diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index e1b7cdb93..3b35d5f37 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -410,5 +410,6 @@ def handle_keys(e):
 
     keyboard = ui.keyboard(handle_keys)
     ui.label('Key events can be caught globally by using the keyboard element.')
+    ui.checkbox('Track key events').bind_value_to(keyboard.view, 'active')
 
 ui.run(port=8080)
diff --git a/nicegui/elements/keyboard.py b/nicegui/elements/keyboard.py
index 68e026d57..1103467c8 100644
--- a/nicegui/elements/keyboard.py
+++ b/nicegui/elements/keyboard.py
@@ -7,22 +7,28 @@
 
 class KeyboardView(CustomView):
 
-    def __init__(self, handle_keys: Callable):
+    def __init__(self, handle_keys: Callable, active: bool = True):
         super().__init__('keyboard', __file__, activeJSEvents=['keydown', 'keyup', 'keypress'])
         self.allowed_events = ['keyboardEvent']
         self.style = 'display: none'
-        self.initialize(temp=False, on_keyboardEvent=handle_exceptions(provide_arguments(handle_keys, 'key_data', 'event_type')))
+        self.active = active
+
+        def execute_when_active(*args):
+            if self.active:
+                handle_exceptions(provide_arguments(handle_keys, 'key_data', 'event_type'))(*args)
+
+        self.initialize(temp=False, on_keyboardEvent=execute_when_active)
 
 
 class Keyboard(Element):
 
-    def __init__(self, handle_keys: Callable = None):
+    def __init__(self, handle_keys: Callable = None, active: bool = True):
         """
         Keyboard
 
         Adds global keyboard event tracking.
 
         :param handle_keys: callback to be executed when keyboard events occur.
+        :param active: boolean flag indicating whether the callback should be executed or not
         """
-
-        super().__init__(KeyboardView(handle_keys=handle_keys))
+        super().__init__(KeyboardView(handle_keys=handle_keys, active=active))