What to do if Number or Numeric Lock is not working in Windows 10

Every now and then the Number lock or the Num Lock key in Windows 10 might not work even if it’s already enabled which make things a tad bit troublesome especially when you’re working on something that involves numbers. If you experience this issue, you should find a couple of solutions to fix this.
Option 1 – Put your PC in a Clean Boot State
Putting your PC in a Clean Boot State helps you in checking if the problem is caused by some third party program. To rule out this possibility, follow the steps below.

Log onto your PC as administrator.
Type in msconfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.

Next, click the Services tab and select “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.

Click Disable all.
Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And to configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)

After putting your PC in a Clean Boot State, try creating a system restore point and see if the problem still occurs. Clean Boot troubleshooting is designed to help you isolate the problem. For you to execute a clean boot troubleshooting, you must do a couple of actions (the steps are given above) and then restart your PC after every action. You might have to disable one third party app after the other to really isolate the issue. And once you’ve narrowed down the problem, you can either disable the third party app that’s causing the problem or remove it. Note that you must switch your PC back into the Normal Startup mode after you’re done troubleshooting the problem. Here’s how you can do it:

From the “Start” menu, go to System Configuration.
After that, switch to the General tab and click the option for “Normal Startup”.
Next, go to the Services tab and clear the checkbox for “Hide all Microsoft services”.
Then find and click “Enable all” and if prompted, you have to confirm.
Afterwards, go to the Task Manager and enable all the Startup programs and confirm the action.
Restart your PC when prompted.

Option 2 – Update Device Drivers

Updating Device drivers is a go-to solution whenever you experience any hardware issues. All you need to do is open the Devices Manager and update the Keyboard driver. And if it does not work, you could simply download drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website and then re-install them.
Option 3 – Try to install the Driver in Compatibility Mode
The problem with the Numeric lock might be caused by incompatible drivers so you can just download these drivers from the manufacturer’s website and then install them again in Compatibility Mode and check if it works. To do that, simply follow the steps below.

Right click on the Driver Setup File and go to Properties and switch over to the Compatibility tab.
Next, check the option “Run this program in Compatibility mode”.
Select an older version that is supported by the software.
After that, click Apply and then click on OK.
Install the driver.
Wait for the installation process to be completed and then restart your PC.

Option 4 – Turn off the Mouse key

From the Start Menu, go to Control Panel.
Navigate to Ease of Access Center.
Then select the option “Make the keyboard easier to use”.
Navigate to the option “Control the mouse with keyboard” and then uncheck the “Turn On Mouse Keys” option to turn off Mouse key.

Click on Apply and then on OK to save the changes made.

Note: The problem with the Num Lock key could stem down to a simple issue in its settings so if you have successfully followed the steps for this solution then you should be able to fix the problem.
Option 5 – Try the Registry Editor method
This is the last option you can try in case the previous option did not work. And since it involves the Registry Editor, you have to create a System Restore point in case anything doesn’t go well. After that, proceed to the following steps:

Press the Win + R keys to open Run.
Type in regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
Then navigate to this registry key – HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard
After that, look for the registry string named “InitialKeyboardIndicators”. You should find this string in the right panel of the Keyboard registry key.
Double click on the aforementioned string and set its value data to “2” and click OK.
Next, navigate to this key – HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard
Then set the value of a registry string named “InitialKeybaordIndicators” to “2147483648”.
Click OK to save the changes and exit the Registry Editor.
Restart your PC.

For other system-related problems, there is a one-click solution you could check out – this program is a useful tool that could repair corrupted registries and optimize your PC’s overall performance. Aside from that, it also cleans out your computer for any junk or corrupted files that help you eliminate any unwanted files from your system. This is basically a solution that’s within your grasp with just a click. It’s easy to use as it is user-friendly. For complete set of instructions in downloading and using it, refer to the steps below.
Perform a full system scan using PC Cleaner Pro. To do so, follow the instructions below.

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOS screenwill be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the SafeMode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
Type in explorer http://www.fixmypcfree.com/install/pccleanerpro

A single space must be in between explorer and http. Click OK.

A dialog box will be displayed by Internet Explorer. Click Run to begin downloading PC Cleaner Pro. The installation will start automatically once a download is done.