How to lock and unlock the Fn key in Windows

 If you find yourself constantly needing those functions, here are some easy ways to lock (or unlock) the Fn key on Windows.

1. Lock or unlock the Fn key using the keyboard

On some keyboards, the Esc key serves as the Fn (Function) lock key, usually indicated by a small padlock icon above the Esc key. To lock the Fn key on these keyboards, press the Fn and Esc keys at the same time.

The lock icon will light up to indicate that the Fn key is locked. To unlock, press the Fn and Esc keys again.

2. Lock or unlock the Fn key from the BIOS menu

The BIOS menu on your PC allows you to change various system settings, such as boot order, hardware configuration, and power management options. Here's how you use it to lock or unlock the Fn key:

1. Use your preferred way to boot your PC into Windows Recovery Environment.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options .
3. Click on UEFI Firmware Settings and press Restart on the following screen.
4. When the BIOS menu opens, go to the System Configuration section and select Action Key Mode .
5. Turn off Action Key Mode .
6. Additionally, in the Advanced tab , access Function Key Behavior .
7. Select the Function Key option to lock it.
8. Press F10 to save changes, then press Yes when the prompt appears.

If you don't plan to use the Fn key, you can also disable it using the KeyTweak application.

3. Lock or unlock the Fn key through Windows Mobility Center

Windows Mobility Center is a useful tool for configuring common settings such as your PC's brightness and volume. You can also use it to lock or unlock the Fn key. Note that this method may not work if you do not have a Function Key Row section in Mobility Center.

1. Open Windows Mobility Center using the search menu.
2. Locate the Function Key Row section .
3. To lock the Fn key, select the Function key option in the drop-down menu. To unlock, select the Multimedia key option .

Why should you lock or unlock the Fn key?

The F1 - F12 keys at the top of the keyboard can perform two functions. Individually, they perform one action but can perform different actions when pressed together with the Fn key.

When using a secondary function, you must press the Fn key along with any function key each time you want to perform a specific operation. But if you don't want to do that, use any of the methods above to permanently lock the Fn key.

Kareem Winters

Update 16 July 2024