Numeric lock

[Tom958]

I bought the HP 14-ep 2012wm yesterday. Set it up and it worked great for about an hour. Suddenly, the alpha characters won't work and I can't enter my password when I turn on the laptop.  There is no numeric lock on this keyboard and I have tried the suggested fixes using the onscreen keyboard.  The registry fixes don't apply because, without being able to sign in, I can't get in to do a registry edit.

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

Hi @Tom958, and welcome to HP Support Community!

Thank you for reaching out with your concern. I'm glad to assist you today.

Based on your description, it sounds like the keyboard may have switched to a mode where only the numeric keypad is active, or the input method has changed unexpectedly. Here are some steps you can try to resolve this:

Use the On-Screen Keyboard to Check Input

Since you can't log in, try this at the login screen:

• Click the Ease of Access icon (bottom-right corner of the login screen).
• Select On-Screen Keyboard.
• Use it to enter your password and log in.

If this works, proceed to the next steps to fix the physical keyboard behavior.

Check for Num Lock or Fn Lock

Even though your keyboard doesn’t have a dedicated Num Lock key, some HP laptops use Fn + F11 or Fn + NumPad keys to toggle numeric input.

Try pressing:

• Fn + F11
• Fn + NumLk (if available)
• Fn + Shift + F11

Reset Keyboard Settings

Once logged in:

• Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region
• Click on your language (e.g., English US) > Options
• Under Keyboards, remove any unfamiliar layouts (e.g., "US-Dvorak" or "International") and keep only US QWERTY

Check Sticky Keys / Filter Keys

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard
• Turn Sticky Keys and Filter Keys OFF

Perform a Hard Reset

If you still can't log in:

1. Power off the laptop completely.
2. Disconnect the charger.
3. Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds.
4. Reconnect the charger and power on.

This can reset hardware states including keyboard input.

BIOS Keyboard Test

To rule out hardware issues:

1. Turn off the laptop.
2. Turn it on and immediately press Esc repeatedly until the Startup Menu appears.
3. Press F2 to enter HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI.
4. Select Component Tests > Keyboard Test.

This will help confirm if the keyboard is functioning properly.

HP Notebook PCs - Keyboard troubleshooting (Windows) | HP® Support

If the suggestions helped solve the problem, please let us know by clicking “Accepted Solution.” It really helps fellow users find quick answers.

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Take care and happy computing!

Best regards,

Max3Aj

HP Support