AULA F75 - How to Remove / Replace Keys & Switches on Keyboard, by Ultra Value Tech on YouTube. 3 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Unplug the USB cable or turn the keyboard off. This stops stray keystrokes and protects the board while you work on it.
Grip a keycap with the keycap puller, hooking both sides under the cap. Pull straight up, not sideways, until the cap pops free.
Set the keycaps aside in order, or take a photo of the layout first. Putting them back in the wrong row feels odd to type on.
Take the switch puller and clamp its two hooks onto the small tabs at the top and bottom of the switch. Squeeze the tool and pull straight up.
Look into the empty socket. Blow out dust or crumbs and check that the two metal contacts inside are straight and not bent.
Check your new switch. Its two metal pins must be straight, and if it has two extra plastic legs, the PCB needs matching holes for them.
Line the pins up with the socket holes and press the switch straight down. It should sit flush with the plate and click into place.
Plug the keyboard back in and press the new key to test it before refitting the cap. If nothing types, lift the switch and check for a bent pin.
Push the keycap back on, lining up the stem with the cross-shaped mount on top of the switch. Press down firmly until it seats.
Tips and common mistakes
Always pull switches straight up. Pulling at an angle bends the pins and can damage the hot-swap socket.
Do not rip keycaps off with your fingers, especially on long keys like spacebar and shift, which have extra stabiliser parts underneath.
Keep the keyboard flat and steady on a clean desk so small springs and pins do not disappear.
Never push a switch in by force. If it will not sit flush, the pins are probably misaligned, so pull it out and start again.
Questions
Do I need to solder the new switches?
No. The F75 uses hot-swap sockets, so switches simply pull out and push back in by hand. Any MX-style 3-pin or 5-pin switch will fit.
How do I know the switch is fully seated?
The body should sit level with the surrounding plate, with no gap under it. Test the key before putting the cap back on.
Can I remove switches without taking the keycaps off first?
No. The keycap sits on top of the switch and blocks the puller, so always remove the cap first.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
