Use your function keys as usual, on aluminium Apple keyboard

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Hi chaps and chapesses!.

Have you just bought one of those gorgeous new, Aluminium Apple keyboards, but don't like the pre-assigned expose/dashboard etc keys?. Well I am going to tell you how to use the Function keys (F1-F19) *without* having to hold down the [fn] key, first:

1/ Make sure you have downloaded and installed the keyboard update for Mac OS X; Goto "Software Update" to do this. I think I had to reboot after, so you MUST do so, before continuing further!.

2/ Goto "System Preferences", and click "Keyboard and Mouse":

SysPrefs.png


3/ Next, tick the box that you see below:

AlumKBFNcopy.png



...and then close "System Preferences". The only dedicated keys I can't get to work after doing this, are the VOL UP and VOL DOWN buttons, but otherwise, Expose is remapped to F9/F10/F11, Dashboard to F12 etc etc, as if you're using the last generation Apple Keyboard. The eject key works as normal, since that is ALWAYS hard wired to EJECT.

I hope you found this useful; if so, please let me know. Thanks.
 

dtravis7


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I ran into that also. Works great. Only bad thing is the symbols on the new keys will disagree, but if you are used to the old layout, it would work great. Thanks for posting it.
 
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so if you do that how do you do the volume then if the volume no longer works?
also, what possessed apple to change the keys??
 
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so if you do that how do you do the volume then if the volume no longer works?
also, what possessed apple to change the keys??

Use the mouse to change it, and ask Apple. I love the keyboard; there are absolutely NO issues with using one, and I can't see why everyone complains about it. What would you rather; new, more ergonomic (and beautiful) keyboard, or RSI injuries?!.

Whiners unite - it's not exactly hard to use; you just... ermm.... type!.
 
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Why not copy your first post and submit it to faq submissions?
 
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glosswhite
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Hi chaps and chapesses!.

Have you just bought one of those gorgeous new, Aluminium Apple keyboards, but don't like the pre-assigned expose/dashboard etc keys?. Well I am going to tell you how to use the Function keys (F1-F19) *without* having to hold down the [fn] key, first:

1/ Make sure you have downloaded and installed the keyboard update for Mac OS X; Goto "Software Update" to do this. I think I had to reboot after, so you MUST do so, before continuing further!.

2/ Goto "System Preferences", and click "Keyboard and Mouse":

SysPrefs.png


3/ Next, tick the box that you see below:

AlumKBFNcopy.png



...and then close "System Preferences". The only dedicated keys I can't get to work after doing this, are the VOL UP and VOL DOWN buttons, but otherwise, Expose is remapped to F9/F10/F11, Dashboard to F12 etc etc, as if you're using the last generation Apple Keyboard. The eject key works as normal, since that is ALWAYS hard wired to EJECT.

I hope you found this useful; if so, please let me know. Thanks.
 

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