Use Mouse Keys in Windows 11 to Control the Pointer with a Numeric Keypad

A mouse that stops responding does not have to stop you using your PC. Windows 11’s Mouse Keys lets you move the pointer and operate mouse buttons with a numeric keypad. It can also be a useful alternative if using a mouse is uncomfortable.

You need a keyboard with a numeric keypad: the separate block of number keys, usually on the right, rather than the number row above the letters. A compact laptop may need an external keypad or another pointing device. This guide follows documented Windows behaviour; it is not a hands-on test of every keyboard.

Turn on Mouse Keys

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Mouse, under Interaction.
2. Turn on Mouse keys.
3. Check the Num Lock option on that page. If Mouse Keys is set to work only when Num Lock is on, turn Num Lock on before trying the keypad.

If you cannot use a mouse to reach Settings, press Windows + U to open Accessibility settings. Use Tab and Shift + Tab to move between controls, arrow keys where appropriate, Enter to open a selection and Space to change a focused switch. The exact number of Tab presses can vary with the Windows version and the controls on screen.

Windows also offers a shortcut, Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock, when the Mouse Keys shortcut is enabled. Respond to any confirmation that appears. If it does not work, use the Settings route above. The feature and shortcut are described in Microsoft's Mouse Keys documentation and accessibility API reference.

Move, click and return to the left button

All keys in this section are on the numeric keypad. The numbers around 5 act like directions:

• 8 moves up, 2 down, 4 left and 6 right.
• 7 and 9 move diagonally up; 1 and 3 move diagonally down.
• Hold a direction key to keep moving. Adjust Mouse Keys speed and acceleration in the same settings page if movement is too slow or too fast.

Clicking has two parts: select a button, then click. Press / on the keypad to select the left mouse button, move the pointer over a target, then press 5. Press - to select the right button and 5 to right-click. The selection remains active until you change it, so press / again before your next ordinary left-click. With the left button selected, + performs a double-click.

For a low-risk practice run, open a window with a harmless button, such as Settings. Move to a control without activating it, select /, and press 5 once. Then press Windows + D to show the desktop, move to an empty area, select - and press 5 to open its context menu. Press Esc to close it, and select / again. This separates moving, choosing the button and clicking, which makes it easier to see where an unexpected action came from.

Drag and drop without holding a mouse button

Try this first on a disposable item, not an important file:

1. Press / to select the left button, then move the pointer over the item.
2. Press keypad 0 to hold the selected button down.
3. Move the pointer to the destination with the direction keys.
4. Press the keypad decimal point (.) to release the button and drop the item.

Check that the item arrived where intended. If you are moving a file, remember that a drag can move or copy it depending on the source and destination; practising with a spare item avoids an unwanted change. Microsoft's key-by-key guide lists the full movement, button and drag controls.

If the pointer does not move

First check that Mouse Keys is on, and that you are pressing the separate numeric keypad rather than the top number row. Check the Only use mouse keys when Num Lock is on setting and the Num Lock state together. If the keypad types numbers instead of moving the pointer, changing Num Lock or the Mouse Keys setting can help you identify which mode is active.

If the pointer moves but 5 opens a menu when you expected a normal click, press keypad / to select the left button again. If the pointer travels too quickly for a small target, lower the speed or acceleration; the optional Ctrl and Shift speed controls can also help if enabled in settings.

A laptop without a numeric keypad may show the setting even though its keyboard lacks the documented controls. An external keypad is one option; ordinary keyboard navigation with Tab, arrows, Enter and Space can also operate many controls. Mouse Keys is an alternative input method, not a repair for a disconnected or faulty mouse.

Turn it off when you are finished

Return to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and turn Mouse keys off. The numeric keypad can then return to its normal role, subject to its Num Lock state. If you rely on Mouse Keys, leave it enabled and choose the Num Lock option that fits how you switch between pointer control and entering numbers.