What does the number lock button on the keyboard mean. What does the num lock key do on the keyboard. What is Num Lock

Few computer or laptop users who have ever looked at the keyboard of their device did not notice the num lock button there. It can also be called num lk. More experienced users surely they know what this button is for, but not all beginners.

Num lock button

What does the num lock button do?

The answer to this question is correct to begin to give by considering the parts computer keyboard(division of key groups).

Groups of buttons on the keyboard

A standard computer or laptop keyboard consists of the following key groups:

• Alphanumeric;
• Service keys;
• Service keys for editing;
• Special (service);
• Functional;
• Cursor keys;
• Numeric keypad;
• Auxiliary.

In the context of this article, we are interested in the numeric keypad. it right part the keyboard containing the number keys.

So the num lock (num lk) button also activates (turns on) this same numeric keypad. If the num lock button is not enabled, which should be indicated by the corresponding light indicator (on laptops it is often not present), then the numeric keypad will operate in the cursor control mode.

Num lock indicator on laptop

The num lock indicator on a computer keyboard

There are keyboards, especially on laptops, in which this very numeric keypad no. But with this, the num lock button is still present.

Numeric keypad directly on alphanumeric keys

In this case, the numeric keypad is located directly in the group of alphanumeric buttons. Also activated by pressing num lock. If it is pressed, then numbers are printed, if not pressed, then letters.

Surely many users noticed the "Num Lock" key on their keyboard, when pressed, it usually lights up led indicator... The functionality of this key for many remains a mystery, it is rarely used, and the history of the appearance of this button on computer keyboards generally remains a mystery for the majority. In this article I will try to correct the situation a little and tell you what Num Lock is on the keyboard, I will describe the history of its appearance, as well as the features of the functionality.

What is Num Lock

So, in order to understand that this is Num Lock, you should first decide on the translation of these words. Num Lock (full "Numeric Lock") translated from English means " digital lock" (or " fixing numbers"). When pressed, the numeric keypad on the right is activated (numbers from 0 to 9), when the "Num Lock" mode is not activated, then the cursor control system works (including the Home, PgUp, End, PgDn keys).

Accordingly, when the Num Lok mode is on, the keys indicated on the right allow you to set numbers (somewhat resembling a calculator), if off, the cursor and other viewing control keys work (allowing you to use various navigation schemes).

Also, using this button allows you to enter characters that are not on the keyboard using their codes. In case you are interested, in the article earlier I talked about the purpose of the key.

At the same time, we can find out about the status of the Num Lok mode by the glow of the corresponding indicator built into the specified key (active mode is on, inactive mode is off). At the same time, in laptops, this indicator is often located separately from the key itself.

History of the appearance of the Num Lock key

The story about what it is Num Lock would not be complete without a story about the appearance of this button on the keyboard of our computers. The history of this key dates back to the distant 1984, when IBM introduced its 84-key keyboard for the second generation of IBM PC / AT computers. Since computers then cost a lot of money, the policy of IBM was aimed at ways of possibly reducing the cost of its components. One of the methods of implementing such a policy was the rejection of the separately placed cursor keys on the computer keyboard. Now the same keys had two modes - digital and cursor, and switching between them was carried out using our "Num Lock" key.

Today, most keyboards have separate cursor and numeric keys, while the Num Lock key still continues to be used sometimes (especially in laptops, netbooks, etc.). At the same time, sometimes the Num Lock mode is activated using the Fn key, and often the user does not know how to turn it off (in this case, the Num Lock key can be activated through the BIOS when starting the computer).

In some keyboards (for example, made by Apple) this key is absent altogether, and is replaced by the Clear Key key.

Meaning of Num Lock keys

The story about what Num Lock is would not be complete without an accurate description of the meanings of the keys when the mode is on and off. So:

Num Lock on: Num Lock off:

Conclusion

Thus, we figured out what Num Lock means, what this key is used for and how to use it. In most cases, the use of this button is rather sporadic today, and is an echo of its use in the 84-key keyboard of the IBM PC (Model F). Nevertheless, working with Num Lock can be relevant when working with some utilities, when working with texts, and so on.

On laptop samsung, hp, asus, like everyone else, usually there is function key num lock.

What is the num lock key for? What does it mean? What is it for? In short, in one word, this is the inclusion of a numeric keypad for a more comfortable dialing of numbers and entering characters using codes.

But not everything is so simple. Not all portable PCs (laptops) have a numeric keypad, and the key itself may have a slightly different name.

For example, num lk at the bottom and Ins at the top. Also pay attention to the indicators (lights).

On almost all models, as soon as you start this mode, one starts to light up, as if saying that the device is ready for use.

Many laptops have a BIOS setting that will trigger Num Lock when the computer starts up.

How to start num lock mode

On laptops and netbooks, Num Lock is enabled with the Fn + Num Lock key combination (on USB keyboards will not work).

If the keyboard is shortened, then the numeric block is absent, but it is modeled by the keys on the right side (b, o, l, d, g, w, w, 7, 8, 9).

Therefore, if numbers suddenly appear on the screen instead of letters on your laptop, then this is not a malfunction, but a sure sign that you accidentally turned on the numeric keypad.

Also keep in mind that instead of Fn, sometimes you may need to heal another button or without a combination at all (see the instructions if there is, if not, you can download the digital one).

One more point. What if the Fn button doesn't work? There is an exit. Can you

On the other hand, there is sometimes a Scroll Lock key, which is a remnant of the original IBM PC keyboard.

It serves to change the behavior of the cursor control. Currently, only a few programs use this parameter.

Some of them use Scroll Lock as a button to launch specific features and functions. Good luck.