Find out how to use perform keys on Mac

Despite the fact that perform keys on Mac, or F keys, have been a staple of Apple keyboards ceaselessly, it looks like fewer persons are utilizing them as of late, and even know what they’re for. It’s time to repair that! 

Plenty of apps, nevertheless, change Mac perform key habits to boost their very own shortcuts. You possibly can even customise the perform keys your self if you must tailor the keyboard to your particular workflow. 

I’ll present you what every F key’s used for after which clarify how their performance may be expanded. 

What are the F1 by means of F12 keys on Mac?

There are 12 F keys and all of them are positioned on the very prime of your keyboard. They shouldn’t be blended with the fn button on keyboard that lives within the bottom-left nook. Perform keys aren’t thought-about to be modifier keys however keys like fn keys are. 

Each F key has a default, system-integrated perform assigned to it by default: 

• F1 decreases show brightness
• F2 will increase show brightness
• F3 launches Mission Management
• F4 opens Launchpad
• F5 decreases keyboard brightness or prompts dictation
• F6 will increase keyboard brightness or toggles Do Not Disturb
• F7 skips again audio
• F8 pauses and performs audio
• F9 skips audio ahead
• F10 mutes / unmutes
• F11 turns the quantity down
• F12 turns the quantity up

Relying in your default settings, the perform keys listing would possibly work by itself or require an fn key (a modifier perform key) to be pressed first.

Find out how to use F keys on Mac

By default, the F keys (F1 to F12) on a Mac keyboard are assigned built-in system actions.  These actions are literally printed on the keys to make them straightforward to identify. However there is a second perform of F keys that is not as apparent — app shortcuts. Utilizing these requires customizing the F keys with a modifier key (normally the fn key) or from the settings.

Customizing F keys

This principally entails customizing the F keys to hold out varied actions that you just usually carry out. Primarily, you will be repurposing them. Some apps do that by default, however the motion must be modified utilizing the fn key:

• For instance, urgent fn+F12 on Microsoft Excel will convey up the Save As dialog field. 
• Urgent fn+F5 on MS Phrase will convey up Discover and Change.

Now, if you would like to simplify utilizing the app shortcuts, you may flip the 2 functionalities of F keys. After that, you will solely have to press the F keys (with out the fn modifier) to execute app shortcuts like saving an Excel doc (F12). Growing the sound quantity will then require the fn modifier(fn+F12). On macOS, that is normally known as enabling F keys as commonplace perform keys.

If you happen to’re utilizing plenty of shortcuts that contain the F keys, it is likely to be annoying to always press the extra fn keys on a regular basis. Fortunately, you may allow commonplace perform keys to reverse the habits — so that you just’d hit fn + F1 to dim the display screen however F1 would work by itself in all of the shortcuts.

Find out how to change perform key habits

If you happen to’re utilizing plenty of shortcuts that contain the F keys, it is likely to be annoying to always press the extra fn keys on a regular basis. Fortunately, you may allow commonplace perform keys to reverse the habits — so that you just’d hit fn + F1 to dim the display screen however F1 would work by itself in all of the shortcuts.

To take action:

1. Click on the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Go to Keyboard.
3. Click on Keyboard Shortcuts > Perform Keys
4. Activate Use F1, F2, and many others. keys as commonplace perform keys.

Altering default key behaviour

Are you curious about altering the habits of extra default keys in your Mac? 

BetterTouchTool is the last word motion customization instrument to your Mac. It permits you to map any inputs to any consequent actions. You possibly can enter mouse clicks, keyboard shortcuts, trackpad gestures, Contact Bar widgets, distant triggers, and rather more — after which output any motion desired. 

All you must do is to document a brand new shortcut, then assign the motion to chose set off and also you’re good to go.

Find out how to present F1, F2, F3 … keys on Contact Bar

When you have a MacBook with a Contact Bar, you may need observed that there are not any F keys on the keyboard in any respect. It is advisable to customise the perform keys as an alternative.

There are two methods to alter Mac perform key habits with Contact Bar:

• If you happen to simply quickly wish to see F keys displayed on the Contact Bar, you may press the fn button on keyboard. 
• If you wish to know methods to use F keys on Mac with Contact Bar in a method that they present completely, you must tweak some settings. Go System Seetings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Perform Keys. Click on the “+” button so as to add apps (e.g., Microsoft Excel). As soon as added, macOS will robotically show F1–F12 keys on the Contact Bar at any time when that app is in focus.

Alos, take a look at the whole information on methods to open and use emoji keyboard in your Mac.

What’s the principle distinction between Mac perform keys and fn keys on Home windows and Linux?

If you happen to’re utilizing Home windows or Linux, perform keys (F1 to F12) are usually set to carry out commonplace shortcut actions by default — in contrast to on a Mac, the place they management system capabilities like brightness and quantity.

