Add Num Lock Indicator to Status Bar

Summary: Glance at the bottom of the Excel 2007 window to determine what occurs when pressing keys on the numeric keypad.

When entering numeric data into Microsoft Excel 2007 spreadsheets, many people use the numeric keypad on the right side of most desktop keyboards. (Though most laptop users lack this feature, some laptops support a function key to emulate a keypad. Add-on USB numeric keypads are also available.)

However, if the keyboard’s “Num Lock” button is not selected, pressing the numbers could instead result in moving the cursor around the spreadsheet, not always a desired result.

For touch typists, looking down at the keyboard to determine if a “Num Lock” light is on may be a less-than-desirable scenario. Thus, you can add an indicator to the Excel 2007 status bar that displays whether or not this button is enabled.

“Num Lock” indicator on the Excel 2007 status bar

1. Right-click the Excel 2007 status bar.

2. In the “Customize Status Bar” pop-up menu that appears, Check “Num Lock”.

Adding a “Num Lock” indicator to the Excel 2007 status bar