Problem description: Wireless keyboard DELL problem KM5221W - writes itself, repeats the letters and DEL and BACKSPACE
After buying a DELL KM5221W wireless keyboard - KM 5221 W - weird things sometimes happen to my computer. Sometimes it happens that the selected letter starts to be written by itself. In most cases, it's the C key. Sometimes, on the contrary, the letters start to disappear from the text. The BACKSPACE or DELETE key was pressed automatically. Unfortunately, this problem happens quite randomly. It is necessary once a week or once every fortnight.
Problem solution: Wireless keyboard DELL problem KM5221W - writes itself, repeats the letters and DEL and BACKSPACE
We really noticed these problems on the incriminated keyboard. We contacted several other customers who bought the keyboard from us and they confirmed that they also experienced a similar type of defect. It probably wouldn't be such a big deal. If the keyboard types a few letters, worse, it happened to one customer that the DELETE key was activated spontaneously repeatedly. At that moment, the customer just clicked on the shortcut on the desktop and it deleted the shortcut. We restored the representative from the trash. Unfortunately, there is a greater danger. If delete were activated just when you click on a file, it would simply delete the file without you noticing anything.
In this respect, it seems to us to be very dangerous behavior. Unfortunately, we only have data from five customers so far, so we want to ask you this way: If you have any similar experience with the keyboard - let us know (give us a verbal description of your problem). This will help detect a possible error. Mysterious behavior also occurred with the keyboard, where the latest keyboard firmware was downloaded and installed.
The purpose of the article is not to throw a bad review at the DELL brand, but to find out - if it is a occurrence of a few defective pieces or if it is a system error, such as software or hardware of keyboard flaps. We continue to consider DELL products to be the highest possible quality when selling servers, laptops and other components!
Thank you for your feedback. Write your messages to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or use formular bellow this article.
The model label does not look good on the keyboard, so we enclose a photo of the keyboard.
29.6.2023 Information update
- you can simulate problem if you plug USB disk (old - not SSD) very near to Dell dongle.
- you can simulate problem if you plug iPhone to USB very near to Dell dongle.
- Second I found that problem appear especially on HP notebooks, but on other computer too.
- Upgrade firmware does not help!!!
Some reactions from other users:
Customer 1
Hi, We bought about 300 of this wireless sets (KM5221W) and during a year it happened about 10 times, or more precisely, the issue has been reported to IT about 10 times. The issue is that the front window in Windows that have focus (receives kbd/mouse events) started deleting its objects. I mean that the content of MS Word document which was opened was deleted, PPTX presentation content was deleted, but also all files/folders in Windows explorer window were deleted, email from Outlook were deleted and so on. For some time we simply updated firmware in the affected sets, but recently it has happened to a set that have the last firmware and full batteries. I have already opened a ticket with Dell Support, but they told me that we are the first customer who reported this issue and I doubt it will lead to nowhere if all customers do not do the same. It is hard to prove such behavior if it happens so infrequently.
Customer 2
Hello, our company bought about 200 of these keyboards and mice, and we are also having these issues intermittently. Not everyone, but a significant amount of users - maybe 15%
Customer 3
We have the same problem with two sets of KM5221W. I use one and sometimes the (not physical) button either "R" or "C" gets stuck. It doesn't happen that often, so I don't deal with it. But the second set is used by the director and the "delete" button gets stuck, so for example this morning he accidentally deleted emails in Outlook and some shortcuts on the desktop due to this problem. This is the second time this has happened in the space of 2 months and now thanks to your article I know it really is a set. After today's incident, I thought of disconnecting the set from the laptop and the disappearing files disappeared immediately. I will try to complain to the supplier, hopefully they will face it. Thanks for this article.
Customer 4
Hello Jan I have exactly this problem and found your article by searching Google for "KM5221W backspace" My organisation has around 75 of these models and I have had to restore files, emails to recover deleted data. I have had about 10 users experience this issue. I would suspect it relates to radio interference between keyboard and USB dongle. However, the device should tolerate interference better. Firmware updates via Dell Peripheral Manager have not fixed it for us. I have yet to report this to Dell. If you have any further progress since you posted this article, please do let me know - it would be greatly appreciated.
Customer 5
Hello, I have the same problem described in the article. Please advise, is it for a complaint, or can it be solved somehow? thank you for your answer
Customer 6
Hi, we have the same problems with this Keyboard/Mouse Set. We bought about 15 and installed them in customers offices. Some of the sets came together with Dell Optiplex 5000, and some were bought separately. The problems are as described above. The worst problem is that the Delete-button activated itself and deleted E-mails and data. We immediately stopped selling them. We opened a Dell Support Case and Dell sent us new sets, but the problems also occur with the new Sets.
Customer 7
Hi. Same with us. We are a small Engineering company and only had two of the same keyboards/mouse , KM5221W, but both would start to randomly delete items. For me, it deleted all emails from Jan 2024 back to June 2023, in my inbox, within a second or two but I did find them all in an archive folder after a lot of time searching. When I pressed Esc on the keyboard it did stop the curser from jumping and deleting. The second time I was in Excel and it started to delete within the cell, deleted the spreadsheet and then started to jump from one icon to another on the desktop, again at very high speed. The M.D. had a lot of emails deleted too within seconds and they couldn't be found. Some were retrieved but a lot lost. Again the cursor jumped from icon to icon on his desktop but didn't delete anything. When he was typing an email the keyboard started to input a letter continuously again at high speed. When he started to delete that letter, the email was deleted and then the emails in inbox started to delete. I spent just over an hour on the phone with Dell for them to replace our keyboards with a different make and they said it was not possible. They have sent out two of the same make replacements and have advised that they will escalate the issue if these new ones produce the same issue. So basically they're using their customers for 'testing purposes'. We are not going to use the replacements as the risk is just too high. Luckily we were both at our PC's when this random deletion occurred. I'd dread to think what could happen if this error activated itself when we are not at the PC. We will replace both keyboards with a different make.
Customer 8
Hello, we also have 3 pcs of this Dell set at our company and two users have already encountered similar behavior.
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