"Stuck button" like effect on Ubuntu and other distros

Support and Help
1

Hello Everybody,

I am a desktop linux user, running Ubuntu 25.04 on a low-end HP 14s-fq0216ng laptop. Even though I have been using linux for a few years now, my knowledge is, unfortunately, still limited.

Using Linux has been wonderful.

However, I have encountered the following problem while using my laptop with Ubuntu and other linux distros: When using any kind of programs that require text input (like text editors, browsers) the input fileds of these programs start to “flicker” sometimes - if a button was pushed. Also, a menu appears (like printing or saving). The issue is, that I do not touch anything, or simly typing only.

Is there a way you could help me with this issue?
Any help is much appreciated!

Thank you,

2

Welcome to the community!

To me your problem sounds like a hardware (keyboard) issue. You can try to monitor events using the tool xev (if necessary install with sudo apt install xev).
Just enter xev in the terminal and keep the small window ‘Event Tester’ active. Events will be shown in terminal. If you do not move the mouse/touchpad and do not press any key but input is shown you may also see which key. You can also try pressing keys and look if only the pressed keys are shown.

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3

Maybe a stupid suggestion: Could it be that you have a touchpad and a tap creates a mouse click? It happened to me in some laptops that the mouse pointer would jump around if this feature was not disabled. If it is the case, in “Settings → Mouse and touchpad” it may be a way of disabling it.

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Thank you so much!
I installed xev through snap and it works well (xev is not in the repositories).
I know I have had a problematic button that produces more “KeyPress” and “KeyRelease” events (somehow), but I do not touch that button while his phenomenon occurs - it seems to be absolutely spontaneus.
I will let xev run, and see what it registers.

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Thank you for your reply!
There seems to be no connection between using the touchpad and this issue, however, it might be worth to check that as well.

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KeyPress event, serial 38, synthetic NO, window 0x1600001,
root 0x346, subw 0x0, time 4320821, (223,80), root:(255,277),
state 0x2010, keycode 69 (keysym 0xffc0, F3), same_screen YES,
XLookupString gives 0 bytes:
XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes:
XFilterEvent returns: False

This is the result of xev.
@wgarcia I just noticed it might be in connection with the touchpad indeed, as I observed this a bit better. But the problem persists after disabling the Touchpad…

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well, here you go … looks like it sends the F3 key, I’d check if the key switch is probably flaky or broken or if there is some dirt under the keycap …

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