Computers, Laptops & Tablets Apple How to Use the F Keys on a Mac Take advantage of your Mac's function keys by Brenna Miles Writer Brenna Miles is a technology writer with a B.A. in Business Management and HR Management. She's been writing about technology for 6+ years. our editorial process Twitter LinkedIn Brenna Miles Updated on January 12, 2020 Apple Macs iPad Tweet Share Email Located at the top of your Mac keyboard is a collection of keys that feature an F followed by a number, 1-12. These keys, known as Mac function keys, enable you to change certain settings and reach Mac features quickly, with the press of a couple of keys. If you're the owner of a Mac, it's time to learn what each of these keys can do. Kohei Hara / Getty Images Why Use Mac Function Keys? If you've ever used a keyboard shortcut, you know how simple and fast it is. The time it takes to move your hand to your mouse or trackpad and navigate to the action you wish to take is cut short thanks to the shortcut. The function keys work the same exact way, saving you time as you work, surf the internet, or game. Some apps allow you to customize the function keys to fit your preferences. You can also change your function keys to match your own shortcuts by remapping them. If there's an action you take often using your Mac, the functions key can help. Do you have a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016 and later) or a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports and later)? If so, your physical function keys are replaced by the Touch Bar, which changes automatically based on the apps you're using. How to Use a Windows Keyboard With Your Mac The Function of Each F Key Mac Function Keys F1 Reduce the screen's brightness F2 Increase the screen's brightness F3 Activates Expose view, which shows you every app that's running F4 Showcases your apps or opens the dashboard for access to widgets F5 For back lit keyboards, F5 decreases the keyboard's brightness F6 For back lit keyboards, F6 increases the keyboard's brightness F7 Restarts a music track or jumps to the previous track F8 Plays or pauses a music track or other content F9 Skip a music track or fast forward F10 Mute F11 Reduces volume F12 Increases volume How to Use the Mac Function Keys By default, the function keys are ready to use without any other keystrokes. Simply press the key to activate the function you need to perform. The function will automatically activate. You can also use other shortcuts such as modifier keys to save even more time as you work and play. However, if you wish to change this, you can use System Preferences to enable standard function keys. How to Enable Standard Function Keys On your Mac, click Launchpad > System Preferences. From there, click Keyboard, then click Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys. Now, you'll need to press the Fn key in the lower left corner of your keyboard plus the corresponding function key to complete an action.