You press the Windows key on your AULA F75, and Start stays closed. The keyboard has its own Windows-key lock and operating-system modes, so start with those controls. Try the two shortcuts below, then follow the checks for your exact model before moving to connection repairs or Windows settings.
Start with Windows mode and the unlock shortcut
On the standard tri-mode AULA F75, try these three steps first.
- 1.Press Fn + W to select Windows mode.
- 2.Press Fn + Win once to toggle the Windows-key lock.
- 3.Press the Windows key by itself to test it.
Match the shortcuts to your F75 model
For the F75 Max, select SYSTEM on the keyboard’s built-in screen. AULA does not specify the knob gesture for entering this menu.
Choose Win.
Press Fn + left Windows once to toggle the Max’s Windows-key lock. Its WIN-L label means the left Windows key, not Windows plus the letter L.
On the F75 HE or Master Edition, press Fn + W to select Windows mode.
Press Fn + left Windows on the HE, or Fn + Win on the Master Edition, to toggle the lock.
For the EPOMAKER x AULA F75 Wired, set the Android/Win/MAC hardware selector to Win. This model has no battery or wireless connection.
Press Fn + left Windows to toggle the wired model’s lock.
Match any reset instructions to the same model, too.
Check the Fn position before resetting
If you installed AULA’s Korean ALT+FN firmware, use the second key to the right of the spacebar as Fn. That firmware changes the right-side FN+CTRL positions to ALT+FN without changing the printed keycaps. Installing it is not a general Windows-key repair.
Retry Fn + W using the actual Fn position.
Press Fn + Win once.
Test the Windows key again.
If the standard F75 still does not respond, hold Fn + Esc for five seconds to restore factory settings. This resets customized keyboard settings. AULA specifies five seconds in its current instructions and three seconds in its older standard F75 instructions.
On the Max, HE, or Master Edition, use Fn + Esc to restore defaults. AULA does not specify a reset hold duration for these models. The wired-only F75 describes this shortcut as a lighting reset, so do not use it as a full configuration reset.
If resetting does not help, try the connection and second-computer checks below before treating this as a broken key.
Rule out a connection problem
These checks address USB or wireless input failures, especially when several keys stop responding.
For a battery-powered standard F75, connect the original cable to a computer’s USB port to recharge it.
Retest the keyboard after charging.
To test the standard tri-mode F75 in wired operation, set its top-left connection switch to the center position.
Connect its USB cable directly to the computer.
If input still fails, disconnect the cable or USB receiver.
Reconnect it, waiting about 10 seconds before reinserting a wireless receiver.
Try another USB port directly on the computer, bypassing any hub.
Test the keyboard on another PC. If it works there, continue with Windows-side checks on the original computer. If the same key fails on both, continue to the individual-key checks below.
Inspect Windows input settings and remapping
Use these checks when the keyboard works on another PC or the unlock shortcut has not resolved the problem.
- 1.Press Ctrl + Esc to open Start without the Windows key. This provides temporary access but does not replace the Windows modifier in every shortcut.
- 2.Open Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on On-screen keyboard. Click its Windows key to test software input. On Windows 10, use Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard > Use the On-Screen Keyboard. This does not unlock the physical key.
- 3.On the same keyboard settings page, turn off Filter keys if short presses are ignored. Turn off Sticky keys if it was enabled accidentally and modifier shortcuts behave unexpectedly. Windows 10 labels these controls Filter Keys and Sticky Keys.
- 4.If you use PowerToys, close it and retest the key. If that resolves the problem, inspect PowerToys Settings > Keyboard Manager > Remap a key and Remap a shortcut for the responsible mapping. Disable Keyboard Manager to stop its remappings.
Reconnect wireless input when other keys fail too
Re-pairing applies when the wireless connection or multiple keys fail. It does not release the keyboard’s Windows-key lock.
For the standard F75’s USB receiver connection, select 2.4G mode.
Hold Fn + ~ for three seconds until the cyan light flashes rapidly.
Insert the receiver.
If interference persists, try a USB 2.0 port away from other receivers.
For Bluetooth on the standard F75, select BT mode instead.
Hold Fn + 1 for three seconds until the indicator flashes blue rapidly.
Select the matching keyboard in your computer’s Bluetooth pairing interface.
If Bluetooth still fails on Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
Turn Bluetooth off.
Turn Bluetooth back on.
Remove a stale pairing under Devices using the keyboard’s More options > Remove device > Yes.
Pair the keyboard again using the Bluetooth sequence above.
For continued Bluetooth trouble, open Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
Select Run next to Bluetooth.
Follow the instructions in Get Help.
Address a Windows key that fails on every computer
When only one key keeps failing after unlocking, resetting, and testing another PC, clean dust around the affected key.
On the standard hot-swappable mechanical F75, try a compatible spare switch if cleaning does not help. Do not assume those mechanical switches fit the magnetic-switch F75 HE.
If the key still fails, contact AULA at [email protected] with your exact model, layout, connection mode, and the results of the unlock, reset, and second-PC tests. Ask AULA to confirm firmware compatibility before installing a package intended for another revision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Fn + Q and Fn + E do on the standard AULA F75?
Fn + Q selects Android mode, and Fn + E selects Mac mode. These are operating-system mode shortcuts on the standard tri-mode F75.
Does changing the knob’s game or office mode unlock the Windows key?
No. The standard F75’s knob modes control lighting and volume functions separately from the Windows-key lock.
Can I assign another key to Windows while the physical key is broken?
Yes. In PowerToys Settings, open Keyboard Manager > Remap a key > Add key remapping. Under Select, choose a working key you can spare; under To send, choose the Windows key. Save the mapping and keep PowerToys running. This workaround is unavailable on password screens.
What if Windows opens Start but Windows-key shortcuts fail on my work PC?
Ask your administrator to check the Turn off Windows Key hotkeys policy. It controls Windows-key combinations without necessarily blocking Start. The administrator can set it to Disabled or Not Configured under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
