How to Replace Switches on Hotswappable Mechanical Keyboard - 5 Tips You Need to Know

[@StuAA78]

Bonus tip -- check your switches will be compatible before you buy a load of them -- cheap hotswap keyboards often have Outemu hotswap sockets which will only take Outemu switches (and other brands of switch which have thin metal pins, like Jixian).

[@crushfire2004]

Yes unless you thinning out the leg which is time consuming and potentially ruining the switch.

[@donuts9549]

also u can turn every normal pcb into a hotswapable one with soldering on the hotswap sockets... (usually)

[@akatsuki9728]

i have a tecware phantom and i bought cherry mx blues and it won’t fit in, is this why ?

[@mr_p1ng]

@@SwitchandClickOfficial description time stamp has errors. Please correct them!

[@petru_idk6245]

Exactly what is was loking for

[@thatboyadog]

glad I watched this, I was wondering why my gateron switches wouldn't come out of my board LOL

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Happened to me at first too :P

[@cosmicducky1]

same

[@cosmicducky1]

😂

[@WhOaMiy_]

@Crackbreaker you need to de solder them and then solder the new switches. There's tutorials

[@obunk246]

Wait can you de solder switches from another board and use them as hotswapable?

[@thegregbradley]

This is really solid advice - stuff I learned myself through scary trial and error, and was low-key ashamed to ask back in the day. Can confirm, the “wiggle” is the key for gentle switch removal! Doesn’t take brute strength, takes finesse :)

[@shres8gupta]

Perfectly explained...I was worried to pull out my switches cause they weren't coming out gently but u telling that there were clips on the switches made it so much easier❤

[@JustinBae]

Tip 2 really helped me! I kept trying to pull these gateron optical switches from the left and right, and didn't see that they had to be removed from the top and bottom. Thanks so much!

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Great to hear!

[@holdenroth5929]

@@SwitchandClickOfficial I just found this out too. I thought my Milky Yellows were stuck, but I was just trying to remove them the wrong way.

[@shivaprakash4717]

Man the background music is intense... i came for a video about hotswap not to piss my self lmao

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

LOL

[@BLU3W0LFx]

Just took out my switch and metal pin was bent. Searched on youtube, found your vid and you saved my day thank you. subbed :)

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad I could help!

[@MrSamurai47]

thesis the MOST HELPFUL keyboard/switch review I've seen in months. thank you so much

[@DigitalAndInnovation]

0:55 really good disclaimer. You saved me from damaging a brand new keyboard!

[@brianrainsfordmarshall2692]

Thanks for this, had an issue with my S key on my first ever mechanical keyboard and this helped me fix the issue within minutes. Other videos were needlessly long and confusing, yours is concise and informative.

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad it helped!

[@narwhale14]

I have an issue with my left control button. It barely ever works. What do I do about it? Or is this situation different from yours?

[@rell1444]

dude wtf i have an issue with my s key too

[@kaiiitime.]

@@rell1444 yeah zame here

[@zachgoodman6093]

Good tip about the directionality and how some switches have "clips". That's exactly what I needed to know

[@Crevasse14]

I've only watched your newer content where you're goofy and energetic. I find it interesting how in this video, you were so serious (plus that epic background music). Anyways, good video!

[@sephzera]

the first minute of this video helped me by answering if i could hotswap or not. thank you!

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad I could help!

[@michaellouie7312]

I'm new to the concept of hotswappable keyboards - thanks for the quick and simple intro.

[@Silent_Soul97]

Thank you very much. I had issue with my hot swappable keyboard with keys. With the help of advice from this video fixed my issue.

[@atkz5227]

Thanks so much! Almost bought a puller for geteron reds.

[@nhjp]

Thank you so much, I was legit trying for a hour, I broke my yellow switch, but finally I found this video thank you, I’ll drop a sub

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Thanks dude

[@NoButWhyTho]

After muscling through like 10 switches, I realized it shouldn’t be this difficult and found this video lol made it so easy for me. Thanks

[@fiqazhenaiko17]

this was helpful! i was trying to get a different switches but then they shows 2 options of 3 pins and 5 pins.. luckily i found your vid so it was helpful! thanks

[@Red-mk8yc]

New content is rlly helpful for new comers. Really good, need more people to produce vids like these

[@KonohasYeIlowFlash]

Thanks for the tip on the Gateron switches. I was having a lot of difficulty and couldn’t believe that was a normal thing. My switches slip out easily now.

