14 DAY TRIAL // The most recent Windows 11 preview builds reportedly come with a bug that breaks down the key lights for Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock, according to some insiders who installed them.
More specifically, a post in the Windows Feedback Hub reveals that the problem happens on Windows 11 build 22494 and later, with several users explaining that while the keys work properly, the lights don’t turn on. This makes it pretty hard to figure out when they’re activated, and in some cases, users are tempted to believe it’s a hardware issue happening on their keyboards.
The problem also exists in Windows 11 build 22499, the most recent release in the Dev channel.
Needless to say, there’s no workaround for the whole thing, though the good news is Microsoft is already investigating the problem, so it should be fixed in the upcoming preview builds.
A temporary workaround
In the meantime, such a small error caused quite a headache for users who installed the latest preview builds on their devices.
“Please fix this fast, imagine someone accidentally sent a message to their sensitive boss with full on caps without realizing it and getting fired for that. This issue can destroy someone's lives,” someone says on the Feedback Hub, obviously giving an extreme example that’s very unlikely to happen.
Of course, if you’re also struggling with the whole thing, the easiest way to deal with it is to just install a dedicated application that brings key indicators right in the system tray. One of these apps is TrayStatus, a little application that adds dedicated indicators for Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and others right in the system tray, therefore letting you know when the keys are pressed.
There are obviously plenty of similar apps, so you can use them as a temporary workaround until Microsoft comes up with a full fix.