What are the F1through F12 keys?
Commonly known as "function keys", F1 through
F12 may have a variety of different uses or no
use at all. Depending on the installed operatingsystem and the software program currently
open will change how each of these keys
operate. A program is capable of not only using
each of the function keys, but also combining
the function keys with the ALT or CTRL key, for
example, Microsoft Windows users can press
ALT + F4 to close the program currently active.
Below is a short-listing of some of the common
functions of the functions keys. As mentioned
above not all programs support function keys
and may perform different tasks then those
mentioned below. If you are looking for more
specific shortcut keys and function key
examples we suggest seeing our shortcut key
F1
Almost always used as the help key,
almost every program will open the help
screen when this key is pressed.
Enter CMOS Setup.
Windows Key + F1 would open the
Microsoft Windows help and support
center.
Open the Task Pane.
F2
In Windows renames a highlighted icon,
file, or folder in all versions of Windows.
Alt + Ctrl + F2 opens document window
in Microsoft Word.
Ctrl + F2 displays the print preview
window in Microsoft Word.
Quickly rename a selected file or folder.
Enter CMOS Setup.
F3
Often opens a search feature for many
programs including Microsoft Windows
when at the Windows Desktop..
In MS-DOS or Windows command line F3
will repeat the last command.
Shift + F3 will change the text in
Microsoft Word from upper to lower case
or a capital letter at the beginning of
every word.
Windows Key + F3 opens the Advanced
find window in Microsoft Outlook.
Open Mission Control on an Apple
computer running Mac OS X.
F4
Open find window in Windows 95 to XP.
Open the address bar in WindowsExplorer and Internet Explorer.
Repeat the last action performed (Word
2000+)
Alt + F4 will close the program window
currently active in Microsoft Windows.
Ctrl + F4 will close the open window
within the current active window in
Microsoft Windows.
F5
In all modern Internet browsers pressing
F5 will refresh or reload the page or
document window.
Open the find, replace, and go to window
in Microsoft Word.
Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.
F6
Move the cursor to the Address bar in
Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and
most other Internet browsers.
Ctrl + Shift + F6 opens to another open
Microsoft Word document.
F7
Commonly used to spell check and
grammar check a document in Microsoft
programs such as Microsoft Word,
Outlook, etc.
Shift + F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the
word highlighted.
Turns on Caret browsing in Mozilla
Firefox.
F8
Function key used to enter the Windows
startup menu, commonly used to accessWindows Safe Mode.
F9
Opens the Measurements toolbar in
Quark 5.0.
With Mac OS 10.3 or later shows all open
Windows.
Using the Fn key and F9 at the same
time will open Mission Control on an
Apple computer running Mac OS X.
F10
In Microsoft Windows activates the menu
bar of an open application.
Shift + F10 is the same as right-clicking
on a highlighted icon, file, or Internet
link.
Access the hidden recovery partition on
HP and Sony computers.
Enter CMOS Setup.
With Mac OS 10.3 or later shows all open
Windows for active program.
F11
Full-screen mode in all modern Internet
browsers.
Ctrl + F11 as computer is starting to
access the hidden recovery partition on
many Dell computers.
Access the hidden recovery partition on
eMachines, Gateway, and Lenovo
computers.
With Mac OS 10.4 or later hides all open
windows and shows the Desktop.
F12
Open the Save as window in Microsoft
Word.
Shift + F12 save the Microsoft Word
document.
Ctrl + Shift + F12 prints a document in
Microsoft Word.
Preview a page in Microsoft Expression
Web
Open Firebug.
With an Apple running Mac OS 10.4 or
later F12 will show or hides the
Dashboard.
F13 - F24
Early IBM computers also had keyboards
with F13 through F24 keys. However,
because these keyboards are no longer
used they are not listed on this page.
