How to disable the Fn button: Laptop keyboards usually have a key labeled “Fn” (for function) that acts as a key to select the parts of the F buttons on the first row of the keyboard. These buttons control volume, screen brightness, media control, touchpad on/off, and other things. These buttons can also perform the functions of the F1-F12 keys – but not simultaneously.
By default, when you press any button in this row, it performs the Function specified for it. If you want to switch to using any of the F1-F12 buttons, you have to press the Fn button first, then the F button that you want to use, which makes it cumbersome if you use one of the F1 buttons -F12 continuously. In this case, you can disable the Fn button and use the F buttons directly through the methods we review below.
The Fn button on the keyboard changes the default behavior of the F keys, each of which performs two functions so that if you press and hold the Fn button, the F keys will respond to the essential tasks that you act on any keyboard; Then, as soon as you let go of the Fn button, the keys will perform the additional functions assigned to them by the manufacturer, as we have indicated, such as volume and brightness control. Simply put, the Fn button works with the F keys just as the Caps Lock button works with Capital Letters.
Activating the F1-F12 buttons and disabling the Fn button does not mean that you will disable their additional functions, but rather all that is in the matter is the opposite of the parts. Fn. Doing this task is simple and is usually done directly from Windows, but it may also require access to the BIOS screen. In general, we will review below all possible methods.
Enable Fn Lock
Most modern keyboards already contain the Fn Lock feature, which reverses the function of the Fn button to make the essential functions of the F1-F12 buttons the default. At the same time, you need to press and hold the Fn button in case you want to implement additional functions such as controlling the volume and so on. Usually, the Fn Lock feature is not activated by one switch. Instead, you must click multiple buttons simultaneously, depending on your keyboard.
For example, the Fn Lock key on the keyboard above appears as a secondary action to the Esc key. So to enable the feature, we need to press Fn and Esc together simultaneously. Once you do this, an LED indicator may appear on the key or a notification on the laptop screen confirming that the functions of the F1-F12 keys have been replaced. Now, if you press a key such as F5, the page will be refreshed as the primary function of this key on all keyboards in general.
Other keyboards may require a different method to enable Fn Lock. For example, on some Microsoft Surface keyboards, you can allow Fn Lock by pressing the Fn key and pressing Caps Lock simultaneously. While on the Surface Laptop 4, the Fn key activates the Fn Lock. So, it depends on the characteristics of the keyboard itself, and in any case, if this method does not work, there are other methods.
Using the Windows Mobility Center tool
Most laptop manufacturers, such as Dell, have the option to control the function of the Fn button within the Windows Mobility Center tool, which can be accessed by pressing Win + X together and clicking on the “Mobility Center” option from the menu that appears. In the window that appears, find the “Fn Key Behavior” option and select from it “Function key” instead of “Multimedia key.” As such, the functions of the F1-F12 keys are replaced to be the essential functions instead of the additional functions. But if you don’t find this option, use the following method.
Use the control application from the manufacturer
Laptop manufacturers offer a dedicated application that makes it easier for users to control the device’s functions and features and helps them solve potential problems. For example, (MyASUS), (Lenovo Vantage)(My Dell), (HP Support) Assistant, and so on. You may not have to download these applications yourself because they come pre-installed on the device; all you have to do is search for them in the Start menu, and after finding and running the application, search in the settings and options available on the option responsible for controlling the Fn button, as it allows you to replace F1-F12 keys functions easily. If we take the MyASUS application as an example, we will find this option under the “Customization” section. The Normal Fn key option can be activated to use the functions of the primary F1-F12 keys by default.
Through BIOS or UEFI settings
If none of the previous methods work, you can go to your device’s BIOS or UEFI settings screen, which includes an option to control the Fn button. But let us agree that this process differs from one device to another; for example, on our ASUS laptop, we needed to press and hold the F2 button and turn on the device while continuing to press F2 until the BIOS screen appeared. Still, your device may require pressing the Delete button or F10. Generally, if you do not know how to access the BIOS screen, review the topic How to enter UEFI mode directly from Windows. We also posted a topic on how to enter the BIOS screen on all devices so that you can refer to it.
In the BIOS screen, look for an option that controls the Fn button and change it to Disabled instead of Enabled. For example, we found this option on an Asus laptop under the Advanced section named “Fn Lock option.” In contrast, on another Lenovo laptop, we found the vote in the “Configuration” section called “HotKey Mode.” On other devices, it was called “Function Key Behavior” or ” Action Key Mode.” The names are many, but the function is the same. Once the option is set to Disabled, the F1-F12 buttons become the default. Once this change is made, press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS screen. Thus, you have disabled the functions of the Fn button on your laptop keyboard.
Also, do not forget to review the previous sections to obtain some information that may be useful to you, and do not forget to share the article with friends and include a comment below if there is any inquiry.
