Reference number: CH000792

How do I disable / enable the Num Lock key at startup?

Question:

How do I disable / enable the Num Lock key at startup?

Answer:

Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and XP users

Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and XP users can adjust how Microsoft Windows handles the Num Lock status by editing the Windows registry. See our registry section for additional information about the Windows registry and potential problems that may occur if edited improperly.

1. Click Start, click Run, and type regedit to open the Windows registry editor.
2. In the registry, open the below folders.
   
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
   Control Panel\
   Keyboard\
    
3. Within the keyboard folder, you should have a string value named "InitialKeyboardIndicators" with a value of 0, 1, or 2. Below is the explanation of each of these values.
   
   0 = Num Lock is turned OFF after the logon.
   1 = Disable Num Lock.
   2 = Numlock is turned ON after  the logon.

Other users and other methods

In addition to the above recommendations, users can also change how their computer handles the Num Lock when the computer first boots up through the computer CMOS setup. Additional information about how to enter the BIOS/CMOS setup can be found on document CH000192.

Once in the setup, you can often find a setting for enabling / disabling the Num Lock on boot through the Basic or Advanced menu or section.

Additional information:

• See our Num Lock computer dictionary definition for additional information about this term and related terms.