How to Keep Num Lock On Permanently in Windows 11

To keep Num Lock on permanently in Windows 11, set the InitialKeyboardIndicators registry value to 2147483650 so it’s on at the sign-in screen. Then turn off Fast Startup, which is the most common reason Num Lock switches itself off after a shutdown. If your PC has a NumLock option in the BIOS, set that to On as well. Doing all three makes Num Lock stay on from power-on to desktop. The steps are below.

Why Num Lock keeps turning off

• Fast Startup: Windows saves part of its state to disk when you shut down, then restores it at startup. That restored state can include Num Lock being off, even if you set it otherwise.
• The sign-in screen uses its own keyboard setting, separate from your user account’s.
• The BIOS sets Num Lock before Windows starts, and some PCs default to off.

Method 1: Turn Num Lock on at the sign-in screen (registry)

Create a restore point first (search the Start menu for Create a restore point), since editing the registry incorrectly can cause problems.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes.
2. Paste this into the address bar and press Enter:
   HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard
3. Double-click InitialKeyboardIndicators.
4. Change the value data to 2147483650 and click OK.
5. For your own account, you can also go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard and set InitialKeyboardIndicators to 2.
6. Close Registry Editor and restart the PC.

To undo it, set the .DEFAULT value back to 2147483648.

Method 2: Turn off Fast Startup

1. Click Start, type Control Panel, and open it.
2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options and click Choose what the power buttons do on the left.
3. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
4. Untick Turn on fast startup (recommended) and click Save changes.

Your PC may start a second or two slower from a full shutdown, but Num Lock and other settings will be applied reliably. Other routes to the same switch are in disabling Fast Startup in Windows 11.

Method 3: Set Num Lock in the BIOS

1. Restart and enter the BIOS. The key is usually F2, Delete, or F10, depending on the manufacturer. Dell owners can follow entering BIOS on a Dell with Windows 11.
2. Look for an option named NumLock, Boot Up NumLock State, or similar, often under Boot or Advanced.
3. Set it to On or Enabled, save, and exit.

Not every PC has this option, especially laptops without a separate number pad.

Quick fix: press Num Lock at sign-in

If you only need it now and then, click into the PIN or password box and press the Num Lock key. Many keyboards have a small light that shows when it’s on. On laptops without a Num Lock key, try Fn + Num Lk (often on F11 or Insert), or use the on-screen keyboard: search Start for On-Screen Keyboard, click Options, tick Turn on numeric key pad, and click NumLock.

Troubleshooting

Num Lock still turns off after a restart

Check that you changed the value under HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT, not only under your own account, and that Fast Startup is off. A Windows feature update can occasionally reset the value, so check it again after big updates.

The number keys type the wrong thing

On laptops, an Fn Lock or a keyboard layout setting may be on. Try to turn off Fn Lock in Windows 11, then check that you’re using the right layout, which you can change in Windows 11 settings.

There’s no InitialKeyboardIndicators value

Right-click an empty area in the right pane, choose New > String Value, name it InitialKeyboardIndicators, and set it as above.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to change this registry value?

Yes. It only controls which keyboard lock keys start on. Just make sure you edit the right value.

Does this work in Windows 10?

Yes. The registry path, value, and Fast Startup steps are the same in Windows 10.

Can I keep Caps Lock off the same way?

Caps Lock starts off by default. If it keeps coming on, check for a stuck key, then try the fixes for turning off Caps Lock in Windows 10, which also apply here.

Summary

Set InitialKeyboardIndicators under HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard to 2147483650, turn off Fast Startup in Power Options, and enable NumLock in the BIOS if your PC has the option. Restart to apply.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.