Your Guide to the Windows Function Keys

Your keyboard comes with a variety of helpful Home windows Perform keys, to the purpose the place chances are you’ll not know what every one does. This is what all of them do.


Windows Keyboard showing all keys

Your typical Home windows keyboard is split into a number of components such because the perform keys, the principle typing keyboard or typewriter keys, the directional keys, and the numeric keypad, amongst others.

Every of those keys has its perform(s). However, though the F-keys are within the entrance row of the keyboard, they’ve considerably taken the backseat, and barely get used as a result of not many individuals know their capabilities.

On this article, we’ll stroll you thru the perform keys, what they’re, and their key capabilities. So, when subsequent you hear in regards to the perform keys, it gained’t sound like Greek to you.


So, What Are the Perform Keys?

The perform keys are keys F1 to F12 (or on some keyboards, F19) situated on the high of your keyboard. You need to use them for numerous issues from getting assist to controlling your media quantity, amongst others.

Perform keys can perform alone and carry out sure single key actions, e.g. F5 to refresh a web page. They will additionally work along with modifier keys equivalent to Ctrl, Shift, and Alt to carry out particular instructions.

The perform keys are additionally programmable, that means that any developer can configure them to work any approach throughout the program or software program.

Most keyboards additionally show motion icons above some perform keys letting you already know what that key does when pressed, whereas others don’t. The latter can go away you at nighttime, however not anymore.

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Let’s now meet every perform key and most of their particular person perform(s).

F1 Key


F1 key on keyboard

  1. Additionally known as the “get assist” key, urgent F1 in most applications will open the assistance display screen or redirect you to a devoted assist part or web page.
  2. Urgent F1 in PowerPoint will get you assistance on the at present chosen command or management on the ribbon whereas urgent Ctrl + F1 will develop or collapse the ribbon.
  3. To entry the Microsoft Home windows assist web page, merely press Win key + F1 and it’ll open up in Edge when you have it put in.
  4. You may also press F1 to enter BIOS setup whereas your pc is booting.

F2 Key


F2 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F2 will provide you with the choice to rename a specific icon, file, or folder in Microsoft Home windows.
  2. In PowerPoint, in addition to different Microsoft Workplace packages, you’ll be able to entry the print preview menu by urgent Ctrl + F2.
  3. Nonetheless in PowerPoint, urgent Alt + F2 whereas in an open PowerPoint doc will open up the ‘Save As’ window.
  4. Just like urgent F1, you’ll be able to equally enter the BIOS setup by urgent F2 when your pc is booting up. You may also enter the CMOS setup utilizing F2.

F3 Key


F3 key on keyboard

  1. Whenever you press Win + F3 in Microsoft Outlook, the “Superior Discover” window will open up.
  2. Urgent F3 additionally opens the Discover device in Google Docs, amongst others.
  3. Urgent F3 opens up the search bar on browsers and Home windows file explorer.
  4. F3 will even repeat the final command entered in MS-DOS or Home windows command line.
  5. Urgent Shift + F3 in PowerPoint adjustments the highlighted textual content to all CAPS, lowercase, or preliminary CAPS accordingly. This additionally applies to Microsoft Phrase.

F4 Key


F4 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F4 opens the handle bar in an open Window.
  2. Urgent F4 closes the present web page or program.
  3. F4 additionally repeats the final motion in most applications.
  4. Urgent Alt + F4 on the desktop surroundings opens the shutdown menu.
  5. Ctrl + F4 closes the present open program.

F5 Key


F5-key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F5 refreshes the web page, desktop, folder content material, or window.
  2. Press Ctrl + F5 to force-refresh an open webpage, clear cache, and obtain web page content material once more.
  3. Shift + F5 in PowerPoint begins a slideshow from the currently-active web page.
  4. Whereas F5 in PowerPoint begins a slideshow from the primary web page.
  5. You may also press F5 when your pc is first loading MS-DOS to enter default settings.