For instance:

• F2 renames a specific file or folder
• F4 (with Alt) closes the present window
• F7 runs spell test in Microsoft Phrase

Most Home windows and Linux laptops even have a devoted fn (perform) key. Identical to on a Mac, it’s used to change between system controls (like quantity and brightness) and commonplace F key habits — although on these methods, commonplace F keys are normally the default.

You possibly can usually customise the default habits of perform keys in your laptop computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings, selecting whether or not media controls or commonplace F key actions are prioritized.

What’s the distinction between perform keys and modifier keys?

Modifier keys in your Mac keyboard don’t do something on their very own, however solely work together with different keys. These keys are Command, Possibility or Alt, Caps Lock, Management, Shift, and fn. Though, fn has been assigned to the Character View menu currently. 

The fn key has developed in current macOS variations. Together with modifying F key habits, urgent fn by itself can now open options like Emoji & Symbols (Character Viewer) by default, and this habits may be custom-made in System Settings.

Though, F keys aren’t thought-about to be modifier keys as a result of they’re useful on their very own. By default, they dim the display screen (F1), play the following observe (F9), and many others. Even when F keys are mixed with the fn key, they’ll do one thing assigned to them individually. 

What are the advantages of utilizing mac perform keys?

Whereas most individuals usually overlook F keys (I have been responsible for the longest time), you should use these buttons to spice up your workflow considerably. The keys can do rather more than adjusting brightness that will help you get essentially the most out of the apps you usually use.

Extra productiveness, fewer clicks

You do not have to dig by means of menus or use multi-key combos to execute actions you usually carry out. For instance, as an alternative of going to the management panel to extend the sound quantity, you may simply press F12. 

Create your personal shortcuts

You do not have to stay to the default functionalities and even those that varied apps assign to those keys. You can provide F keys functionalities that assist keep away from utilizing the highest menu, whether or not that is for a selected app or all apps. For instance, on my Mac, I solely have to press F5 to shut the present tab on Safari and Chrome.

Constructed shortcuts for professional instruments and artistic apps

If you happen to use professional instruments like Adobe Premiere, Logic Professional, or Remaining Reduce, F keys are closely used to simplify varied duties. For instance, you should use them to chop clips, add markers, and leap by means of the timeline. These shortcuts require the extra fn modifier key, however you may flip the settings to solely use a single F key.

Nice for gaming too

Plenty of video games use F keys to map key actions like switching the view or saving progress. Whether or not you might be in battle mode or managing a squad, these will come in useful.

Now you understand how to make use of F keys in Mac

As you may see, benefitting from the expanded world of F keys and modifiers is extraordinarily straightforward. You simply have to be taught shortcuts. 

To save lots of time, you may attempt Keysmith and BetterTouchTool, the apps that make customized shortcuts to your Mac. Each of them are completely free for 7 days by means of the trial of Setapp, a platform with greater than 250 premium Mac and iOS instruments to resolve any drawback. For instance, conserving observe of duties with 2Do or mounting exterior drives as native ones with CloudMounter. Upgrading your Mac expertise has by no means been this straightforward!

FAQ

How do I exploit F1 to F12 keys on Mac?

By default, urgent F1 to F12 keys will perform sure system management options like adjusting brightness, quantity, and media playback. For these, you solely have to press the corresponding F key. However if you wish to use the shortcuts offered by varied apps (or customized ones), you must modify the keys with the fn key. You possibly can flip this habits in keyboard settings in case you favor to make use of shortcuts with out the modifier.

How do I allow F keys on Mac?

You needn’t allow F keys as they’re on by default. Nonetheless, you may customise them to work as common perform keys, such that you just needn’t maintain the fn key every time you must use a shortcut. 

Here is how to try this:

1. Go to the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click on Keyboard within the sidebar > Keyboard Shortcuts.
3. Click on Perform Keys within the sidebar.
4. Activate Use F1, F2, and many others. keys as commonplace perform keys.

Now, urgent a button like F1 will ship a real command. You will then have to press fn+F1 to sim your display screen.

Why are the fn keys not engaged on my Mac?

If urgent the fn key doesn’t  work on Mac, you must assign it a process (generally, it does not have a default one). Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Press fn key to. Change it from Do Nothing to Change Enter Supply, Present Emoji & Symbols, or Begin Dictation.

How do I allow the fn key?

By default, the important thing works as a modifier (it doesn’t do something by itself, nevertheless it modifications the capabilities of different keys). Nonetheless, you may allow the fn key by going to System Settings > Keyboard > Press fn key to. The accessible actions are Change Enter Supply, Present Emoji & Symbols, and Begin Dictation.