[SOLVED] Can't type alphanumeric keys into the W10 login screen

Geoff Leven

Distinguished
Jun 2, 2013
103
2
18,595
First, the history;

Fresh install of W10 since almost a week ago. At first I could not type anything into the windows search bar, windows apps, I discovered that if I ran 'CTFmon.exe' found in the 'C:\windows\system32' folder typing into the windows search bar works again and apps . I set this up manually to run at startup otherwise I had to do this everytime I started my PC.


Secondly now,

I have created a second user on my PC, however I cannot any alphanumeric keys into the password prompt for the W10 login screen. Same goes for my own main account, I can only type numbers from the keypad on my keyboard, not alphanumeric keys. Capslock shows being toggled if pressed and the on-screen keyboard doesn't help in this situation. So my Pin to log in works, passwords do not.

I think these 2 issues are related, and I shouldnt have to run CTFmon manually in the first place just to have windows work properly.

Any ideas?
 

Cj-tech

Admirable
Jan 27, 2021
536
68
8,940
If the issue is resolved, you can mark this thread as 'Answered' by clicking the trophy icon next to the answer that helped fix it.

As for no characters being allowed in PINs, follow these steps:
  1. Go to 'Settings' in Windows 10
  2. Click on 'Accounts'
  3. Click 'Sign-in options' from the left menu
  4. In the middle of the window, click the 'Windows Hello PIN' option and click 'Change'
  5. A smaller window will appear, check the box that says 'Include letters and symbols' then proceed to enter your current PIN and create a new one
Hope this helps! If it doesn't, let me know. There may be something else that needs to be changed in the group policies.
 
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