Is your computer keyboard locked and you can’t type anything? If you accidentally locked your keyboard and can’t remember how you did it, follow this tutorial to unlock your keyboard on Windows or Mac computer . Before you begin, you’ll need to find out if some keys might be broken or if it’s a command lock. If it is an external keyboard, you can try connecting it to another PC. If not, it is probably a software problem, so let’s see how to unlock your keyboard.
Contents
- 1Why is my computer keyboard locked?
- 2How to unlock the keyboard of a Windows computer
- 1How to unlock numeric keypad in Windows
- 3How to unlock Mac keyboard
Why is my computer keyboard locked?
Before diving into the different methods to unlock your computer keyboard, you should learn what happened so that it doesn’t happen again. It usually happens because we accidentally press a command that causes it to crash. For example Alt Gr + Fn + F12 or Fn + F12 . Although there are also some computer models that include a special key to lock the keyboard itself, especially on laptops.
How to unlock the keyboard on a Windows computer
Now that you know what could have happened, we are going to tell you a couple of methods to unlock the Windows computer keyboard. The easiest thing to do is to find out if the Windows Filter Keys Auto-Disable has occurred, one of the most common problems that arise when holding down the Shift key .
So, to unlock your keyboard again, press and hold this key at the bottom right (or left) for about 4 seconds. In this way, the operating system will automatically unlock the keyboard and you can continue using it.
If this method has not worked for you, then you must enter the keyboard settings to unlock it. Follow these simple steps:
- Go to control paneland click Ease of Access Center .
- Now, click on Make keyboard easier to useand uncheck the lock boxes if they are checked.
How to unlock numeric keypad in Windows
If what happens to you is that the numeric keyboard has been specifically blocked , you will have to press a command depending on the model of computer that you have. Normally this usually happens in laptops but it is also valid for desktops. Of course, note that right on that keyboard there is usually a lock and unlock button.
| Acer, Toshiba, Samsung | Fn + 11 | Shift + Num Lock |
| Sony, Gateway | Fn + Num Lock | Fn + F11 + Scroll lock |
| HP | Fn + F8 | Ctrl + F11 | Fn + Shift + Nm Lock |
| Dell | Fn + F4 |
| Lenovo, ASUS | Fn + Nmlk |
How to unlock the Mac keyboard
In the case of MacBooks , it is rare for the keyboard to lock. You can always try pressing Fn + F6 but the truth is that in the latest Mac models it does not work to unlock it. It is best to access the settings and see that everything is in order. For it:
- Select the Apple logoin the upper left corner, go to System Preferences and then Accessibility .
- Look for the keyboardoption on the left side, and in the hardware section , check that the option “ Enable slow keys ” is disabled.
- Now go back to “ System Preferences” > « Keyboard » > « Input Sources » and check that the settings correspond to your keyboard and that it is active.
In this way you will have been able to unlock the keyboard of the Windows or Mac computer easily. Still, remember the command that you accidentally pressed (especially in Windows) and that caused the keyboard to lock up. This way it will be easier for you to unlock it next time.