How to Remap the Fn Keys on macOS

This updated guide examines How to Remap the Fn Keys on macOS and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Disable the default action

The first thing we need to do is disable the default actions assigned to the Fn keys. To do this, do the following:

1. Open System Preferences on a Mac.

2. Select Keyboard.

3. From the Keyboard menu , turn on the 'Use F1, F2, etc. optionskeys as standard function keys' .

When this option is enabled, you will see that the Fn keys, when pressed, will no longer perform the usual actions.

Specify a new custom shortcut

Now, the article will assign custom shortcuts for these keys.

1. In the same window, open the 'Shortcuts' tab .

2. Using the first and second tabs, you can select a specific function you want and click the shortcut in front of it to remap that function to the Fn key.

For example, if you want to useF5to turn on / off the 'Do Not Disturb' mode, just click the shortcut in front of it and press theF5key on the keyboard.

Assign custom functions from the application menu

Assigning one of the functions listed by default to a specific Fn key is simple, but if you want to assign a custom function from the application menu, you can do the following:

1. In the 'Shortcuts' section, select 'App Shortcuts' from the left panel and click the + icon.

2. Here, you have a few options. First, you can choose to create a common shortcut for all applications that provide that functionality. In this example, the article will create a custom shortcut to enter the 'Full Screen' mode. Assuming you like it happening in all apps, select 'All Applications'. If you want to create a shortcut for a specific application, you can select that application individually from the list.

3. Now, select the exact function the shortcut should perform. Remember that shortcuts will perform specific functions from the application menu, so we need to know the exact function name.

To check this, simply navigate to the application menu and record the exact name of the function you want. Since we want the shortcut to enter full screen mode on any app when pressed, look for the option from the application menu and make a note.

The function name is 'Enter Full Screen' . Please enter this name in the 'Menu Title' section of the System Preferences tab.

4. Just specify the Fn key you want to use as the shortcut. You can specify any other key combination.

Using the instructions specified above, you can disable the default functions assigned to the Fn keys and replace them with your own custom functions.

If you want to use some of the default Fn key functions and remap a few keys for custom shortcuts, you'll need to install third-party programs to do so. The article recommends using Karabiner. This tool is free and does a good job.

In the app, you'll find the option to remap the Fn keys to perform a number of different functions as well as act as a different key. For any Fn key whose function you want to leave, do not change the setting.

However, for the key you want to change, select the specific Fn key (e.g.F8) from the list in front of it and use the instructions mentioned above to assign a shortcut to it from the keyboard settings.. Keep in mind, for this you will need to disable the 'Use F1, F2, etc.keys as standard function keys' .

It's easy to remap the Fn keys in macOS. Did you find this guide helpful? Let everyone know in the comments below!

Hope you are succesful.