How to add Caps Lock indicator on Windows 11, 10

If your keyboard doesn't have an indicator for Caps, Num, and Scroll, this simple app is the solution you need.

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@Pureinfotech
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Windows 11 Caps Lock indicator
Windows 11 Caps Lock indicator
  • To get caps lock visuals on Windows, download and run the “CapsLock Indicator” app, check the “Caps lock” option, and check the “Caps lock changed” option, and then the caps lock indicator will be available in the Taskbar System Tray.

UPDATED 11/27/2023: On Windows 11 (and 10), you can add a Caps Lock indicator for the keyboard without a visual queue to indicate when caps are turned on, and in this guide, I’ll show you how.

I’ve been using a Tenkeyless (TKL) mechanical keyboard for a long time, and while I like the typing experience and the RBG lighting, the keyboard lacks an indicator to let me know when caps are turned on. After doing some research, I have found many different applications, from free to paid, but the “CapsLockIndicator” has stood out to me since it’s simple to use and free.

CapsLockIndicator is an open-source project from GitHub that can add an indicator when the caps, num, or scroll are locked. You can also customize various settings and change the iconography.

In this guide, I will teach you how to add a Caps Lock indicator to the Taskbar on Windows 11, but these instructions will also apply to Windows 10.

Warning: It’s important to know this is a third-party software that works as expected, but it doesn’t include any guarantees, so use it at your own risk.

Add Caps Lock indicator to Taskbar

To add a Caps Lock indicator to the Taskbar on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open CapsLock Indicator GitHub page.

  2. Click the latest “.exe” file under the “Assets” section to save the file on your computer.

    GitHub download CapsLock Indicator

    Quick tip: It’s best to download the file to a new folder in another location other than the “Downloads” folder since the application doesn’t require installation.

  3. Double-click the file to launch the application.

  4. Check the Caps lock option in the “Show icons for” section.

    CapsLock Indicator settings

    Quick note: You can also show lock indicators the “Num” and “Scroll.”

  5. Check the “Caps lock changed” option in the “Show notification when” section.

  6. Check the “Start on logon” option.

  7. (Optional) Click the Notification tab.

    Customize on-screen notifications

  8. Customize the display time, color, and overlay position for the notification.

  9. (Optional) Click the Advanced Options tab.

  10. Click the “Download icon packs” option.

    Download icons option

  11. Select one of the available icon packs to replace the default icons.

    CapsLock indicator icons

  12. Open the System Tray icons overflow menu and drag the app icon outside the menu to make it visible (if applicable).

    System Tray drag icon

Once you complete the steps, the Caps Lock indicator icon will appear in the Taskbar System Tray, and every time you turn on the caps on the keyboard, you will see an indicator.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].