As keyboards are sensitive devices, they malfunction easily if not taken care of. This article will cover how Number pads can stop working and their fixes, so keep reading!
Why is my Number Pad Not Working
How to Fix Number Pad Not Working
After you diagnose the problem from above, you can now move to relevant solutions. Here are some common fixes you can try by yourself to fix an unresponsive number pad.
Num Lock Key Not Pressed: You must press the number pad for your keyboard to register the keys from the pad. As everyone doesn’t normally use the number pad, they might not know about these criteria.Mouse Keys is Enabled: The Mouse Key is a feature where your number pad replaces the mouse as a pointer. When this feature is enabled, your number pad doesn’t function normally.Outdated Keyboard Driver: If you’re using an outdated keyboard driver, your device might fail to establish communication or act as an interference with your hardware. As a result, the keys in your number pad may not register on your device.Sticky Keys are Enabled: Sticky keys are an additional feature on your keyboard that assists you in using shortcuts. When you have sticky keys enabled, you don’t have to press and hold keys like Ctrl, Alt, and Shift to use a shortcut. The keys on your number pad may be paired with those you might’ve pressed before. This will then be registered as a shortcut and not a key.Fn Lock Enabled: Some keyboards support the Fn Lock feature. When enabled, the numbers on the number pad may get paired with the Fn key. The numbers may not be then registered as keys.If you haven’t enabled the Fn lock, debris might be stuck on either key, maybe holding the keys down.Third-party applications/script: Have you installed a third-party application, or are you running a script to change the normal functioning of your keyboard? These applications/scripts may interfere with your keyboard’s normal layout.Hardware damages: If none of the above problems apply to you, your keyboard may have encountered hardware damage like debris stuck on your keyboard.
Restart Your Device
You can start by restarting your device. Your device needs to restart to finish pending updates, including keyboard drivers. Follow these instructions to restart your device:
Press the Num Lock Key
You need to hit the Num Lock key on your keyboard for your device to register the keys on your number pad. On your keyboard, look for the Num lock key on your number pad and press it. An LED light might indicate that the number pad is now active.
Disable Mouse Keys
You can enable or disable mouse keys from your Windows settings or use the keyboard shortcut, Alt + Left Shift + Num lock. Follow these instructions to disable Mouse Keys from your Windows Settings:
Update/Reinstall Keyboard Driver
You can update your keyboard driver to re-establish the connection between your device and your keyboard. If updating the driver does not work, you can reinstall your keyboard driver. Follow these instructions to update/reinstall your keyboard driver:
Disable Sticky Keys
You need to turn off sticky keys to stop it from interfering with your typing experience. You can easily disable this keyboard feature from the settings application on your Windows. Follow these instructions to turn Sticky Keys off:
Disable Fn Lock
You can easily disable Fn lock through your keyboard. Use the combination Fn + Caps on your keyboard to turn off this feature. If this doesn’t disable the Fn lock, debris is potentially stuck on either key. Dismantle your keyboard to clean the debris off of your keyboard.
Remove/Disable Third-Party Applications
If you do not actively use the third-party application that meddles with the configuration of your Windows, you can delete it from settings. However, if you still want to keep the application and use it for later, you can disable it for the time being. To Uninstall the application, follow these steps:If you don’t want to uninstall the application, disable it through your task manager. When you disable an application from the startup on task manager, Windows does not let it run in the background. Follow these instructions to stop your application from running.
Look for Hardware Damages
You can first start by cleaning your keyboard. If you cannot take off the keys, use compressed air and a brush to try and take debris off of your keyboard. It is worth mentioning that this can be risky and, if not done properly, may further damage your keyboard.If cleaning the keyboard doesn’t help, perform hardware diagnostics from the BIOS. This will scan for other hardware damages on your keyboard. Follow these instructions to perform hardware diagnostics on your device:
Run Keyboard Troubleshooter
If you still have problems identifying the problem, you can run Keyboard Troubleshooter. Your Windows will try to look for bugs and automatically fix them for you. Follow these steps to run keyboard troubleshooter on your Windows 11:
Enable On-Screen Keyboard
If nothing is working out for you and you urgently need to use the keyboard, you can enable the on-screen keyboard on your Windows. As the name suggests, a keyboard will appear on your screen, and whatever keys you select are registered and typed on your screen.Follow these instructions to enable the on-screen keyboard on your Windows:
