7 Tips For Putting The Spacebar Back On A Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanical keyboards are great, but they require more maintenance than membrane ones, at least in my experience.

The keys are tall, so there are a lot of spaces for dust, dirt, and even liquids to fall into.

So, you might find yourself having to take your spacebar off, but how do you put it back on?

To put a spacebar back on a mechanical keyboard, you first slot the metal wire through the stabilizer slots.

Then, you need to make sure that the plastic components all line up, especially the mechanical switch with its corresponding slot.

On the spacebar key, press down until you hear a click.

Don’t worry; we are going to create a step-by-step guide in this article.

We want to make the process of removing and putting your spacebar key back on as easy as possible.

We will also be diving into some interesting points that you need to know, so keep reading.

Reasons To Take The Spacebar Off A Mechanical Keyboard

Look, most of us have been there. You are having a gaming session, the clan doesn’t want to wait for you, so you decide to snack while playing games with your mechanical keyboard.

Next thing you know, your keyboard becomes a bit sticky, and the keys, specifically the spacebar, don’t feel right.

Well, that is the most common reason for taking your spacebar off.

Below, you can find a few more reasons why you would have to remove your spacebar key.

Change to a different key
General maintenance
Clean the key
Flip the spacebar

Yes, many people do not enjoy the keys that come with their keyboards.

How Do You Fix The Spacebar On A Mechanical Keyboard?

There are various ways in which your spacebar or any other key on a mechanical keyboard can break.

In some cases, you might not be able to fix it, but for others, there are ways, and while some of these might seem unorthodox, it is the best you can do.

If the space bar has a rattle: In this case, you want to look for cotton balls, you can cut them down to the appropriate size once you know what you’re looking for.

Remove the key from the keyboard and carefully, using a very small screwdriver or tweezers, place the cotton balls underneath the stabilizers.

Please do not place cotton balls underneath the switch, as this can affect the actuation point of the key.

If the wire is broken: Find a large paper clip and stretch it out entirely.

Make sure that it is smooth. Take a few measurements and bend the two ends of the paper clip accordingly.

Remove the old wire and then place the paper clip where the old wire used to go.

Doing this may take some trial and error, but you will eventually get it.

If the stabilizers are broken: Once your stabilizers have gone, unfortunately, there is not much you can do, and if you find a way to fix them, they won’t last very long.

In my experience, it might be time to buy a new spacebar key or a new keyboard.

If liquid spilled on the keyboard: You need to unplug the keyboard immediately in a situation like this.

Then, take off as many keys as you need to wipe the affected area and then let it dry.

Please be careful if using a hairdryer, as you don’t want to damage any components via heat.

How Do I Put The Spacebar Back On My Keyboard?

It is essential to remember that not every keyboard is the same, which couldn’t be more true for mechanical keyboards.

Every company wants to outdo the next. Each company might change a few things, such as how the keys connect.

Every spacebar key should have a stabilizer. It is two plastic slots and a wire.

If the wire is on the keyboard itself, then the stabilizers will be on either end of the space bar key.

If the wire is on the spacebar key, then the two stabilizers should be on either side of the key slot on the keyboard. With that in mind, here is a step-by-step guide on how to reattach your spacebar key.

Clean both the spacebar and the keyboard.
Slide the spacebar key so that the wire goes through both stabilizers.
Now, line the spacebar up. If you are using a new spacebar key, you need to ensure that the slots on the key match the switches on the keyboard. Most keyboards and keys adhere to a standard cross switch.
Gently push down on the spacebar, making sure that the switches line up with the slot. When you hear a click, that means it’s in place.
Give the Spacebar 10 clicks as fast as you can to make sure that it is stable.
Next, push down the spacebar five times slowly. You want to make sure that you push the key all the way down to make sure there is no rattle.

The most important thing is not to bend the metal wire and not bend the stabilizer clips that the wire gets fed through.

If you notice a rattle, the stabilizers are not working correctly, and you might need to use a workaround. Follow the steps in the previous section.

What If You Can’t Reattach It Back On?

If you are struggling to reattach the spacebar, you need to check the stabilizers and the wire.

Is it adequately connected, and does it make the spacebar line up with the switch?

If you are trying to use a new spacebar, you need to check that the sockets underneath the spacebar match the switch and stabilizers on the keyboard.

If not, you will have to get a new spacebar key according to the specifications of your switch.

If all of that seems well, then your stabilizer could be bent.

In a situation like this, it might prevent the key from clipping onto the switch.

You will have to remove the wire and try everything you can to straighten it without breaking it.

Remember, the stabilizers are pretty fragile, so make sure you don’t break them during this process.

How Do You Fix A Broken Spacebar?

This section applies to both mechanical and membrane keyboards.

The keyboard key remover: I recommend the 5Pack Black Color Rounded Key Puller. There are other options available. However, the five-pack is handy for the spacebar because you need at least two.
A small torch or another light source.
A small flat-head screwdriver. A thin butter knife will also do.
A large paper clip
A small, compressed air can.
Some cotton balls.
A scissors.

Fixing your spacebar in 14 easy steps:

Remove a few keys that surround the spacebar.
Using two key removers, grab each side of the spacebar and use equal amounts of force to pull the spacebar off the switch gently. The stabilizers will still hold the spacebar in place.
Push the spacebar back until you can wedge the screwdriver underneath.
Look carefully for where the stabilizers are located.
Using the screwdriver, gently push one side of the wire out of the stabilizer.
Once one side is out, you can slide the spacebar out in the opposite direction.
Now, inspect the spacebar. If any plastic parts are broken, there is not much you can do.
Inspect the wire, look for any bends.
If the stabilizers seem loose, use cotton balls to reinforce them.
Gently wipe the keyboard and the spacebar.
For water damage, wipe the affected areas.
Leave the keyboard out to dry.
Use air to remove any dust.
Put it all back together.

What Needs To Be Fixed When Taking A Spacebar Off?

If you are still unsure what needs to be fixed when trying to sort out a spacebar key, here is a quick reminder of what you need to look out for again.

You can apply this to membrane keyboards as well as mechanical ones.

Sometimes, your problems could be dust or dirt-related.
The stabilizer wires.
The stabilizers.
Your mechanical switch.
The silicone membrane might need realigning (membrane keyboards)

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, the article has helped you remove and put your mechanical keyboard spacebar back on.

If you continue to have problems with your keyboard, it might signify that it needs replacing. Ask yourself how old is it and whether or not replacing it is a feasible option.