diff --git a/src/editor-mathfield/keyboard-input.ts b/src/editor-mathfield/keyboard-input.ts
index 5a0cfc9df..801c77d4f 100644
--- a/src/editor-mathfield/keyboard-input.ts
+++ b/src/editor-mathfield/keyboard-input.ts
@@ -534,9 +534,8 @@ export function onInput(
   // David Bowie emoji: 👨🏻‍🎤
   let graphemes = splitGraphemes(text);
 
-  // Check if virtual keyboard is visible and the shift key is pressed
   const keyboard = window.mathVirtualKeyboard;
-  if (keyboard?.visible && keyboard.isShifted) {
+  if (keyboard?.isShifted) {
     graphemes =
       typeof graphemes === 'string'
         ? graphemes.toUpperCase()
diff --git a/src/virtual-keyboard/utils.ts b/src/virtual-keyboard/utils.ts
index 7342815b0..a2e421d88 100644
--- a/src/virtual-keyboard/utils.ts
+++ b/src/virtual-keyboard/utils.ts
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ function handlePointerDown(ev: PointerEvent) {
   // Is it the Shift key?
   if (isShiftKey(keycap)) {
     target.classList.add('is-active');
-    keyboard.incrementShiftPress();
+    keyboard.shiftPressCount++;
   }
 
   if (keycap.variants) {
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ function handleVirtualKeyboardEvent(controller) {
     if (ev.type === 'pointercancel') {
       target.classList.remove('is-pressed');
       if (isShiftKey(keycap)) {
-        keyboard.decrementShiftPress();
+        keyboard.shiftPressCount--;
         // Because of capslock, we may not have changed status
         target.classList.toggle('is-active', keyboard.isShifted);
       }
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ function handleVirtualKeyboardEvent(controller) {
     if (ev.type === 'pointerleave' && ev.target === target) {
       target.classList.remove('is-pressed');
       if (isShiftKey(keycap)) {
-        keyboard.decrementShiftPress();
+        keyboard.shiftPressCount--;
         // Because of capslock, we may not have changed status
         target.classList.toggle('is-active', keyboard.isShifted);
       }
@@ -1150,7 +1150,8 @@ function handleVirtualKeyboardEvent(controller) {
           } else executeKeycapCommand(keycap.shift);
         } else executeKeycapCommand(keycap);
 
-        if (keyboard.shiftPressCount === 1) keyboard.resetShiftPress();
+        if (keyboard.shiftPressCount === 1 && !(ev as MouseEvent).shiftKey)
+          keyboard.shiftPressCount = 0;
       }
       controller.abort();
       ev.preventDefault();
diff --git a/src/virtual-keyboard/virtual-keyboard.ts b/src/virtual-keyboard/virtual-keyboard.ts
index d741aa466..666b0dece 100644
--- a/src/virtual-keyboard/virtual-keyboard.ts
+++ b/src/virtual-keyboard/virtual-keyboard.ts
@@ -72,64 +72,29 @@ export class VirtualKeyboard implements VirtualKeyboardInterface, EventTarget {
       newActive.classList.add('is-visible');
     }
 
-    if (this.isShifted) this.render();
-  }
-
-  private _isCapslock = false;
-  get isCapslock(): boolean {
-    return this._isCapslock;
-  }
-  set isCapslock(val: boolean) {
-    this._element?.classList.toggle('is-caps-lock', this.shiftPressCount === 2);
-
-    if (val === this._isCapslock) return;
-
-    this._isCapslock = val;
-    this.isShifted = val;
+    this.render();
   }
 
-  /** `0`: not pressed
-   *
+  /**
+   * `0`: not pressed
    * `1`: Shift is locked for next char only
-   *
    * `2`: Shift is locked for all characters
    */
   private _shiftPressCount: 0 | 1 | 2 = 0;
 
-  get shiftPressCount(): 0 | 1 | 2 {
+  get shiftPressCount(): typeof this._shiftPressCount {
     return this._shiftPressCount;
   }
 
