For some reason, your mouse suddenly stops working. While the work is urgently needed, you can completely use the number pad area on the keyboard as a “fire-fighting” mouse. Here’s how to do it on Windows 11.
First, press the Windows + i to open the Windows Settings application. Or you can also right-click the Start button on the taskbar and select “Settings” in the pop-up menu.
In the Settings window that opens, click “Accessibility” in the list on the left, then scroll down to the “Interaction” section and select “Mouse“.
Next, tap the switch next to the “Mouse Keys” option to switch it to the “On” state.
By default, using the numeric keypad as a mouse only works when Num Lock is enabled. If you don’t want that, uncheck the “Only use mouse keys when Num lock is on” option. Alternatively, you can enable or disable the “Mouse Keys” feature by pressing Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock at any time.
If the mouse movement is too slow (usually very slow by default), use the “Mouse Keys Speed” and “Mouse Keys Acceleration” sliders to adjust until you feel comfortable.
Also, if you want to speed up or slow down the mouse pointer while using the number keys, enable the option “Hold the Ctrl key to speed up and the Shift key to slow down“. Then use Ctrl and Shift as described while moving the mouse pointer using the 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, or 9 keys on the numeric keypad. For example, if the cursor movement is too slow, hold Ctrl while pressing a scroll key to speed up the pointer.
Use the numeric keys to control the mouse
Of course, the first time you utilize this feature, controlling the mouse pointer with the keyboard won’t be easy. But after you get used to it, you’ll realize that it’s really not that difficult. It’s crucial to remember that the cursor can move in four fundamental directions using the keys 2, 4, 6, and 8. While the diagonal movement of the cursor is controlled by keys 1, 3, 7, and 9.
In general, this numeric keypad allows you to perform all of the same tasks as a mouse. To click and drag an icon on your desktop, for instance, place the mouse pointer over it using the scroll keys and press “0” on the numeric keypad. Naturally, though, the speed of operation will be slower than when using a traditional mouse.
Good luck!
