How to Lube Keyboard Switches (Step-by-Step)

Why lubing makes such a big difference

Every mechanical switch has a stem that slides up and down inside a plastic housing. From the factory, those plastic surfaces rub against each other with no lubrication. The result is friction — a scratchy, inconsistent feel that enthusiasts describe as "sandy" or "grainy."

Apply a thin layer of lubricant and the stem glides. The keypress becomes quieter, smoother, and more consistent from the top of the stroke to the bottom. It doesn't change the switch type or actuation force in any meaningful way. It just removes all the roughness that factory production leaves behind.

If you've ever picked up a high-end custom keyboard at a meetup and wondered why it feels so different from your board, lubed switches are usually a big part of the answer.

What you need before you start

Switch opener. A small plastic tool that presses the retaining clips on both sides of the switch housing simultaneously. Without one, you'll either struggle to open switches cleanly or crack the housing. They cost $5–8 on Amazon or from any keyboard retailer.

Paintbrush. A size 00 or 000 artist's brush works perfectly. You want a fine, relatively stiff brush so you can control exactly how much lube goes where. Avoid foam brushes — they absorb too much lube.

Lube. More on choosing the right one below, but Krytox 205g0 (linears) and Krytox/Tribosys 3203 (tactiles) cover most situations. A 5mL jar is enough for 100+ switches.

Switch puller. The wire-loop tool that clips around a switch and pulls it out of hot-swap sockets without bending pins. Usually included with hot-swap keyboards. If yours didn't come with one, they're $3–5 anywhere that sells keyboard accessories.

Optional but helpful: A lube station (a plate that holds switches steady while you work), a small tray to hold components, and good lighting.

Choosing the right lube

This is where new hobbyists spend hours overthinking. Keep it simple.

For linear switches: Krytox 205g0. It's thick, long-lasting, and turns any scratchy linear into something that feels premium. This is the most-used lube in the mechanical keyboard hobby for good reason.

For tactile switches: Tribosys 3203 or Krytox 3203. Thinner than 205g0, which means it smooths the housing rails without coating the tactile bump mechanism and killing the feedback you paid for.

For springs: Krytox 105 oil or GPL 105. Springs ping and rattle at certain frequencies. A light oil coat eliminates spring noise without affecting feel.

For stabilizers: Dielectric grease on the wire inserts and Krytox 205g0 (or similar thick paste) on the housing stems.

One thing to absolutely avoid: using the wrong lube. Don't use 205g0 on tactile switches. Don't use household lubricants like WD-40 or olive oil (yes, people have tried). Stick to purpose-made keyboard lubricants.

The lubing process, step by step

Step 1: Remove your switches

Pop each switch out of the board using your switch puller. Work systematically — start from one corner and move across rows so you don't lose track of where switches were (matters if you have a board with different switches in different positions).

Step 2: Open the switch

Place the switch on a flat surface, bottom housing facing up. Insert the switch opener's two prongs into the clips on the sides of the bottom housing. Press down and the top housing clips open. If you don't have a switch opener, carefully use a small flathead screwdriver — but work slowly to avoid cracking the housing.

The switch will separate into four pieces: top housing, bottom housing, stem, and spring.

Step 3: Lube the stem

Dip your brush into the lube jar, then wipe off most of it on the jar edge. You want a thin, visible coat on the brush — not a dripping blob.

Paint the four flat sides of the stem's cylindrical section (not the top, not the bottom contact point). On linear switches, also paint the two short legs at the bottom of the stem lightly. On tactile switches, skip the legs entirely — that's where the tactile bump is generated.

Step 4: Lube the housing

Apply a thin coat to the inside rails of the bottom housing — the two channels where the stem slides. Use even lighter application than you did on the stem. Lube the inside walls of the top housing as well, where it makes contact with the stem during travel.

Avoid the small metal leaf inside the switch (the electrical contact). Lube on the leaf doesn't usually cause problems, but it's best practice to keep it clean.

Step 5: Lube the spring (optional but recommended)

Drop the spring into a small container with a few drops of Krytox 105 oil, close it, and shake gently. The oil coats the spring to prevent ping noise. Alternatively, apply a tiny drop with your brush to the top and bottom coils.

Step 6: Reassemble

Place the lubed spring into the bottom housing. Seat the stem on top of the spring. Close the top housing over the stem and press until the clips snap. The switch should feel noticeably smoother when you manually press it with your finger before installing.

How to tell if you used too much lube

Too much lube is the most common mistake. Signs you overdid it:

• The keypress feels mushy or slow — like pushing through resistance instead of gliding
• A tactile switch has lost its bump entirely
• The switch "squishes" at the bottom instead of clicking

If this happens, don't panic. Open the switch, wipe the excess lube off with a cotton swab or dry brush, and reassemble. Less is genuinely more with keyboard lube.

Stabilizer lubing: don't skip this

Lubing switches alone is transformative. But if you leave your stabilizers unlubed, every press on the spacebar, left shift, backspace, and enter key will remind you with a rattle.

The wire-based stabilizer rattle needs dielectric grease on the metal wire inserts where they contact the housing. Apply Krytox 205g0 to the inside of the housing stems where the wire moves up and down.

One optional but beloved trick: clip the small plastic feet off the underside of the stabilizer housing (the "clipping" mod). This reduces the hollow thunk of the stab bottoming out and is a two-second job with small scissors.

The bottom line

Lubing switches is a commitment of time, not money or skill. The technique is simple — thin coats, avoid the wrong spots, reassemble carefully. Do a few switches, reinstall them, and type. You'll hear and feel the difference immediately. After that, lubing the rest is almost meditative.