Keyboard ghosting test
Ghosting means a held key stops registering or a key you did not press appears. Hold several keys below and watch which ones light up.
Keyboard ghosting test workspace
How to use
5 short steps.
Hold A, S, D and W
Press and hold all four with your left hand. All four should light up and Held now should read 4.
Add other keys one at a time
Keep them held and press other keys with your right hand. Each new key should light up as you press it.
Note any key that does not light
A key that stays blank while the others are held is blocked. Release one of the four and try again.
Watch for keys you did not press
A lit key you never touched is a ghost. Pick a target combination below and the page lists any extra keys.
Try the chords you actually use
Pick a preset such as W + A + Space, hold it, and let go. The result lists any target key that did not light.
What the result means
Match what you see to one of these.
If every key lights, that combination is safe
If each key you hold turns blue and Held now matches the number of fingers down, the keyboard reports the whole combination. You will not lose those inputs in a game.
If a key stays blank while others are held, it is blocked
If a key lights on its own but not while you hold two or three others, the keyboard matrix cannot report that trio. Cheaper keyboards often block combinations in the same row or column.
If an extra key appears, that is a ghost
If a key you did not press lights up while you hold others, the matrix sent a phantom key. Games read it as a real press. Anti-ghosting keyboards prevent this by design.
Troubleshooting
If the test fails, try these in order.
Use ordinary letter keys
Avoid Ctrl, Alt, and Win combinations, which the browser or system may reserve. Hold the chord again with letters and Space, then compare.
Change one key in the chord
Swap one key at a time to see whether the blocked key follows a row of the keyboard or a single switch. Hold the new chord and check again.
Plug in directly and check the mode
Connect by cable instead of Bluetooth or a hub, and switch off any compatibility or BIOS mode in the keyboard software. Hold the same chord again.
Retest with the NKRO test
Open the NKRO test and hold as many keys as you can. If the count stops at 6, the keyboard is in 6-key mode and larger chords will drop keys.
What this test can't tell you
Where a browser check stops.
- A shortcut the system takes first, such as the Windows key or Print Screen, looks the same here as a blocked key.
- A combination that works here does not prove every other combination works. Ghosting depends on which three keys share a matrix path.
FAQ
Common questions about this test.
How do I check anti-ghosting?
Hold A, S, D and W, then press other keys one by one. If every key lights up and no extra key appears, the keyboard handles those combinations. Repeat with the chords you use in your games.
What does 19-key or 26-key anti-ghosting mean?
The maker tested a set of 19 or 26 keys, usually around WASD and the arrows, and guarantees they register in any combination. Keys outside that set can still block each other. Full n-key rollover has no such limit.
What is the difference between anti-ghosting and N-key rollover?
Anti-ghosting means the keyboard never reports a key you did not press. N-key rollover means every key you hold registers, however many. A keyboard can have anti-ghosting around WASD but only 6-key rollover overall.
Is an anti-ghosting keyboard worth it?
For gaming, yes. Movement plus jump, crouch, and reload often means four or five keys held at once, and a blocked key costs you the input. For typing, two or three keys at a time is normal and almost any keyboard copes.