MacBook Pro :: Easy Way To Enable / Disable Function Keys From Toolbar
Jun 9, 2010
I commonly work with remote desktops (using Citrix) on Windows servers from my MacBook Pro. The apps I commonly use require the use of Function keys. I know I can go into System Preferences to change how they work (turning the Fn option on or off), but this is difficult to do with the frequency I need to. When I'm not remoted in, I prefer to keep my keys as the normal Mac functions. Is there a utility for my Menu Bar that will let me quickly toggle this option, without needing to go into System Preferences each time? I looked up FunctionFlip, but it does individual keys, and no longer has a Menu Bar icon.
I am having problem updating to the latest Flash player version. It kept showing "close safari" after some research, i found out that my MacBook Air has no "enable Java" function.
I purchased mine today and the firewall was off (guess that is the default setting) so i turned it on. Should i keep it on? And when clicked "on", i immediately got a window asking to allow or deny popups.app. and i clickd "deny".
I recently upgraded to Snow Leopard on my Macbook Pro (early 2008) and now my function keys are mixed up. My volume keys are now F3 and F4 for example.
I have already unchecked, �Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys� as standard function keys� in System Preferences and it didn�t fix the problem. Also, under the keyboard shortcuts tab I have clicked the �Restore Defaults� button. This also didn�t fix my problem.
Today I received a bluetooth Razr mouse in the mail today and went to connect the device as I would any other. Well when I was playing music in iTunes, the function keys to skip, pause, and every other function key does not work. The volume keys move my windows and pull up widgets. I dont know if the mouse has anything to do with it, but I imagine it doesn't because I disconnected it and the problem remains.
I bought a new MacBook Pro i5 yesterday to replace my MBP LED (2.2Ghz). The function keys on the new MBP kinda suck. I really want the one that does "Show Desktop". If you go to keyboard layout, it says that F11, F12, etc., are assigned, but seems it completely ignores them. What the F? Even if I could change the expose button to show desktop, I'd be very happy. I know you can use the 4 finger swipe, but that doesn't help while trying to drag something from the desktop into mail.
When I wake my Mac up from sleep, and attempt to change the brightness using the function keys, I see the brightness "image" pop-up on the screen, but when I try to lower it, the brightness doesn't change. The boxes quickly go down, but instantly go right back up to the original brightness. Running Mac OS X 10.6.4
The volume and other function keys aren't working as they used to. The brightness key doesn't do anything and the volume key isn't working either. I've tried to fix it on system preferences but it didn't work. They're not set to be used like normal function keys. I don't know what is happening they were working fine.
I was listening to music one day and went to pause the music using the Play/Pause (F8) key. I pressed the key and nothing happened. The forward skip and back skip keys also do not work with iTunes or any other program. I've tried resetting the key settings and restoring my Macbook Pro to a time when i remembered them working.
Info: MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)
The top row of keys on my keyboard are not working i.e. sound buttons do not adjust sound, same with brightness etc. They make a sound when pushed but the functions arent working. I have booted in safe mode and reset sound cache, I have check all settings in the keyboard section of system preferences.
I have the original model, MacBookPro1,1. I want to change my keyboard backlight keys, or F11/F12, to control iTunes. Is there any easy/free/clean way to do this? no for-pay apps, as it isn't worth money to me.
I have a 2011 (?) macbook air and ever since my trip to the genius bar for a battery issue my function keys don't work after I wake it up (just opening screen). May also be related to last firmware update?
I have checked the function key mapping in settings and they are normal. The volume key launches Expose and the brightness keys (and others) don't do anything. A reboot helps but only untill the first time I put it to sleep (close/open lid).
Just recently the music control keys (the function keys 7-9) aren't working, all the other function keys work. The music control keys do not work even if I am in iTunes or if I set it to use function keys as standard function keys then try to fn use it. I just updated to Yosemite on Tuesday, I have turned my computer off twice since then and I restarted it today. I have a Macbook pro with retina.
Info: MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)
A few minutes ago I noticed that my MBA's keyboard was not lighting up as it's supposed to. A little experimenting and I found the solution (you may kick yourself, this is so simple): The F5 key decreases keyboard brightness. The F6 key increases keyboard brightness. The icons on these two keys are the clue.
I cannot control my screen brightness using the F5 and F8 keys. The only way I can adjust it is through System Preferences. I tried just F5 fn F5, Control F5, Option F5 and Command F5 and non work.
Does anyone know of any way to toggle Spaces on and off from the Menu Bar? Sometimes I want to pull all my windows into just one space, and then go back to all spaces.
It appears that the function keys to control iTunes/Quicktime (FF, Play/Pause, and RW) are not working. At one point they did but now it doesn't. All the other function keys are functioning just fine and dandy. I have the "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" unchecked in the preferences. I looked around and there doesn't seem to be any setting that would explain the sudden malfunctioning of the keys. Is there something I may have missed?
When at home I use a 30" 2560x1600 display and as you can imagine, it has quite a bit of real estate for windows. So when I'm at home I'd prefer to not use Spaces since it doesn't give me any extra. However, at work I use a 24" 1920x1200 and when on the move I use my Macbook Pro's 1280x800 display and on those Spaces is highly beneficial. So is there any way to set up a keyboard shortcut to enable or disable Spaces so I don't have to go uncheck Enable Spaces in System Preferences?
I'm running the latest MacOS X on my new MacBook Pro. What I'd like to do is have the screensaver get automatically disabled when I view videos, and then to have it re-enabled when I am finished viewing.
Under Linux, I accomplished this by wrapping the invocation dialog of my video viewer in a script which turns off the screensaver, runs the viewer, and then turns on the screensaver again when the viewer exits. Is there a way to do something similar under MacOS X? ... maybe with AppleScript?
Yes, I know that I can manually turn off the screensaver, view the video, and the turn the screensaver back on. And I also know that I can move the mouse or interact with the keyboard periodically when viewing. However, I don't want to have to do either of these things ... I'd like this to be fully automated, if possible.
I'm switching from a PC to a Mac. I have a PC utility called "My Function Keys" that allows me to "program" the function keys to do a combination of keystrokes. For example, I can set up F9 to do a copy and F10 to do a paste, so I don't have to do the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V, or I can set up F2 to type my address, etc. Is there a similar utility for the Mac? I did find some information at this link: [URL]. Which states: iBook: How Programmable Function Keys Work. This article describes the programmable function key operation for iBook and the PowerBook (FireWire) computers. The programmable function keys were created to help simplify common, everyday tasks performed on the computer.
You can use these keys to open a browser, an email application, or any other frequently used application or server by pressing a single key. To set up a programmable function key, open the Keyboard control panel. Or, if the keys have not been programmed yet, simply pressing one of them brings up a dialog box that leads you to the Keyboard control panel. Apple has preprogrammed F1 through F6 with such common control functions as screen brightness, speaker volume, and so on. F7 through F12 can be programmed for your personal choices. To help you identify what the function keys were programmed to do, Apple includes with iBook a variety of durable stickers with preselected icons. Once the keys are programmed, you can select the stickers that will best remind you of the assigned functions.
Note: The stickers should not be placed on the keycap itself, rather above them on the iBook case. To remove the sticker, use a fingernail or other non-abrasive tool to remove them and avoid scratching the plastics. The function keys F1 through F12 can be easily reset to have primary functionality. Simply open the Keyboard control panel and select Options. Then check the box that says Use F1 through F12 as Function keys. Note: Programmable function keys are not a feature of Mac OS X 10.0. So, it appears the iBook will do what I'm looking for, but not the iMac!
