Here we can see, “How to Make Your Scroll Lock Key Useful on a Windows 10 PC”
Up in the corner of your keyboard, there’s a key that’s sometimes overlooked yet has a lengthy history: Scroll Lock. On Windows 10, you can quickly remap Scroll Lock to a more helpful function or set it as a shortcut to open a program.
However, It Is Already Beneficial
- The first IBM PC, debuted in 1981, has a Scroll Lock key. Its purpose was to enable a feature that allowed you to move text within a window using the arrow keys rather than the cursor.
- In most programs today, the arrow keys work automatically based on context. As a result, the Scroll Lock feature is rarely used in the way it was designed.
- Microsoft Excel, on the other hand, still employs Scroll Lock for its intended purpose. The arrow keys are used to move the cursor between cells if Scroll Lock is turned off. However, when Scroll Lock is enabled, you can scroll the full workbook page within the window using the arrow keys.
- If you tap Scroll Lock twice on a KVM switch, it will swap inputs. Some legacy programs also use scroll Lock. However, this is an unusual occurrence for most people.
- Scroll Lock is so rarely used that it’s possible it’s not even on your keyboard—especially if it’s a compact or laptop keyboard.
If you have the Scroll Lock key but have never used it, you can put it to good use.
How to Remap the Scroll Lock Key
You may easily remap the Scroll Lock key to another key or various system functions using Microsoft’s free PowerToys application for Windows 10. When you press Scroll Lock, the key will perform a different function instead of activating Scroll Lock. In this manner, you may use the Scroll Lock key for a variety of purposes.
Here are some ideas for what you could do with the Scroll Lock key:
- Volume mute/unmute: Easily control the volume of any audio source. This is especially useful if you need to accept a call while your computer is turned off.
- Play/pause media: This is useful if you frequently listen to music on your computer. To pause a song, hit Scroll Lock, then tap it again to resume playback.
- Sleep: Put your gadget to sleep with a single tap.
- Caps Lock: If you frequently press Caps Lock by accident, you can reassign it to the Scroll Lock key. You should also set a different function to the Caps Lock key to disable it.
- The current web page will be swiftly reloaded with a single push of the refresh button.
If any of those options appeal to you, follow these instructions to remap the desired function to the Scroll Lock key. To begin, download Microsoft PowerToys if you don’t already have it. Launch it, then go to the sidebar and select “Keyboard Manager.” Then select “Remap a key.”
- To add a shortcut, click the addition sign (+) in the “Remap Keyboard” window that displays.
- It would help if you defined the key you’re remapping on the left. Then press Scroll Lock after clicking “Type Key.”
- Click the drop-down menu in the “Mapped To” column on the right, then select the function or key you’d like to map to Scroll Lock. You may, for example, choose “Volume Mute” from the selection above.
- Scroll Lock should now be remapped after clicking “OK” to close the “Remap Keyboard” window.
- You can try out different mappings to discover which one is most useful. If you ever become dissatisfied with the mapping, return to PowerToys’ “Remap Keyboard” window. To delete a mapping, click the Trash symbol next to it.
If you don’t like PowerToys, you can remap keys with SharpKeys, a less user-friendly interface.
How to Use the Scroll Lock Key to Start a Program
You don’t need to utilize a specific software to use Scroll Lock as part of a hotkey combination to launch any program you choose.
- To begin, make a shortcut to the program you want to run and save it to your Desktop. Then pick “Properties” from the shortcut’s right-click menu.
- Click the “Shortcut Key” box in the Shortcut tab, then hit Scroll Lock. In the box, Windows will automatically insert “Ctrl+Alt+Scroll Lock.”
- To close the window, click “OK.” The program associated with that shortcut will now launch whenever you hit Ctrl+Alt+Scroll Lock. Just make sure the shortcut isn’t deleted. For this reason, some individuals save hotkey-enabled app shortcuts in a separate folder.
- You never know. Scroll Lock might become your new favorite key with these modifications. You may even be perplexed as to how you ever managed without it.
Conclusion
I hope you found this information helpful. Please fill out the form below if you have any queries or comments.
User Questions:
- What does the Scroll Lock key do?
The scroll lock key is used to temporarily stop the text from scrolling or a program from running. Many programs do not use or function correctly with this key nowadays.
- Can’t use the arrow keys in Excel because the scroll lock is on?
Scroll Lock should be turned off. Turning off your scroll lock is the most popular solution for not utilizing the arrow keys in Excel. When the keyboard’s scroll lock is enabled, you won’t utilize the arrow keys in Excel. Keep an eye out for a light on the scroll lock button on your keyboard.
- What does ScrLk on the keyboard stand for?
The Scroll Lock key, sometimes known as SCLK, ScrLk, or Slk, is a key on a computer keyboard that is commonly found near the pause key. The Scroll Lock key was designed to be used alongside the arrow keys to scroll through the contents of a text box at first.
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