Numeric keys on my Logitech K780 keyboard and my Apple A1243 keyboard attached to my High Sierra Ver. 10.13.6 on my mid-2011 iMac do not function AFTER BOOTUP. Numeric keys work during initial sign-on, but not after booting up.
iMac 21.5", 10.13
Where is the “Num Lock” Key on a Mac Keyboard?
There isn’t a dedicated Num Lock key on the Apple Wired Keyboards, and that applies to many of the third party USB keyboards built for Macs too. However, you can achieve the same function by hitting the CLEAR button on the numeric keyboard. You may need to hit Shift+CLEAR instead, depending on your individual keyboard and settings.
Numbers Still Not Typing? Check for Mouse Keys
If you tried Clear and Shift+Clear to no avail, you probably have a setting enabled in the accessibility options of OS X that is preventing the numeric keypad from acting exclusively as a means of typing numbers. This setting is called Mouse Keys, which allows a user to control the onscreen cursor using the number pad on an extended keyboard.
The most obvious indicator that Mouse Keys is the reason the numeric keypad is not working is that when you type a number, the mouse cursor moves very slightly, thus if you try to type a bunch of numbers the mouse cursor on screen may seem to jiggle around a bit in a small area. This is not always very obvious though because the Mouse Keys feature is intended to be precise and allow for fine manipulation of onscreen elements, thus you should always check for the setting when troubleshooting the matter.
Where is the “Num Lock” Key on a Mac Keyboard?
There isn’t a dedicated Num Lock key on the Apple Wired Keyboards, and that applies to many of the third party USB keyboards built for Macs too. However, you can achieve the same function by hitting the CLEAR button on the numeric keyboard. You may need to hit Shift+CLEAR instead, depending on your individual keyboard and settings.
Numbers Still Not Typing? Check for Mouse Keys
If you tried Clear and Shift+Clear to no avail, you probably have a setting enabled in the accessibility options of OS X that is preventing the numeric keypad from acting exclusively as a means of typing numbers. This setting is called Mouse Keys, which allows a user to control the onscreen cursor using the number pad on an extended keyboard.
The most obvious indicator that Mouse Keys is the reason the numeric keypad is not working is that when you type a number, the mouse cursor moves very slightly, thus if you try to type a bunch of numbers the mouse cursor on screen may seem to jiggle around a bit in a small area. This is not always very obvious though because the Mouse Keys feature is intended to be precise and allow for fine manipulation of onscreen elements, thus you should always check for the setting when troubleshooting the matter.
Hello clark263,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. It's my understanding that the number keys don't work when a keyboard is connected to your iMac. I'm happy to help.
The steps in the following link can help with this issue:
If your Apple keyboard doesn't work
If the issue persists, use the steps in the link below to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac:
How to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac
Let us know the results. Please include any additional troubleshooting steps you may have tried.
Have a great day!
Joseph_S,
Thank you for your suggested fix. I went through the steps, but to no avail. However, BDAqua suggested looking at Mouse Keys: System Preference ... Accessibility ... Mouse & Trackpad ... Enable Mouse Keys ... Uncheck the box. These steps worked!!!
clark263
BDAqua,
Thank you for your suggestion to check on Mouse Keys.... IT WORKED!!!
clark263
Great news Clark. :)
Number keys on numeric pad do not
