Summary: Computer manufacturers use the Fn key to cram even more virtual keys onto smaller laptop keyboards. Sometimes it can get confused.
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As i type right now, i have to hold down the "Fn" key just to get normal letters. I don't know how it happened, but I'm on a laptop and the only way for me to get the "u,i,o,l,;,k,j,m,7,9,0,/,p" keys are to hold down the "Fn" key. It is purple on the lower left of my internal keyboard. |
One of the compromises that laptop manufacturers had to make to support a full-sized keyboard into the space of a laptop is that numeric keypad that most keyboards have. What they've done is overlaid it "on top" of the regular alpha numeric keyboard.
The trick, of course, is noticing it, and then turning it on, or in your case, off.
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Here's a shot of my laptop's keyboard (please, ignore the dirt - it's a well used, and well traveled, machine):
and down in the lower left you'll see the "Fn" key that we're talking about (though mine's blue instead of purple):
If you look closely at the rest of the keyboard you'll see that several keys include blue lettering on them as well. In fact, if you look at the keys 7, 8, 9, 0 on the top row, U, I, O, P on the next, J, K, L, : on the next and M, > and ? on the bottom, you'll see that each has a blue character on it:
That layout of blue characters mimics the layout of the numeric keypad on a full-sized keyboard.
Normally, if you hold down the "Fn" key, you'll get whatever character or function is printed in blue on those keys. So holding down the "Fn" key, you now have a numeric keypad in the middle of your keyboard. Release "Fn" and things are back to normal.
Which is exactly the opposite of what the question is asking. The person asking needed to press the "Fn" keys to get the normal, white, characters for each key.
The "problem" is simply that there is a persistent toggle. If you press "Num Lk" (I've also seen it labeled "Pad Lk" for numeric Pad) it turns on the blue keys, and inverts the meaning of the "Fn" key - it's a way to use that embedded numeric keypad without having to hold down the "Fn" key the entire time.
To fix it, just find and press the "Num Lk" or "Pad Lk" key again. (Note, sometimes these keys are themselves "Fn" keys, so you may, or may not, need to also hold down the "Fn" key to get the right function.) Often there is an indicator light associated with the setting.
Related:
Ask Leo! - Why doesn't my keyboard work until Windows is running?
Ask Leo! - What's Dvorak, and why did my keyboard layout suddenly change?
Ask Leo! - How can I disable my "Windows" key? Or for that matter, remap my entire keyboard?
Article C2661 - May 22, 2006
For GATEWAY users, the numlock key is on the scroll key and looks like a padlock with a '1' in it...i.e. 'number' 'lock'. Cute but a pain in the ...for those of us without an imagination or looking for something else, but for small keys, a symbol is easier to fit than several letters I guess. Anyway, thanks for the tip and it worked for me!
My problem is why is the keyboard backwards locked since I installed a wireless keyboard? I shouldn't have to use num lock to use the regular keys in the first place.
Posted by: david at September 24, 2009 9:52 AMI absoloutely love you Leo that was so helpful, my typing was seriously slowing down when i had to hold the fn button and you taught me something new.
Posted by: Alain at September 30, 2009 3:10 AMThankyou!!! This has fixed a recurring (and verrrrrrry annoying) problem I've been having.
Posted by: Danielle at October 15, 2009 7:55 PMThanks Leo. You're my hero of the day. I thought my laptop was infected with a virus. You saved me lots of time. turned off the "num lk" on my Compaq Presario C700.
Posted by: Jim at October 16, 2009 8:31 AMI was happy to find this website, but your answer doesn't seem to work for my laptop. I have an HP that I just bought in Sept/09. I have more of those blue keys than your keyboard, Leo, but your suggestion doesn't work for my computer. I dont' know which keys I accidentally hit to turn the blue keys on, but all of a sudden they are on and I can't turn them off unless I restart my computer. I think I'm turning the blues on with a mistype using the caps lock or shift keys, but I can't figure it out no matter what combinations of keys I hit on purpose. Help!
Posted by: Brenda at October 18, 2009 7:48 PMThank you soooooo much it has been driving me mad. I knew it was something I had pressed but could not remember which key (it should have been the screen dump PrtSc key). You have saved me hours of frustration - thank you again.
Posted by: maggie reed at October 21, 2009 2:03 PMYou are a life Saver! in my case, I had to hold fn button and hit numlock.. it did the job.
Thanks again
Posted by: MoiN at October 23, 2009 3:58 AMHad the same problem with my daughters mininote, after her little brother stood on it. Thanks to you, all fixed and she thinks I'm a genius!
Posted by: Ray at October 29, 2009 3:56 AMThank you for that piece. I never would have thought someone would have the same problem like me...nevermind a detailed page describing how to fix it.
Thanks again.
Posted by: Nick at November 4, 2009 5:57 PMOh my... Thank you very much. Something so simple had me so frustrated. :)
Posted by: Stacy at November 7, 2009 2:16 PM