On some occasions, you may want to keyboard lock your device in order to prevent unwanted input. For example, the lock feature is useful while you're clearing your mechanical keyboards, or want to prevent disruptions by a keyboard input during a video or movie.
To lock your keyboard, press Ctrl+Alt+L. The Keyboard Locker icon changes to indicate that the keyboard is locked.
If you're unfamiliar with the keyboard locking/unlocking process on Windows and Mac, don't worry - it's actually quite simple. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps for both operating systems so that you can keep your keyboard safe from unwanted input.
Let's get started!
What is keyboard lock? Is it safe?
Keyboard lock is a feature on Windows and Mac devices that enables you to disable the keyboard input temporarily. This can be useful if you're doing something that requires a lot of focus and don't want any accidental keystrokes to disrupt your work.
You can purchase a wired or wireless keyboard with a built-in keyboard lock. In most cases, it works similarly to function keys where you're able to toggle the keyboard on and off. However, it's possible that your computer keyboard does not come with a key to disable and enable input. For example, the MacBook keyboard layout doesn't include a dedicated keyboard lock key.
Check if your laptop, wireless, or wired keyboard has a keyboard icon or a locket icon. Your computer or laptop might provide you with a switch to choose if you wish to input or ignore keystrokes. If your keyboard has keys like that, just press the button to toggle inputs.
Protect your keyboard from unwanted keystrokes by locking it.
Even the best keyboard may be missing a lock/unlock key. If your new keyboard doesn't include keys for locking and unlocking the keyboard, you need third-party software. As opposed to using an FN key, your numeric keypad, or key combinations, you can download an app on your PC or Mac that includes features for blocking your keystrokes.
The keyboard locking function is entirely secure, but it may present certain challenges, especially if you're new to using computers. You might be perplexed as to why you can't type when you unintentionally press the key combination and locked your keyboard or locked it with the filter keys.
If you're having issues with your keyboard on your Windows PC, laptop, or Apple computer, follow the instructions and solutions below to learn more about keyboard locking.
How do you lock and unlock your keyboard?
Here are all the different ways you can lock and unlock your keyboard on computers that use operating systems like Windows 10 and macOS. If you have a different computer, you may only be able to temporarily disable your keyboard if there is a physical key on the keyboard itself.
Check your keyboard for lock keys
Your keyboard may have a dedicated key or keys to make sure your input is locked when you don't want keystrokes to register. This icon is usually depicted with either a keyboard, a locket, or one of the filter keys.
You may need to use a keyboard shortcut, such as combining the right shift key, alt key, num lock, caps lock, or Windows key with one of the function keys. This combination depends on your keyboard manufacturer and may be different on all keyboards. Check which keys you need to press, then try pressing them to see if you can enable keyboard locking.
If you don't know what kind of keyboards you own, plug them into your computer and open the Settings app. Navigate to the Keyboards category, and check the name of your keyboard there. You'll be able to look up the name of the model and check if the layout includes a key for the lock and unlock function.
On a MacBook, the built-in laptop keyboard doesn't include a default key combination for locking the keyboard. If you want to temporarily disable your keyboard, you may need to get a new wired or wireless keyboard or use a program for it.
Even if you have one of the best keyboards, it's possible that you don't have a key or keys for locking and unlocking keyboard input. In this case, you need to install an application that helps with limiting your input when enabled.
How to lock keyboard on Windows
Do you want to pause the inputs of your keyboard on Windows? You might want to do this to have easier access to clearing between your keys, or you may need the screen to remain inactive for a long time without accidental keyboard inputs. Here's how to disable your keyboard on Windows.
Note: Windows 10 is used to provide instructions, although they may also be followed on earlier and later versions of the operating system such as Windows 11 or Windows 7.
- To begin, download the Keyboard Locker application for Windows 10.
- The downloaded file will be named “KeyboardLocker.zip”, so you need to extract it. It is important to remember that there are two files in this folder: "KeyboardLocker.exe" and "KeyboardLocker.ahk".
- To execute the program, double-click "KeyboardLocker.exe." This file is an AutoHotKey script that has been compiled to run as a standalone application, so you don't need to download AutoHotKey to use it.
- When you open Keyboard Locker, a little keyboard symbol appears in your notification area. The program is now accessible. To lock your keyboard, press Ctrl + Alt + L. The icon changes to indicate that the board is secured.
If you no longer want to use a locking tool, you can use the Windows 10 Control Panel to uninstall the program. This will cause your keyboards to no longer lock when you use the Ctrl + Alt + L keyboard shortcut, so you don't have to manually disable the keyboard locking.
How to lock keyboard on Mac
Similarly to Windows 10, you need to download an application for macOS in order to lock the keyboard. You can use several different third-party applications, as Apple doesn't create its own solutions for locking the keyboard.
Here are some of the top applications we recommend using to lock your keyboard on Mac:
- Keyboard Lock for Mac OS X (Free)
- KeyboardCleanTool (Free)
- MollyGuard 1.0 (Free)
Use these simple and free solutions for locking your keyboard on Mac.
How do I turn off keyboard lock?
Follow these steps to unlock your locked keyboard when you need to use it again.
How to unlock keyboard on Windows
When using the KeyboardLocker application, and you want to re-enable keyboard input, simply type in the word “unlock.” The keyboard icon changes back to normal again to show that the keyboard is unlocked.
You’ll get a notification after successfully unlocking the keyboard.
How to unlock keyboard on Mac
Most apps we mentioned will sit in your Mac menu bar and can be toggled on and off with your mouse or a specific keyboard shortcut. You can find this combination on the official websites, or by accessing the support tab of the software.
Watch How to Lock and Unlock your Keyboard (Windows/macOS) ⌨
FAQ
How do you lock and unlock a keyboard on a Mac?
You must click on the Apple menu (the little black apple at the top left of your screen) then select System Preferences. You can now click on the icon Security and confidentiality to finish by selecting the tab General. You just have to unlock the padlock, which is at the bottom left.
How do you unlock a Windows keyboard on a Mac?
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to Unlock!
How do you lock and unlock a keyboard on Windows?
When you hold down the right SHIFT key for 8 seconds, you should hear a tone, and the “Filter Keys” icon will appear in the system tray. Just then, you'll find that the keyboard is locked, and you can't type anything.
How do I lock my Windows computer with an Apple keyboard?
You can easily lock your Mac from your keyboard: Press Control + Command + Q: This shortcut will take you directly to the lock screen.
How do I temporarily disable my Mac keyboard?
Use a Shortcut Key
The first step is to disable your keyboard using a shortcut key. Simply press Ctrl + F1 to disable your keyboard controls.
Final Thoughts
We believe you can now lock and unlock your keyboard in a Windows computer or Mac. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading :)