Is the Number Pad Not Working on Windows 11? Here’s How to Fix It

 From simple fixes to workarounds, there are plenty of ways to get around a faulty Numpad on Windows 11.

If you use your number pad to quickly enter numbers you’ll miss it when it stops working. However, there are ways to get it working again on Windows 11.

As such, let's explore how you can fix a malfunctioning number pad on Windows 11, alongside a quick replacement trick if you don’t have the time or patience to fix the number pad now.

1. Turn On Num Lock

If you notice your keyboard does some weird things such as scrolling up and down instead of writing numbers, the num pad is disabled. The quickest way to enable it is to press the Num Lock key. Usually, keyboards come with a small light for special keys such as Num Lock or Caps Lock. If the light is on, your number pad is enabled.

If you notice the keys don’t work as usual, and you feel some resistance when pressing it, it may be time to clean your keyboard.

If there’s nothing wrong with the key itself, move on to the next solutions.

2. Turn Off the Mouse Keys

If you’ve enabled the mouse keys feature on your Windows 11 computer, you can use the numeric keys to control your cursor. And while this is a good option to enable when your mouse is malfunctioning, it will stop you from using the number pad as usual.

Here is how you can disable mouse keys:

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Head to Accessibility > Mouse.
3. There, head to the Use your keyboard to control your mouse and turn off the toggle next to Mouse keys.
4. Enable the number pad and check if it’s now working.

3. Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter

If a malfunctioning number pad isn’t the only problem regarding your keyboard, you should run the Windows keyboard troubleshooter to get your keyboard working as usual. Here is how you can do it:

1. Press Win + I to bring up Settings.
2. Go to System > Troubleshoot > Other trouble-shooters.
3. Scroll down to Keyboard and click the Run button.

Once it finishes the troubleshooting process, Windows will notify you about the detected problems and suggest solutions to fix it.

4. Update the Keyboard Drivers

There's a chance your keyboard’s number pad isn’t working because of an outdated, corrupt, or incompatible keyboard drive. If you’re using an external keyboard, you can download the latest driver version from the producer’s website, or you can use Device Manager.

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Keyboards menu.
3. Right-click the keyboard’s driver and select Update driver.
4. In the pop-up window, click Search automatically for drivers.

Windows 11 will now look for a verified driver version and install it.

5. Edit the Windows Registry

Maybe a third-party app changed your system settings, and now you can’t use the number pad. In this case, editing the registry should fix the problem.

1. Open Registry Editor with administrative rights.
2. Head to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Keyboard.
3. Open InitialKeyboardIndicators.
4. Set Value data to 2 and click OK.
5. Restart your computer and check if the number pad is now working.

6. Use the Virtual Keyboard

If you couldn’t get the number pad working, you can use Windows 11 virtual keyboard as a replacement. To launch it, press the Ctrl + Windows key + O keyboard shortcut.

If this doesn’t work, you can open it from the Settings menu. Go to Accessibility > Keyboard and turn on the toggle next to On-screen keyboard.

By default, the virtual keyboard doesn’t include the number pad. To enable it, click Options and check the Turn on numeric key pad option.

If you’re looking for a virtual keyboard with more customizing options, you can install a free virtual keyboard compatible with Windows 11.

Get the Num Pad Working Again

With these quick tips, you should get the number pad working again. To avoid any future problems, don't go too crazy when it comes to remapping your keyboard.

If nothing worked, and you still can’t use the number pad, you might have to take your laptop to a professional service or shop for a new external keyboard.