Turn off Num Lock on Ubuntu Mate Login Screen

Tips, Tricks and Tutorials Tips & Tricks
#1

Hey guys,

If you are having problem with NumLock key then do the following:

sudo apt-get install numlockx

go to /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d

edit 60-lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf

add greeter-setup-script=/usr/bin/numlockx on

greetings.

3 Likes
#2

WARNING!!! This needs updating for 15.10!

You are missing one very crucial part:

sudo apt-get install numlockx

If you follow the guide and don’t install numlockx first you will boot to a black screen.

#3

I’ve never encountered a blank screen. Why do we need numlockx exactly?

#4

numlockx is required for the ‘greeter-setup-script=/usr/bin/numlockx on’ part of the tutorial. It forces the numlock key to be enabled at the login screen.

Unless there’s an easer way around Wimpy? This was the first answer i found.

#5

Why does numlock have to be enabled?

#6

For passwords that require numbers at the login screen, i tend to use the num pad on keyboards so it saves all those times you forget to turn it on before typing your password. Or its just that one button less to press, we’re all lazy…

2 Likes
#7

I just turn off numlock in the BIOS :slight_smile:

#8

If only it was that easy. I think the post is titled badly, if you follow the steps it turns the numlock on at boot not off. I do have it enabled in the bios but for some reason it still doesn’t force it on with this install?

I think you might have miss understood my first comment too after reading through again, i didn’t mean if you don’t install numlockx on Mate all systems will boot to a black screen. It will only happen if you follow the guide and don’t install numlockx first. I have edited it to word it better anyway, my bad.

1 Like
#9

Understood :slight_smile: I’ve edited the opening post.

#10

Can I still follow this tutorial to have my numlock enabled at the sign in screen? It is very frustrating to have to enable it manually every time. I have 16.10 Yakkety. Thanks!

Update: Yes!

#11

Exactly 2 years ago I posted that.

Still works for me in UM 16.04.2

#12

Yes, this works perfectly.

But why not implement this as default or add this option in Mate tweaks?

I love Ubuntu Mate, never looked back…

But somehow it bothers me that anno 2017 we have to edit scripts (ubuntu mate), or edit registry (windows) to enable something as simple as numlock on at boot time.

regards,
Tom

#13

In Ubuntu 19.04 with mate-common/disco,disco 1.20.0-2 installed...

There is no gtk-greeter. There is a greeter-wrapper which points to /usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-greeter-session, but this doesn't look like it will accept ' add greeter-setup-script=/usr/bin/numlockx off

Note that I want to turn numlock OFF. I never use it but I do use the direction keys. My BIOS does not have the option.

#14

Still works to this day. Just on 18.04 it's 50-slick-greeter.conf

Thanks a bunch!!

#15

I've recently switched to 22.04 release and numlock is switching on everytime i log on to desktop.
Any idea how to keep it turned off?