F6 Key


F6 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F6 highlights the handle bar and tab within the energetic web page on Chrome and most different browsers.
  2. F6 selects the again and the shut tab buttons respectively in Opera. Urgent F6 twice in Edge prompts you to change tabs.
  3. Urgent F6 twice prompts Key Suggestions in PowerPoint. Urgent F6 once more reactivates the ribbon space and urgent it subsequently helps you navigate by way of key sections of the display screen. This works in all Microsoft Workplace applications.
  4. Urgent Ctrl + Shift + F6 will navigate to a different open PowerPoint doc. This additionally works throughout Microsoft Workplace applications.


F7 Key


F7 key on keyboard

  1. F7 mutes Home windows Media Participant.
  2. Urgent F7 opens the spell-checker device in PowerPoint and opens the Editor in different Microsoft Workplace applications.
  3. Alt + Shift + F7 opens the Translator device in Microsoft Workplace applications.
  4. Shift + F7 opens the Thesaurus device in Microsoft Phrase.
  5. F7 activates/off Caret Looking in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
  6. Urgent F7 prompts the Spelling and Grammar device in Google Docs.
  7. You’ll be able to view a historical past of all of the instructions entered in a specific window whenever you press F7 within the Home windows command line.

F8 Key


F8 key on keyboard

  1. F8 reduces the amount of Home windows Media Participant.
  2. In macOS workspaces, urgent F8 will show a thumbnail picture.
  3. Urgent F8 will boot Home windows into Secure Mode throughout startup.
  4. Alt+ F8 opens the Macros dialog field in Microsoft Workplace functions.
  5. Some computer systems use F8 to entry the Home windows restoration system along with a Home windows set up CD.

F9 Key


F9 key on keyboard

  1. F9 will increase the amount of Home windows Media Participant.
  2. Shift + F9 will activate/deactivate grid strains in PowerPoint.
  3. Urgent Alt + F9 will activate/deactivate “Information” strains in PowerPoint.
  4. Alt + Shift + F9 prompts/deactivates the Ruler in PowerPoint.
  5. Ctrl + F9 will enter Massive Curly Braces in Microsoft Phrase.

F10 Key


F10 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F10 activates/off “Key Suggestions” in Microsoft Workplace functions like Phrase and PowerPoint.
  2. Shift + F10 performs the right-click perform in Microsoft Workplace applications in addition to browsers.
  3. Alt + F10 prompts/deactivates the Choice device in Microsoft Workplace applications like PowerPoint and Phrase.
  4. Ctrl + Shift + F10 will launch two open PowerPoint paperwork aspect by aspect in cut up view.

F11 Key


F11 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent F11 in Chrome and different browsers will enter/exit full-screen view.
  2. Alt + F11 in Microsoft Workplace functions like Phrase and PowerPoint launches Microsoft Visible Fundamental for Purposes.
  3. Programmers use Ctrl + F11 or Alt + F11 to compile and execute code.

F12 Key


F12 key on keyboard

  1. Urgent the F12 key opens the “Save As” dialog field in Phrase, PowerPoint, and so on.
  2. Ctrl + F12 opens the “Open” dialog field in Microsoft Workplace applications.
  3. Ctrl + Shift + F12 launches Print Preview in Microsoft Workplace applications, e.g., Phrase and PowerPoint.
  4. F12 opens Chrome Developer Instruments, Firebug, and different browser’s debug instruments.
  5. Urgent F12 shows all bootable units on a pc at startup so that you can select from.

Perform Higher With Home windows Perform Keys

Now that you already know extra about Home windows Perform Keys and a few of their capabilities, it’s time to put that information to observe and get extra achieved by way of the Home windows F-Keys.

Like different keyboard shortcuts, these perform keys might help to enhance your productiveness ranges. What’s extra, if one thing ever occurs to your pc mouse, you’ll be able to all the time resort to the F-keys as an interim measure.

We’ve lined a number of keyboard shortcuts for various software program and applications that will help you do extra with out your mouse, together with the best way to perceive and use Mac keyboard symbols.


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