Fix: Call of Duty Vanguard Keyboard Not Working or Lagging

Sledgehammer Games and Activision did come up with a 2021’s first-person shooter COD franchise video game called ‘Call of Duty: Vanguard‘. It’s available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms. Though the title has received plenty of good reviews for the PC version, it seems that the Call of Duty Vanguard game has some issues with the peripherals like Keyboard Not Working or Lagging quite often on the PC which affects gameplay badly.

Now, if you’re also facing the same issue on the PC then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide completely to fix it. Most of the reports are claiming that after some time of launching the COD Vanguard game, the keyboard starts lagging, and sometimes it doesn’t work at all. Though there are lags or stutters in the gameplay right from the release, the PC peripheral issue seems quite new. Whereas some players are dealing with mouse lags too.

Fix: Call of Duty Vanguard Keyboard Not Working or Lagging

Well, there are some possible reasons behind the lagging or stuttering issue with the keyboard during the Vanguard gameplay. The chances are high that somehow outdated keyboard driver, issues with the installed game files, outdated game patch version, incorrect in-game settings, etc troubling a lot. Sometimes keyboard connectivity issues, overlay app issues, incompatible DPI settings, other connected peripherals, etc can be a reason.

Here we’ve shared a couple of possible workarounds for you that should gonna come in handy. So, without further ado, let’s jump into it.

1. Update Keyboard Driver

First of all, you should check for the keyboard driver on the PC, and install it (if available). An outdated or missing keyboard driver can always trigger several issues with the keyboard working or lagging with specific programs whatsoever. To do this:

• Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
• Click on Device Manager from the list.
• Now, double-click on the Keyboards category to expand the list.
• Then right-click on the keyboard device that you’re using.
• Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
• If there is an update available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
• Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.

Note: If the problem still persists then make sure to do the same steps for the Human Interface Devices (HID) too from Device Manager. You should find the keyboard input device driver there.

2. Run COD Vanguard as administrator

Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. Without running the program as admin access, the system and user account control (UAC) may think that you’re trying to run an unauthorized application which can affect the system. To do this:

• Right-click on the COD Vanguard exe application file on your PC.
• Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

• Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
• Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

It’s also recommended to run the Battle.net client as an administrator on your PC because you’re launching the Vanguard game via the Battle.net client.

3. Disable Overlay Apps

The chances are high that somehow the background running overlay apps are consuming a lot of system resources without your intent which can trouble you. Overlay apps are useful enough for in-game chat, screenshot, screen record, streaming, etc. However, if you’re not using it every time then just disable it properly. To do this:

Disable Discord Overlay:

• Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
• Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
• Click on the Games tab > Select COD Vanguard.
• Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
• Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

• Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
• Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar option.

If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

• Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
• Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
• Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.

Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background always. It might fix the Call of Duty Vanguard Keyboard Not Working or Lagging issue.

4. Update Windows

An outdated Windows OS version or the system build version can eventually trigger multiple issues with the software performance as well as the program running. It’s better to update the system to its latest build always. Though the Windows system can automatically download the update and notify users to install the same as per their preference, sometimes it’s good to manually perform the steps. To do that:

• Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
• Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
• If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
• It may take a while to complete the update.
• Once done, restart your computer to install the update.

5. Verify and Repair Game Files

Sometimes missing or corrupted game files on the PC may not throw out any major error notice or crash but it may conflict with the game running properly. In that scenario, you might verify and repair the game files by following the steps below. We’ve also provided an in-depth guide to repairing installed game files on the Battle.net client which is specific to Blizzard and Activision exclusive games. To do so:

• Launch the Battle.net desktop app on the PC.
• Locate the COD Vanguard game from the library.
• Select Options > Click on Scan and Repair.
• Wait for the repairing process to be done.
• Once done, make sure to restart the PC to apply changes.

6. Update COD Vanguard via Battle.net

You should also try updating the COD Vanguard game via the Battle.net client on the PC to fix multiple issues with the compatibility or performance. To do that:

• Launch the Battle.net app on the PC.
• Log in with your Battle.net account > Select Call of Duty: Vanguard.
• If there is an update available, make sure to follow the on-screen steps to update the game.
• Once done, just reboot the PC to check if the Call of Duty Vanguard Keyboard Not Working or Lagging issue.

7. Try Lowering the in-game graphics

In some cases, it’s better to reduce the resolution of the in-game graphics and lowering other graphics-related options like texture, shadows, depth effect, and more so that the system and its peripherals can work properly.

8. Disconnect Other Peripherals

Make sure to simply disconnect other unnecessary peripherals or USB devices such as a printer, controller, webcam, additional keyboard or mouse, USB flash drives, external storage drives, etc. Sometimes USB peripheral devices may conflict with the system performance or the game performance.

9. Run the Program in Compatibility Mode

The chances are high that somehow the current version of the game patch has some bugs or issues with the compatibility on the PC. In that case, you should try running the program compatibility mode for the game to check if it works fine or not. To do this:

• Right-click on the installed COD: Vanguard on your PC. [Either you can find it on the desktop shortcut or on the Start menu]
• Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
• Under the Compatibility mode section, click on Run this program in compatibility mode for: box to enable it.
• Now, select Windows 7 or Windows 8 from the drop-down list.
• Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

10. Perform a Clean Boot

Sometimes performing a clean boot on the system will ensure that there are no programs conflicting with it in the background whenever you boot up Windows. Some programs or their services may start automatically in the background without notifying you after starting Windows which can trigger several issues with the performance as well as other heavy programs running. You should perform a clean boot by following the steps below:

• Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
• Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

• Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
• Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
• The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
• Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
• Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
• Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
• Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.

It should fix the Call of Duty Vanguard Keyboard Not Working or Lagging issue on the PC.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.