# Freebook 13.5 N100 Keyboard doesnt work when installing OS

**URL:** <https://forum.chuwi.com/t/freebook-13-5-n100-keyboard-doesnt-work-when-installing-os/51885>\
**Category:** Freebook i3/i5/N100/150\
**Created:** [June 10, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.chuwi.com/t/freebook-13-5-n100-keyboard-doesnt-work-when-installing-os/51885 "2025-06-10T22:53:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tno](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.chuwi.com/tno/32/10547_2.png) [@tno](https://forum.chuwi.com/u/tno)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.chuwi.com/t/freebook-13-5-n100-keyboard-doesnt-work-when-installing-os/51885/1 "2025-06-10T22:53:23Z")

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I wanted to try Linux on my Freebook, but every installation I try, my trackpad and keyboard dont work. I tried Mint, Ubuntu, but nothing worked. Is there some setting in BIOS to enable, or maybe a firmware update?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![ChuwiESnotactive](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.chuwi.com/chuwiesnotactive/32/8190_2.png) [@ChuwiESnotactive](https://forum.chuwi.com/u/ChuwiESnotactive)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 1:36am UTC](https://forum.chuwi.com/t/freebook-13-5-n100-keyboard-doesnt-work-when-installing-os/51885/2 "2025-06-11T01:36:36Z")

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@Alis_Pokva @leledumbo

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**Author:** ![leledumbo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.chuwi.com/leledumbo/32/8296_2.png) [@leledumbo](https://forum.chuwi.com/u/leledumbo)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.chuwi.com/t/freebook-13-5-n100-keyboard-doesnt-work-when-installing-os/51885/3 "2025-06-12T16:51:12Z")

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I don’t have Freebook, and Chuwi can have different components on different batches of the same device. People on the internet reports that sometimes (yes, this sucks), the OS assumes it’s in tablet mode and therefore, disables the keyboard. As this is mostly GNOME (derivatives, hence Linux Mint main DE: Cinnamon, which I believe you use) feature, you can try another distro that uses anything but GNOME, such as XFCE or KDE. There’s a solution but you will need an external keyboard first to disable the automatic tablet mode detection.