With a Windows PC, the Fn key allows quick access to convenient settings. Here are the most common controls:
Sound volume: increase, decrease or cut sound.
Brightness: adjust the intensity of the screen.
WiFi and Bluetooth: activate or deactivate wireless connections.
Multimedia control: playback, pause, next or previous piece.
Lock: lock the screen or turn off the camera.
Bonus tip: You can lock the Fn key so you don’t have to hold it all the time. On some models, use Fn – Escape or Fn – Capital Locking.
On the Mac: the reverse approach
On Mac, the keys F 1 to F 12 have secondary functions activated by default. For example, F1 and F2 directly adjust the brightness of the screen without requiring the Fn key.
But then, what is Fn for on a Mac?
It allows you to customize your shortcuts. Here’s how to do it:
Go to System Preferences.
Click Keyboard, then Shortcuts.
Add your own custom orders.
This allows you to associate a key with opening an application, such as Safari or Finder.
Use the Fn key to activate the numeric keypad
Laptops often do not have a dedicated numeric keypad. Thanks to the Fn key, some letters like J, K, L become digits. This facilitates entry, in particular for accounting tasks or access codes.
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