Use Your Free USB-C Port. Apple made a neat design decision to integrate a USB-C port into the side of the Magic Keyboard. This lets you power your connected iPad Pro via pass-through. Mac users can configure the top row of keys to work as standard function keys without holding the Fn key. Select “System Preferences” from the Apple menu and click “Keyboard.”. These function keys are labeled F1 through F12/F19 (how many you have depends on your keyboard), along with an Escape key and an Eject key that looks like a triangle on top of a horizontal line. By default, every Mac has already assigned commands to the F8 through F12 function keys F8: Displays thumbnail images of all workspaces. On keyboards made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows logo key instead of Command. Some keys on some Apple keyboards have special symbols and functions, such as for display brightness, keyboard brightness, Mission Control, and more.
- Apple Keyboard Function Keys Keyboard
- Apple Keyboard Function Keys Functions
- Apple Magic Keyboard Function Keys Windows 10
Generally, the Mac recognizes the keyboard and knows what graphics are printed on the functions keys and maps things accordingly. Does your keyboard have volume up/down on the keyboard? If so, is System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Keyboard tab -> [_] Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys, check or unchecked? What happens if you toggle it to the opposite state?
If that doesn't work, you may be able to write an Automator service, and then use System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts to bind the service to a function key.
If you are willing to install a hotkey utility, many of them have built-in functions for things like volume, brightness, start/stop, fast forward/back, etc.. that can be bound to a function key. I am partial to BetterTouchTool
![Apple keyboard function Apple keyboard function](https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2019/03/lenovo-thinkpad-l390-yoga-keyboard-detail-100792173-orig.jpg)
<http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/32953/bettertouchtool>
partially because of its hotkey support, but mostly because of its Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse enhanced gesture support. But I also like its window snap features for full screen, half screen and quarter screen. If you have Trackpad, I think BBT is an essential addition.
Jul 5, 2014 6:41 PM
If you own a new Apple magic keyboard or extended keyboard you may not realise how to use those extra function keys on the top right of the keyboard. You can set them up to launch and control applications. For example I have my f-19 key set up to toggle my Dragon Dictate microphone and I have f-18 set up to launch my Google Calendar calendar in a specific browser.
Latest apple mac os update. There are various ways to set up a shortcut. Let’s go from the simplest (although limited) to the most versatile (but complex).
Within the app
Some applications allow you to set up your own shortcuts. You just go to Preferences in the app and you can select your own shortcuts from there.
System Preferences
Apple Keyboard Function Keys Keyboard
If you go to System Preferences/Keyboard there’s a tab that allows you to customize many system keyboard shortcuts. Here you can see I have set my F-1 and F-2 keys to adjust the screen brightness. But you can also use the extended function keys like F16, F17 etc.
Launch Apps or URLs
Apple watch series 3 unlocked. You can launch applications or URLs directly from a function key.
The Apple way to do it is to set up an automator function and then assign it to a service and then assign that to a function key. I find that far too complex so I use an app called ‘Keyboard Maestro’. It allows you to set any key to launch any application or URL.
Here is what it looks like: (This shortcut opens my Google calendar.)
Applications that won’t let you assign function key
There are some applications that will let you set a keyboard shortcut using a modifier key (e.g. command-shift-key) but they won’t let you assign a function key directly to their shortcuts. The workaround for these applications is to use Karibiner Elements to remap your function key to a different shortcut. Creating your own complex modifications is a little tricky, I’ll leave you to read about it here:
Apple Keyboard Function Keys Functions
Here is an example of where I have used Karibiner Elements to remap my f-19 key to shift-option-command-9 so that I can then assign a shortcut in Dragon Dictate to turn the microphone on and off:
Apple Magic Keyboard Function Keys Windows 10
So there you have it. Using Keyboard Maestro and Karibiner Elements you can map any key to any shortcut and even launch Applications or URL’s using function keys. What type of software is excel.