# Permanently Disable Num Lock Key **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105 "2023-04-03T22:17:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whc.03grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@whc.03grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whc.03grady)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/1 "2023-04-03T22:17:56Z")
1. There is never, never, never, never going to be a situation where I want the number keys on my 10-keypad to not work. 2. The num lock button on this Windows laptop is located such that it is far too easy to accidentally press. 3. The consequences of my accidentally pressing the num lock button are annoying. Q. How can I permanently (for some value of ‘permanently’) disable the num lock key? ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/2 "2023-04-03T22:25:45Z")
Here is a [link](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-permanently-disable-num-lock/87ee8c5f-e031-4a18-b331-9cd2f5e71315) to a microsoft community support page with a number of links to solutions for you problem. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/3 "2023-04-03T22:31:47Z")
Shit. Same question, just for F1 (Help). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/4 "2023-04-03T22:36:18Z")
That drives me fucking nuts. Going to look at the solutions now. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/5 "2023-04-03T23:13:01Z")
Pull the key off the keyboard and stick in a drawer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/6 "2023-04-03T23:18:19Z")
The you’ll keep tapping the stub. Which is sharp. And dropping crumbs and crap inside your keyboard through the gaping hole the key cap normally plugs up. Keycaps on laptops are not nearly as removable as those of the original PC Model M keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/7 "2023-04-03T23:18:41Z")
> [@DorkVader](#): > > Here is a [link](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-permanently-disable-num-lock/87ee8c5f-e031-4a18-b331-9cd2f5e71315) to a microsoft community support page with a number of links to solutions for you problem. This gave five links to basically the same solution. It’s simple enough. You have to make a change to a setting in the registry. Unfortunately it doesn’t work when I make the change and when I reboot it goes back to the old value. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Pull the key off the keyboard and stick in a drawer. This, however, does work. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/8 "2023-04-03T23:22:48Z")
This [page](https://endurtech.com/how-to-disable-the-f1-help-key-in-windows-10/) has a method that requires some cut-n-paste and messing with extensions and permissions but doesn’t require downloading anything. It also has the “download and open a zip file” option if you prefer that instead. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/9 "2023-04-03T23:50:22Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > when I reboot it goes back to the old value There’s a local group policy setting that is causing the registry to automatically “repair” itself on reboot. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/10 "2023-04-03T23:52:32Z")
And there is probably something that will break if I reset that policy. Still, why doesn’t it work when I change the setting in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/11 "2023-04-04T00:07:02Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Still, why doesn’t it work when I change the setting in the first place? Probably requires refreshing the registry, which rebooting does, but it also triggers the automatic “repair.” Try changing the registry again but instead of rebooting, open the Task Manager and just restart Windows Explorer. The policy can be switched off, but there’s legit computer-bricking potential in doing it. Probably not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/12 "2023-04-04T00:12:43Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Try changing the registry again but instead of rebooting, open the Task Manager and just restart Windows Explorer. I just did that. The value remained but it still doesn’t work. Oh well, I appreciate your help. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/13 "2023-04-04T00:26:53Z")
Are any of the given solutions actual solutions to the question? I ask because I went through this with my previous laptop. Instead of showing how to disable the key, they showed howto tell the computer to default to num lock being off after a reboot, which doesn’t help anything. In any case, I ended up following the advice I got in the thread (I’m nearly positive) I started a few years ago and just pried the button off. I still bumped it, but not nearly as often. I haven’t done it on my new laptop yet\*. At least this computer shows something on the screen for a few seconds when it’s turned on or off (same with caps lock), so I know I bumped it and can fix it right away. After using an adding machine constantly, every day, for the last 20+ years, I use my number pad a lot. \*Also, this num lock key has a little on/off light seemingly built into it. I don’t yet know if that’ll make prying it off a problem. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/14 "2023-04-04T00:30:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Are any of the given solutions actual solutions to the question? I ask because I went through this with my previous laptop. Instead of showing how to disable the key, they showed howto tell the computer to default to num lock being off after a reboot, which doesn’t help anything. It’s not clear in the first couple of links but you are supposed to change the value to 1. Changing it to 0 or 2 makes it either initialize to ON or OFF (I don’t recall which is which). Changing it to 1 disables it entirely. The key on my laptop doesn’t have a lighted indicator which is what’s frustrating. If it had the light, it wouldn’t be nearly as frustrating. ---
**Author:** ![SeaSun](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seasun/32/14820_2.png) [@SeaSun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaSun)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/15 "2023-04-04T01:04:48Z")
It may depend on your laptop’s manufacturer, but look into a way to do it in BIOS…if it’s possible, I’d think it should be an easy fix, at least for me it was (see below). Though, as a disclaimer…whenever messing around with BIOS, be _very_ careful and be sure you know what you are doing. It is always best to contact the manufacturer to know for sure if it’s enabled to change what you’re looking to change, and then how to do it properly, etc. My experience was that I had to swap the Fn and Ctrl keys on my laptop, and I did that in BIOS. I had gotten a used Lenovo laptop, and the Ctrl key was 2nd in from the bottom left instead on the very left end of that row. Drove me nuts, as I use Ctrl all the time in my art programs, and I kept hitting the Fn key. The Ctrl button is smaller (it still is the Fn key but works as Ctrl), but I’m happier with it on the end. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/16 "2023-04-04T01:25:00Z")
How about glue? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/17 "2023-04-04T01:38:35Z")
I used to have a keyboard where I’d often whack Caps Lock by accident. But it was also a key I used a lot legitimately. So a full disable wasn’t what I wanted. The solution I came up with was to use a built-in Windows accessibility feature called “toggle keys” to make a noise each time I hit Caps Lock. If it was deliberate, the noise wasn’t too intrusive. But if it was inadvertent, the noise would stop ME BEFORE I’D TYPED A WHOLE SENTENCE OR TWO OF ALLCAPS BEFORE LOOKING BACK AT THE SCREEN TO NOTICE MY MISTAKE. Anyhow, from Windows Settings go to the “Ease of Access” category, then scroll down to the “Interaction” section and choose the “Keyboard” option. In there, turn on “Use Toggle Keys”. It might not be a perfect fix, but it’s easy to try. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/18 "2023-04-04T01:43:31Z")
Thanks. I was easily able to get it to work but I normally have my volume off for other reasons. For anyone else, it’s very easy to try. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/19 "2023-04-04T03:07:43Z")
I would suggest installing Microsoft PowerToys and then using the Keyboard mapper. You can map Num Lock to, say Right Shift. I tested that, and it worked for me–Num Lock was disabled. > **[Microsoft PowerToys](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/)** > > Microsoft PowerToys is a set of utilities for customizing Windows. Utilities include ColorPicker, FancyZones, File Explorer Add-ons, Image Resizer, Keyboard Manager, PowerRename, PowerToys Run, a Shortcut Guide and more to come. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2023, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105/20 "2023-04-04T03:21:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I would suggest installing Microsoft PowerToys and then using the Keyboard mapper. You can map Num Lock to, say Right Shift. I tested that, and it worked for me–Num Lock was disabled. YES! Thank you so much. That was super easy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanently-disable-num-lock-key/982105.md?page=2)