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

No problem!

[@kavlo32]

Thanks for the tutorial ! My cat dropped my keyboard on the floor and one key was not working anymore. I swaped the switch with one from a key I never use and it works fine now :)

[@precg3307]

This helped me so much when a piece of small cloth blocked the rgb in the pcb, had to play the interstellar docking scene when I was putting the switch back lol

[@yousifahmed2014]

Thank you so much I just got a gmmk for my holy pandas and this is my first time changing my switches

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad I could help!

[@ZeAugustusPSN]

thanks! i was scared of breaking my keyboard, but all went good!

[@anythingwatcher959]

OMG YOUR VIDEO Just made my whole day thank you!! I always wanted new switches in my Mizar Mz60 and I wondered how I could get 5pin switches in there!!! THAAAANK YOOUUUUUUU!! YOURE THE BEST

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Great to hear!

[@yuvipanda]

Exactly what i needed! Thank you

[@nxs_sweat18]

I love how the music makes the video sound really seriously 😆

[@Deneseye_officialyt]

omg omg tysm tysm TYSM BRO I HAD WATERDAMAGE (NOT IN THE BOARD LIKE IN THE GREEN THING) IDK BUT WHEN I SWAPPED I SAW THERES AN TINY BIT OF WATER AND I DRIED IT OFF AND I PUT NEW SWITCHES (THE SAME THAT CAME IN THE BOX) AND ITS FIXED U JUST SAVED ME 100$ THANK U SO MUCH SUBBED IT WAS THE KEY C AND V

[@alexandermorales69]

thank you my one key had a bent pin and i didnt know what to do and this helped me fix my key

[@doorbell43able]

love your videos ❤️

[@Osprey1994]

This was nice just to make sure I was on the right track, my 0 was performing intermittently so I decided to reach into my bag o reds and swap it out. Seems to be all good now with the new switch.

[@flystar1999]

Thanks for the sharing. Questions: 1. Can 3-pin switches be used with 5-pin keyboard? 2. What does "MX" mean?

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Yes. MX is a type of switch under Cherry's brand. It can also be interpreted as cross-shaped stem mechanical switches, like how Kleenex is tissue paper. I guess it depends on the context

[@user-ft2md2gd4s]

This is really helpful. Better to know this *before* trying to build your first custom keyboard. Only you guys thought about doing this kind of video. Very good.

[@johnhanek167]

I find that chrome switch puller to be a real PITA to use. Glorious makes a switch puller that I love. It's about 4" long and yellow in color.

[@Rancita]

When taking out the switches, my GMMK Full size's stabilizers were on the way of my gateron switches and I accidentally broke the casing of those that were vertical (iso Enter, num enter, and num +) because I really didn't have enough room to grab the small latches on the switches with the remover. I was so sad! But apart from that the rest of switches are really easy to take out just pressing on the right place. Thanks for the guide!

[@TimManuelMiranda]

I had a similar issue with the full GMMK! I have a few switch puller tools and prefer the bigger one with rubberized green grip, but it's too large in that situation. The cheap metal one like Betty has here allowed me to slip the clip past the little tab and under the top housing to be able to lift the switch. It felt scary and uncomfortable, but it got the job done.

[@Yindiligo]

Thanks helped a lot, my D key was broken and I didn't know what to do about it but this helped me sort it out.

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad it helped!

[@Kyle-qn9ci]

Thank you! I had a switch with bent pins & I've never replaced one before, this guide was really helpful

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad it helped!

[@pixxel17]

Super helpful for a keyboard newcomer! Thanks :3

[@ym10up]

This is really helpful. Thank you

[@Jorge-to5dq]

so glad i watched this i thought i was going to be able to use my lynx switches for the gmmk almost broke all my switches

[@shazeemmir4015]

Girl you made my day as i have 2 thermaltake posiden keyboards one RGB and one with blue backlit and both of them were like fucked up and i tried to replace them but it aint worked that well because i didnt know how to pull out the switches

[@yngvarr6762]

Thank you, it's very helpful!

[@Laevatei1nn]

The plastic side of the switch always broken and i bleed my hand because of it, its only the factory's switch that hard to pull, the one that i replace myself isnt that hard to pull and broke.

[@wernerheil6697]

EXCELLENT VIDEO !!!

