Turn NUM LOCK on at start-up

Anonymous
2009-12-27T01:45:17+00:00

How do you edit InitialKeyboardIndicators in the registry editor so num lock is on at start-up? One instruction I read said to change the value to 2.  The number that is already present is 2147483648 which I have no idea what it stands for!  Can anyone help me out here? Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2009-12-27T08:21:38+00:00

By default the numlock status is the same as it was in when you properly shut down the computer. If it was on when you shut it down it will be on when you again turn the computer on.

--

Richard Urban

Microsoft MVP

Windows Desktop Experience/Security

"BJ55" wrote in message news:b6f5c70d-a053-431 1-946d-ba9e8879f644...

How do you edit InitialKeyboardIndicators in the registry editor so num lock is on at start-up? One instruction I read said to change the value to 2.  The number that is already present is 2147483648 which I have no idea what it stands for!  Can anyone help me out here? Thanks

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Anonymous
2010-06-04T13:27:04+00:00

I haven't read through every reply, but just in case there has not been an answer for this, here is what you do.

By default, NumLock, CapsLock, and ScrollLock are set to off on power up in WindowsXP.  If you want to modify this to allow one or all of them to be on by default at power up, follow the below instructions.

  1. Click Start
  2. Click Run
  3. Type RegEdit
  4. Expand to HKEY_Users
  5. Expand .Default
  6. Expand Control Panel
  7. Expand Keyboard
  8. Find sting value InitialKeyboadIndicators. (By default this will be set to '0' which means Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock are all turned off.)
  9. Double click the "InitialKeyboardIndicators" string value and make the following changes.
  • 0 - Turns off Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock
  • 1 - Turns on Caps Lock
  • 2 - Turns on Num Lock
  • 3 - Turns on Caps Lock and Num Lock
  • 4 - Turns on Scroll Lock
  • 5 - Turns on Caps Lock and Scroll Lock
  • 6 - Turns on Num Lock and Scroll Lock
  • 7 - Turns on Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock

Exit the Registry. When you restart, the new setting will take effect

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137 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-09-01T15:48:48+00:00

    no, the computer does not remember the shut down position of Num Lock: it always returns to Num Lock off on power up. At least not on my new Windows 10 computer. That is the reason for this question in the first place.

    It seem illogical to me that MS would require that you change the boot parameters to  make this change.

    Bob Chalfant

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-26T20:31:19+00:00

    Re: default status of NumLock in Windows 10 (reply from Insider Richard Urban), the numlock on my Dell desktop will remain "ON" after a simple reboot but is always "OFF" when powered up from a shutdown state.

    This computer is a 5 year old Dell " Vostro"2.66 MgHertz and 4 GB ram and came with Win7 Pro installed. I use the numlock for the Keyboard calculator, passwords and spreadsheet editing and never experienced this problem under Windows 7.

    The problem began as soon as I installed Windows 10 and continues even after following Community suggestions for editing the registry values.

    It's really annoying. What's even more annoying is that it appears that the message about this problem never gets through to Microsoft.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-05-26T08:35:59+00:00

    I only shutdown a couple of times a month. I hibernate the machine at the end of the day. I NEVER have the numlock on , since I work on a smaller keyboard without the number's pad. EVERY single time I turn on the machine, the numlock is automatically ON and my password fails.

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