What are the F1through F12 keys?

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.