[@groovy200x]

I just love your videos ❤️ got myself a keychron k6 so this is great for me when i get into changing switches

[@rookinred]

thank you this helped a lot

[@ReapeX]

This is a really great video, well done; ty :D

[@ananta_raha]

Thanks a lot! ❤️ This is a must topic for people new to mechanical keyboards, like me.

[@SsjSpheal]

Thanks to you I just fixed my jammed A key and saved 130 bucks thank you so so much

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Whew, that's good.

[@SsjSpheal]

@@SwitchandClickOfficial yeah to think one little piece of hair did all that

[@katelynnberlongieri3511]

thx im going to buy silent red mx switches soon!

[@maedemirkarimi]

thanks a lot! i love your videos i wish i will build my custom keyboard one day

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Thank you for watching!

[@DrBuddd]

Thank you I finally got my key replaced I appreciate the help

[@TimManuelMiranda]

Nice video! I've got a 3-pin/plate mounted full sized GMMK and a 5-pin/pcb mounted gk64. When removing keycaps sometimes the 3-pin switches will come off the board and stick with the keycap. This has yet to happen with the 5-pin gk64.

[@sebz7381]

Great Vid! Short and to the point!

[@ಠ_ಠ-ವ4ಲ]

Broke 10 fingers while doing this and My whole keyboard. I'm joking but this is a very good tutorial, I might check out ur channel. See ya

[@marshallwaters2305]

Great video for the uninformed of what is and what isn't a hotswappable keyboard. Personally on my first mkb now, its hard to remove the swtiches from the plate most of the time. I dunno if it's because it's brand new and hasn't been weathered from all the friction or I'm doing something wrong. I have gateron milky yellows on them so it should be fine pulling them up from the x axis sides. But they're just too tough to pop up.

[@madman587587]

Great Video!!

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Thanks!

[@abc56735]

Nice guide

[@ji0137]

Thank you!

[@SharonOC]

super helpful thanks!!!

[@yatamix]

im so glad i watched this and figured out the problem to why the s key wasnt working I was mega scared

[@Marenat100]

The best professional explanation Thank you for this very important information. It helped me a lot. Thank you very much

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

Glad it was helpful!

[@allisknu11]

Aligning the pins on to the PCB is a lot harder than I thought. Lesson that I learned, buy a good switch puller. Most of them are not good, especially the one that comes with Keychron keyboards.

[@plimb118]

This girl is the master of keyboard

[@TwstedTV]

I know this video is 2 years old, but I need to clarify something. Keyboards come in 3 different forms of construction when the keyboards PCB boards get manufactured. 1. - Soldered (meaning switches are permanently soldered to the board) You will need to use a solder to take out the switches and place a new one & re-solder them back to the board. 2. - Sleeve connection. This means that its usually a 3-pin switch connection and the pins slide into a sleeve socket to connect to the board. (No solder needed) usually on affordable keyboards. and usually use Outemu or alike as switches of those types for these types of sleeve connection PCB boards. 3. - Hot Swap connection. means they have a switch socket cartridge that gets soldered to the back of the board allowing users to hot swap between 3-pin and 5-pin connections.

[@joeyhaggers8225]

Thank you so much!

[@lakshya9917]

I don't have one but this is interesting and informative thank you.

[@lakshya9917]

😀

[@illusainte]

great vid

[@Demiglitch]

Thanks for help

[@zorro7572]

I'm waiting for the delivery with my hot swappable keyboard sk61 :)

[@FoapTheMan]

Thanks Soo Much

[@d1kgaws12]

If your keyboard have outemu hotswap sockets, then you're out of luck. Some other switches that can fit in Outemu hotswap sockets are Jixian switches and Akko CS switches.

[@Agirlinyourcloset]

Thanks you 😅 my switch came right off even tho the keyboard was untouched like it suddenly came out

[@SpeedTyping]

Great video, it looks like you prepare a lot for your videos so I am surprised that you can keep on chugging out content every other day.

[@SpeedTyping]

@@SwitchandClickOfficial Yes I know it does, and it sounds like you are spending a lot of time to make sure that your videos are high quality. I really appreciate and value that.

[@lxvasia]

OMG YOU HELPED ME SO MUCH😭😭😭 i didn't know if the yellow switches were 5 pins but then again im still lost😂

[@dean3789]

Wish I would have watched this before taking my switches out to lube. I was taking my switches out from the left and right side rather than top and bottom. It took an excessive amount of force and after about 5 switches I decided to watch a video on it.

