Keyboard symbols / lights

[Webskater]

I have a new (couple of months old) wireless keyboard I use with my laptop. There are three lights / symbols above the numeric keypad. The one on the left lights up when Num Lock is on. The centre one lights up when Caps Lock is on. The one on the right has a Padlock Icon with an 'f' inside it. I've always been frustrated that Num Lock doesn't stay on. Every time I start the laptop I have to press Num Lock - often two or three times to get it to stay on. And, often, it is on (ie. numeric keypad is displaying numbers) but the Num Lock light is not on. So it is always a guessing game whether the numeric keypad is working when trying to enter a number to unlock the computer when I switch it on. Having had the keyboard in a suitcase over the weekend, the Padlock light is now on and Nums Lock is working as it should. I.e. if you press it the light comes on and the keypad shows numbers - and it now seems to stay on. Which is great. But, what is the Padlock Icon with an 'f' in it doing? How did it get switched on. How can you switch it off?

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Webskater 

Welcome to HP Support Community!

We noticed that this thread hasn't had any updates in a while since your original post; while this is rare, we didn't want this post to remain unanswered, so, here's the solution to your query. We hope it helps you and everyone viewing this post 😊

1. Modify BIOS/UEFI Settings:

   • Upon starting or restarting your laptop, enter the BIOS/UEFI settings. This can typically be done by pressing a key, such as Esc, F2, or Del, during boot-up. Look for options related to boot settings or keyboard settings where you can set Num Lock to be enabled by default.

2. Registry Edit:

   • For advanced users, you can change settings via the Windows Registry. Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Windows search bar. Navigate to:
     • HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard
     • Change the value of InitialKeyboardIndicators to 2 to set Num Lock on by default.
   • Note: Editing the registry can affect system performance, so proceed with caution and consider backing up the registry beforehand.

Make sure to restart your laptop after trying these solutions to see if the Num Lock behavior has changed. Always remember that modifying system settings and registry entries can alter your device's functioning, so proceed with care.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved, and if you feel this reply was helpful, click “Yes”.

Thanks for being part of the HP Community!

Best Regards,