that there could be a problem with the touch sensors on the right side. I'm planing on taking it in today to have it looked at before it gets any worse.

IgoreAbbyNormal

I've gotta say, I'm impressed. I took my Droid to one of the Verizon stores and they took a quick look at it saw the problem and they quickly set it up so a new Droid would be FedEx to me within 2 days, to me that is good customer service. With all of the negative comments that usually happen in forums I thought I should post a good experience. :smileyvery-happy:

Jenelle1975

i have had the exact same problem on two droid phones... wondering if it is one of my downloaded apps causing it? any solutions found yet?

kSo9204

I understand your concern about your device not functioning properly. Third party applications can cause issues with a device. If you run into issues with your device and you believe they are being caused by third party applications, a factory reset would have to be completed. This process can be completed through the following steps:

Factory Reset option 1
From the main screen, touch menu tab
Touch Settings
Touch Privacy
Touch Factory Data reset
Touch Reset Phone
Warning: This will erase all data from your phone, including:

Your Google account
System and application data and settings
Downloaded Applications

It will not erase: Current System software and bundled applications; SD Card files, such as music or Photos

Factory Reset option 2 - Warning this will reset device back to original factory settings.

Turn off the phone
Press Power key + "x" (on the hardware keyboard) to power on the phone and bring up the recovery screen
Press and hold Volume Up + Camera Key until recovery menu appears, release keys when it appears
Using the Volume keys, select "Wipe data factory Reset",
Press the center of 5-way navigation pad
Using the Volume keys, select Yes -- delete all user data
Press the center of 5-way navigation pad
Using the Volume keys select Reboot system now
Press the center of 5-way navigation pad

ChrisBuck

The factory reset suggestion is junk. That's the standard line any time there is a problem that they don't know how to fix.

This is widespread, just do a Google search. It's happening on my Droid 2 Global after factory resets, battery pulls.

Incidentally, the same glitch that causes the dead zone on the right side of the screen causes a dead zone around the status bar in landscape mode.

This is bizarre, and it doesn't look like a hardware failure, since it is possible to get working.

So assuming there is a software bug somewhere, I'm looking at the running services every time it happens, by going to Settings > Applications > Running.

The stock music app is always doing something. Other apps:

Google Messaging Service

Global Unplug Service

Battery Manager - Wakelock Monitor Service

Multitouch Keyboard

Tried disabling them one by one, and no change in result. Entire right side of the keyboard still not operational. Help anyone?

teresarose07

Ok so this is my first time ever replying to one of these.. I was going crazy because all of a sudden my phone too caught this dead zone. I wasn't able to use any of the letters on the bottom row of the keyboard. I bought my HTC Android Incredible used & was originally Verizon and is now flashed to Cricket. This dead zone started happening yesterday, so last night my friend installed a new Rom. Problem still there. I can't afford to go out and buy a new phone so I went into Market and downloaded SwiftKey X Trial Keyboard. It's free for a month & after that it's $3.99 a month. So, you get that all installed & set up to the way you like it. Then go into your phone's Settings. Then into Language & Keyboard. Then down to Swiftkey X Trial Settings. Then Advanced. Then scroll down to Portrait Key Height. Once in there select the Large setting. Go back & do the same for Landscape Key Height. Now that I did all that, my keyboard works great! Hope this helps others. Although, this doesn't fix the problem. I play Words with Friends, and on there too, my letters won't work :smileysad: But at least I can text now!!! :smileyhappy: This will hold me over until I can go out and buy a new one! Good Luck Everyone!

IAM9997

Same problem. My "p" zone on the horizontal keyboard stopped working about a week ago. Now it seems the problem is spreading to the "h" and "Del" keys on the horizontal If I switch to vertical keyboard the same areas of the screen then work, which tells me this is not a hardware/screen issue. There's something funny going on with Droid I think. Any solutions that have worked- battery pull didn't work, factory reset didn't work either...

droiduser10

Something similar happened to me, I,K,M letters wouldn't work in portait mode with multiple keyboards - finally I went into settings and reset the finger touch precision calibration under: Menu>Settings>Language&Keyboards>TouchInputSettings>TextInput>Rest Calibration

This has fixed the problem

I'm on a Thunderbolt running Android 4.0.4, HTC Sense 3.6