Special keys (shift, control) not working

[Alceryes]

I thought I was going crazy!
I couldn't log in to my VM (Windows 10) via the remote console but I was able to via the browser console. Finally figured out that it's an issue with the modifier keys. In the browser console the shift actually works but control doesn't (so can't ctrl+C to stop running pings, etc.). In the VMRC neither the control key nor the shift key are working.

How can I fix this?

TIA!

[Barra-Cuda]

This began happening to me as well.

A few months ago I lost the ability to use the Shift Key as well as Ctrl and Alt in all the different types of console windows. I'm running ESXi 7 and my VMs are mainly Ubuntu clients.

Funny thing is, I'll start the console session of the Ubuntu client and logon into the OS using the Shift key during the logon. Once logged on and inside the OS, if I try and type within a terminal window or a text file etc, those special keys, Shift, Alt, Ctrl no longer work.

Desperate, I even tried rebuilding the ESXi host completely and copying my VMs back into the host. I created new VMs and it is still doing the same thing. It's like a curse.

[compdigit44]

Are the impacted VM's running the latest version of VMTools? Does the same issue happen when opening the console in the browser?

[Alceryes]

Sorry for the late reply.

The issue seems to occur in certain browsers and not occur in others. I got around it with a third browser.

[sfarnes]

I was having this issue too..

went looking...  not sure how i found it but...  my Windows 11 workstation that i'm sitting at had  windows Sticky Keys turned on...   

To turn it off...  move the scope or focus of the cursor to your physical workstation,   not on the VCenter Console for the VM you are having issue with....  press the SHIFT Key 5 times ...  this turns off  windows sticky keys...  This seemed to fix the issue for me...  others mileage with this solution may vary...