Numpad Not Working? Turn On Num Lock and Fix It

If your numpad types arrows or nothing at all, Num Lock is almost always off. Press the Num Lock key (often labelled "Num" or "NumLk") at the top left of the keypad; on many laptops it sits on another key and needs Fn. Then check the result in the free 10-key typing test, which warns you when the keypad is not sending digits.

1. Turn on Num Lock

• Desktop keyboard: press Num Lock once. Many keyboards have a small light that shows it is on.
• Laptop: look for "Num", "NumLk" or a small lock with a 1 on one of the keys, often shared with another function. Press it together with Fn. The exact key differs by manufacturer.
• No keypad at all: many laptops have none. An external USB or Bluetooth keypad fixes that.

With Num Lock off, the keypad keys act as arrows, Home, End and Page Up/Down. That is why the cursor jumps around instead of numbers appearing.

2. Use the on-screen keypad on Windows

If the physical keypad is broken, Windows has a fallback: open the On-Screen Keyboard, select Options and turn on the numeric keypad. Microsoft describes the option in its On-Screen Keyboard help page.

3. Comma instead of period, or the other way round

The decimal key on the keypad follows your system's region settings, so it types a comma on a German or French setup and a period on a US setup. In Excel you can override this: File, Options, Advanced, clear Use system separators and enter your own decimal separator. For a permanent change, Microsoft points to the region settings in the Control Panel.

4. On a Mac

Mac keyboards with a numeric keypad have no Num Lock in the Windows sense, the keypad types digits. MacBooks have no keypad, so numbers come from the number row or an external keypad. Typing numbers without a keypad is covered in how to type numbers on a Mac.

5. Still not working

• Try the keypad in another program or another USB port.
• Wireless keypads: check the batteries and the pairing.
• Test the whole keyboard in the keyboard tester: keys that stay white do not reach the computer.

Once the keypad works, 10-key typing practice gets your speed up.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my numpad type arrows instead of numbers?

Num Lock is off. Press Num Lock (with Fn on many laptops) and the keys type digits again.

Where is Num Lock on a laptop?

Usually shared with another key and labelled "Num" or "NumLk", pressed together with Fn. It depends on the manufacturer, and many laptops have no keypad at all.

Why does the numpad type a comma instead of a period?

The decimal key follows the system's region settings. Excel lets you set its own separator under File, Options, Advanced.

Is there Num Lock on a Mac?

Not in the Windows sense: Mac keypads type digits. MacBooks have no keypad.

Sources

• Use the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) to type - Microsoft, option "Turn on numeric keypad".
• Change the character used to separate thousands or decimals - Microsoft, Excel separators.
• Numeric keypad - Wikipedia, Num Lock and the dual use of the keys.