Joe and Jamie's Blog

Today I replaced the keyboard on my sister’s Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop. She broke off one of the keys somehow, luckily I had it under warranty to get a free replacement keyboard shipped to me. The process is very simple and takes hardly any technical knowledge to do it.

These steps will work on ANY Dell notebook computer.

There is one variation for new models, but that will be made clear in it’s step.

Step 1 (the obvious step) – Obtain a new keyboard

Step 2 – Lay the screen flat so that you can remove the first part.

Step 3 – Insert a flat head screwdriver into a small slot on the right of the top casing piece. Don’t worry about damaging it, it is meant for a small flat head screwdriver to be inserted there without hurting the casing.

Step 4 – After popping the right side off with the screwdriver, just stick your finger under there and gently pull up, eventually popping off the middle and left side. Don’t worry, it may seem like you are going to break it but it will come off, just don’t use King Kong force.

Once it is completely off, remove the two screws holding down the existing keyboard. They are located on the top left and right of the keyboard, both black screws.

Step 5 – With the screws removed, place your hand on the top part of the keyboard and lift it up slightly. Then pull the keyboard towards the screen (away from you) until the bottom part comes out of the slots on the bottom. CAUTION: If you pull too hard and go 1/2 way across the room with it you could damage the connector on the motherboard.

Step 6 – Disconnect the keyboard from the motherboard.

***NOTE*** This is where some variation in models occurs. The older models, like the one in the picture, will have a tab for you to pull directly UP (not towards you) to remove the cable from the motherboard.

Newer models will have the cable snapped under a clip. To remove that, stick your finger between the clip and the cable where it connects and pull up to loosen the clip, then slide the wire out.

Step 7 – Grab the new keyboard. Replace the cable in the same but opposite way you removed the old one. If you have the cable like the one pictured, just simply push the connector into the one on the motherboard. If you have a newer model, slide the cable into the connector and push the clip back down to lock it in place.

Step 8 – Slide the bottom of the new keyboard into the slots while still holding the top part up a little bit. Replace the two screws you removed from the old keyboard.

Step 9 – Snap the top casing piece back into place. Start from the left hand side. You will see how you slide the left end into place then snap it down going from left to right until it’s all the way down.

Step 10 – VOILA! You’re done! Just make sure to turn it on and test that the keyboard works (notice the first and last steps are the easy ones!).

If you get stuck on any part you can contact me or post it here and I will respond.

Hope this was helpful!