-  /** Increments `_shiftPressCount` by `1`, and handle the appropriate related behavior for each val */
-  incrementShiftPress(): void {
-    if (++this._shiftPressCount > 2) this.resetShiftPress();
-    else this.isCapslock = true;
-  }
-
-  /** Decrements `_shiftPressCount` by `1`, and sets `isCapslock` to `false` if reaches `0` */
-  decrementShiftPress(): void {
-    this._shiftPressCount = Math.max(--this._shiftPressCount, 0) as 0 | 1 | 2;
-    if (this._shiftPressCount === 0) this.isCapslock = false;
-  }
+  set shiftPressCount(count: typeof this._shiftPressCount) {
+    this._shiftPressCount = count > 2 || count < 0 ? 0 : count;
+    this._element?.classList.toggle('is-caps-lock', this.shiftPressCount === 2);
 
-  /** Resets `_shiftPressCount` to `0`, and sets `isCapslock` to `false` */
-  resetShiftPress(): void {
-    this._shiftPressCount = 0;
-    this.isCapslock = false;
+    this.render();
   }
 
-  private _isShifted = false;
   get isShifted(): boolean {
-    return this._isShifted;
-  }
-
-  set isShifted(shifted: boolean) {
-    if (this._isCapslock) shifted = true;
-    if (this._isShifted === shifted) return;
-
-    this._isShifted = shifted;
-
-    this.render();
+    return this._shiftPressCount > 0;
   }
 
   resetKeycapRegistry(): void {
@@ -363,7 +328,6 @@ export class VirtualKeyboard implements VirtualKeyboardInterface, EventTarget {
       if (typeof x === 'function') x(event);
       else x?.handleEvent(event);
     });
-
     return !event.defaultPrevented;
   }
 
@@ -505,14 +469,12 @@ export class VirtualKeyboard implements VirtualKeyboardInterface, EventTarget {
       window.addEventListener('keydown', this, { capture: true });
       window.addEventListener('keyup', this, { capture: true });
 
-      this.currentLayer = this.latentLayer;
-
-      this.render();
-
       this._element?.classList.toggle(
         'is-caps-lock',
         this.shiftPressCount === 2
       );
+
+      this.currentLayer = this.latentLayer;
     }
 
     this._visible = true;
@@ -600,7 +562,13 @@ export class VirtualKeyboard implements VirtualKeyboardInterface, EventTarget {
     this.container?.appendChild(this.element);
   }
 
-  handleEvent(evt: Event): void {
+  handleEvent(
+    evt:
+      | (MessageEvent<VirtualKeyboardMessage> & { type: 'message' })
+      | (PointerEvent & { type: 'contextmenu' | 'mouseup' })
+      | (KeyboardEvent & { type: 'keydown' | 'keyup' })
+      | (FocusEvent & { type: 'blur' })
+  ): void {
     if (isVirtualKeyboardMessage(evt)) {
       if (!validateOrigin(evt.origin, this.originValidator)) {
         throw new DOMException(
@@ -631,24 +599,24 @@ export class VirtualKeyboard implements VirtualKeyboardInterface, EventTarget {
         // press. Restore the userSelect on mouse up
         document.body.style.userSelect = '';
 
-        this.isShifted = false;
+        this.shiftPressCount = 0;
         break;
 
       case 'contextmenu':
-        if ((evt as PointerEvent).button !== 2) evt.preventDefault();
+        if (evt.button !== 2) evt.preventDefault();
         break;
 
       case 'keydown': {
-        const kev = evt as KeyboardEvent;
-        if (kev.key === 'Shift') this.incrementShiftPress();
+        if (evt.key === 'Shift' && !evt.repeat) this.shiftPressCount = 1;
         break;
       }
+
       case 'keyup': {
-        const kev = evt as KeyboardEvent;
-        if (kev.key !== 'Shift' && this._shiftPressCount === 1) {
-          this.isCapslock = false;
-          this._shiftPressCount = 0;
-        }
+        if (
+          evt.key === 'Shift' ||
+          (!evt.getModifierState('Shift') && this.shiftPressCount !== 2)
+        )
+          this.shiftPressCount = 0;
         break;
       }
     }