You just unboxed it. Or maybe you've been using it for months, and suddenly, that satisfying metal dial on your Aula F75 or F99 does... absolutely nothing. You spin it. You click it. The volume bar on your screen stays frozen. Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating "budget king" problems because everything else about the keyboard feels so premium.
The good news? Your keyboard probably isn't broken. Aula keyboards are notorious for having a "Dual Mode" system that confuses everyone. If your aula keyboard volume control is not working, you're likely stuck in the wrong mode, or Windows is being picky about how it talks to your HID (Human Interface Device) drivers.
Let’s get into how to actually fix this without throwing the board across the room.
The Mode Switch: Why Your Volume Knob Only Changes RGB
Most people don’t realize that the large knob on the top right of keyboards like the Aula F75 or F2088 serves two masters. Out of the box, it’s often set to "Lighting Mode." In this state, spinning the wheel adjusts the brightness of your LEDs, and clicking it cycles through those flashy rainbow patterns.
If you want it to control your PC volume, you have to switch it to "Office Mode" or "Multimedia Mode."
How to swap modes on most Aula models:
You’ve gotta hold the knob down. No, not just a quick tap. Press and hold the center of the volume knob for about 3 to 5 seconds. Usually, you’ll see the keyboard’s backlight blink once or twice—this is the visual cue that the "mode swap" happened. Once it blinks, try spinning it again. If the Windows volume slider pops up, you're golden.
Some specific models like the Aula F98 might require a different combo, like holding the Fn key while turning the knob. If the long-press doesn't work, give the Fn + Knob turn a shot.
Dealing With the "Sleep Mode" Ghost
If you’re using your Aula in 2.4G wireless or Bluetooth mode, there’s a weird quirk you should know about. These boards are aggressive with power saving. When the keyboard goes to sleep to save battery, the volume knob often cannot wake it up.
It sounds stupid, right? But it’s a common design flaw. If you try to change the volume after the keyboard has been sitting idle for ten minutes, nothing happens. You have to tap a regular key first—like the Spacebar or Shift—to "wake" the board. Only then will the volume control register.
Expert Tip: If this drives you crazy, you can sometimes disable or extend the sleep timer in the official Aula software, though it'll eat your battery life faster.
Windows Services: The "Human Interface Device" Fix
Sometimes the hardware is fine, but Windows has literally forgotten how to listen to the keyboard's media commands. This happens a lot after a Windows Update or if you’ve been messing with peripheral drivers.
Basically, there is a specific background service called Human Interface Device Access (or HID-compliant device service) that handles the volume wheel. If this service stops, your knob stops.
- Press the Windows Key + R, type
services.msc, and hit Enter. - Scroll down until you find Human Interface Device Service.
- Look at the "Status" column. If it’s not running, right-click it and hit Start.
- Double-click it and make sure the Startup Type is set to Automatic.
If it was already running, right-click and select Restart. You’d be surprised how many times "turning it off and on again" works for background system processes.
The Software and Firmware Rabbit Hole
If you’re using an Aula F75, there is a known issue where the firmware simply glitches out. Users on Reddit and the Epomaker forums (who often distribute Aula boards) have noted that the knob can "unbind" itself.
Go to the official Aula or Epomaker support site and look for the specific driver for your model. For the F75, there is often a standalone Firmware Updater (not just the customization software).
- Connect the keyboard via the USB-C cable (wired mode is safer for updates).
- Run the updater.
- If the software doesn't "see" the keyboard, make sure the switch on the back is actually set to "USB" and not 2.4G.
Once the firmware is refreshed, the "Office Mode" (volume control) usually returns to its default state.
Hardware Check: Is the Encoder Actually Dead?
Okay, let’s talk about the worst-case scenario. Mechanical encoders (the part under the knob) can fail. If you spin the knob and it feels "mushy," or if it works intermittently (e.g., the volume jumps up and down randomly when you turn it one way), the hardware might be the issue.
Before you give up:
- Pull the knob off: Most Aula knobs just pull straight up. Check if there’s hair, dust, or gunk stuck in the rotary stem.
- Compressed Air: Give the stem a blast of air. Dust is the enemy of electrical contacts.
- The "Aggressive Spin" Technique: Some users have fixed "dead" knobs by flipping the keyboard upside down and rotating the knob vigorously for 30 seconds. It sounds like "voodoo tech support," but it can actually clear out oxidation on the internal contacts of a cheap encoder.
Remapping as a Last Resort
If the physical knob is truly dead but you don't want to buy a new board, you can remap the function. You won't get the "spinny" feel, but you can get your volume back.
Use a tool like PowerToys (Keyboard Manager) or SharpKeys. You can rebind keys you never use—like Page Up or the "End" key—to act as Volume Up and Volume Down. It's a band-aid, but it beats reaching for your mouse every time a YouTube video is too loud.
Actionable Next Steps to Get Your Volume Back:
- Hold the knob for 5 seconds to ensure you aren't just stuck in "Light Brightness" mode.
- Toggle the wired/wireless switch on the back. Sometimes a simple hardware reset of the connection fixes the HID handshake.
- Check for "FN Lock." If your Fn key is stuck or locked (Fn + Esc on some models), your media keys might be acting as standard F-keys instead.
- Download the specific F75/F99 Driver and check if the knob is "Unassigned" in the key-mapping tab of the software.
If you’ve done all this and the volume still won't budge, try the keyboard on a different device—like a laptop or even a phone via an OTG adapter. If it works there, your PC's Windows drivers are the culprit. If it doesn't work anywhere, it's time to hit up that warranty claim.