How To Disable Caps Lock in Windows 10 & 11

By default, pressing the Caps Lock key on your keyboard toggles the caps lock state in Windows. This means if Caps Lock is turned off, pressing the key turns it on, and vice versa. When it’s turned on, you might see a tiny light on your keyboard (or indicator on the taskbar), and it makes typing in capital letters easy. However, while the Caps Lock key is useful, it can often be a hindrance. Almost all of us have accidentally pressed the Caps Lock key at some point, especially if it’s located where a frequently used key like Tab or Shift usually is. If, like me, you don’t use this key often or find yourself pressing it accidentally, follow the methods below to disable the Caps Lock key in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Before You Start

• You need administrator rights to disable Caps Lock.

Disable Caps Lock Key Using AutoHotKey

AutoHotKey is a free and open-source automation and macro creator for Windows. It allows you to automate tasks, create custom keyboard shortcuts, remap keys, and control windows and processes. Here’s how to use AutoHotKey to disable Caps Lock in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Get AutoHotKey from the official website.
2. After downloading, double-click the downloaded exe file and install AutoHotKey.
3. Press the Start key.
4. Search for Notepad and open it.
5. Paste the snippet below in the Notepad.
   ; Disable Caps Lock key
SetCapsLockState "AlwaysOff"
return
6. Press Ctrl + S to open the Save dialog box.
7. Navigate to a folder where you want to save the file, type disableCapsLock.ahk in the “File Name” field, and select All Files from the “Save as type” dropdown menu.
8. Click the Save button.
9. Double-click on the newly created file.
   
10. The script runs and disables the Caps Lock key. You will see the AutoHotKey icon in your taskbar when the script is running.

That’s it! Try pressing the Caps Lock key while the script is running, and you will see that Caps Lock won’t turn on. If you want to use the Caps Lock key again, exit the script by right-clicking on the AutoHotKey icon in the taskbar and selecting the Exit option. Alternatively, you can pause the script temporarily by selecting the Pause option.

Disable Caps Lock Key Using the Registry Editor

Alternatively, you can also modify the registry to disable the caps lock key on your keyboard. Before making any changes backup the registry and then continue.

Automatic Method:

To make things easier for you, I’ve created a .reg file that disables or enables the Caps Lock with just a couple of clicks. This makes the entire process easy.

• To disable Caps Lock, download this file, extract it to the desktop, right-click on the .reg file, and select Merge. Click on the Yes button in subsequent windows.
• To enable Caps Lock, download this file, extract it to the desktop, right-click on the .reg file, and select Merge. Click on the Yes button in subsequent windows.

Note: You can open the reg file with Notepad to see its content and which keys and values are being modified.

Manual Method:

If you prefer to modify the registry by yourself, follow the steps below. Before proceeding, however, back up the registry. That way, you can restore it if something goes wrong.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Search for Registry Editor and open it.
3. Go to the following folder.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
4. Right-click on the right panel and select New > Binary Value.
   
5. Name the value as Scancode Map.
   
6. Double-click on the value.
7. Type in the following binary value in the “Value Data” field.
   00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
02 00 00 00 00 00 3A 00
00 00 00 00
   
8. Click on the OK button to save changes.
9. Close registry.
10. Reboot Windows.

That is it. You’ve successfully disabled the Caps Lock key on your keyboard using the Registry Editor.

Wrapping Up — Disabling the Caps Lock Key

As you can see, while Windows does not offer a built-in option, you can either use a third-party open-source application such as AutoHotKey or modify the registry to disable the Caps Lock key on your keyboard. Both methods are easy, but for most beginners, I suggest following the AutoHotKey method. It is not only simple but also allows you to regain the functionality of your Caps Lock key if needed by simply exiting or pausing the running script.

If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist. If you liked this guide, check out my other guides on opening the emoji keyboard in Windows 10 and disabling reserved storage in Windows 10 to free up disk space.

The guide is updated to update the AutoHotKey script and make sure it works with Windows 11.