[@Slurpys]

i was grabbing them the wrong way this whole time luckily i didnt break anything, thanks for this

[@vanallesennogwat3458]

Thank you so mutch for this video becouse i wanted a keyboard that is hot swap and i wanted to replays the switches with h1 switches but on reviews I heard something about kombatibility and i whas confused but you Explaned well how that sits

[@IImagiination]

I wish I watched this video! I put some new gateron yellow into my board tonight and they were so dang hard to pull out. I ended up ruining 2… lol

[@alfatahrubyaradita4059]

thanks so much^-^

[@dishonored6116]

Great video. I wouldn't mind popping some switches in with you sometime 😳

[@shashankgupta7891]

Thanks!

[@SwitchandClickOfficial]

No problem!

[@vigneshsadasivan3910]

Are there any good switch puller tools? I’m asking because the tool that came with my Keychron k6 was too small to fit in my hands. Btw love the videos. You were the ones who helped me find the keyboard that I needed.

[@marinulalam]

You're life saver

[@austinwarwick548]

thanks for the viddeo!

[@greenfate9685]

thank you

[@FrankTkachenko]

Very helpful. Appreciate your thoroughness!

[@katekuri.]

Hi, can I ask if it's really necessary to lube the new switches before replacing it with the older ones. Great and helpful video btw.

[@boadiwilliams5836]

Is the Anne pro 2 hot-swappable please anwser need help

[@joelman1989]

This was very helpful! You'd be surprised at how daunting this is to a beginner, even something basic like this. Also, as I'm watching this, my wife says, "she's a dewy queen." No idea what that means but apparently it's a desirable, healthy shiny skin type. So there you go boys. We learn something new every day. In my case two new things.

[@johnhanek167]

If you are clipping plastic legs off of the 5 pin switch make sure you get ALL of the leg. If you don't. the switch will pull out when you take the cap off. In my experience it's much much better to simply start with the right switch.

[@jl25735]

How to replace costar stabs? a 4 hour guide by Switch and Click

[@lilililiililliil7277]

Even after watching this, I ended up destroying about 10 gateron reds in my keychron k6. It's just something to do with those switches, every other switch I've put in goes in and out super easy. It's like they hammered them in the pcb at the factory. I never planned on actually using them, but I still would have preferred to not break the plastic/pins/etc pulling them out. At least my tealios/holy pandas/tangerines/nk sherbet all come out super easy on this board and my others. So I didn't ruin anything super expensive. But I am kind of sad if I ever wanted to use the gaterons I'd have to buy 10 more.

[@LobsterPants581]

Great video. I've bent a few pins by rushing and not accounting for the keyboard legs changing what "straight down" means. I did find the background music distracting.

[@scxifey3194]

whenever i talk about pc parts to my siblings they start yawning idk why learning about pc's is fun ngl

[@Flowerboblo]

Lol same

[@unforsaken552]

Thank youuuuu so much for this guide

[@comezo1]

thanks now i can press my 9 key after punching my keyboard so hard that the fucking switch flew out

[@godofchaoskhorne5043]

Glad do many people want hotswap boards. Hope they become the norm tbh. Yes those custom keeb elitist people might get upset. But esp for new people hotdeap is a godsend so it allows us to try different things Today I'm getting my box jades and I can't wait to put them in my board. Just wish I had a good switch puller and not the shitty small one that comes with the k2 Although I ordered box jades then found our about crystal / clear jades and ordered those two. Not sure if I should want for the jades since I've heard people say too many swaps might end up damaging the board. P.s. another good example for why this is so important. When I got my keyboard I thought I would prefer heavier switches. I love the blue gaterons thst come with tj but recently got a RK87 with blue "RK' switches. And although they sound horrible comparednto blue gats they are a bit lighter than the gaterons and I absolutely love them. Makes it much easier to write fast. Man I hope I will like the jades. Also have a optical hot swap 60% on the way with blue gats..might change those for some other switches later on l. But first I need to get some keycaps. The ones on the k2 hotnswap edition are nice but far too sharp and I don't enjoy OEM. The ones on the RK87 are thinner but the texture is so much better compared to the k2..I hope the pudding caps I ordered also feel like that

[@ytshen2000]

Do I always have to lube the switches when I change them? Super new to this!!

[@paulacarter6818]

Make another vlog