The Mac FN (Globe) Key: Everything It Can Do

macmost.com/e-3053 The FN or Globe Key on your Mac keyboard is a modifier key that can do some special things. In addition to controlling how the F1-F19 keys work, it can also be used as a single keypress to trigger some actions, and with some letter keys to give you keyboard shortcuts to some powerful functions.
Quick Reference:
Fn+n: Notifications center
Fn+c Control Center
Fn+Shift+A: Launchpad
Fn+h: Reveal Desktop
Fn+f: Full-screen window toggle
Fn+q: Quick Note
Fn+e: Emoji and Special Character Viewer
Fn+d: Dictation
Fn+up/down: Page Up/Down
Fn+left/right: Home/End
Fn+delete: Forward delete
Fn+a: Dock focus
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00:00 Intro
01:15 With the Function Keys
02:42 Change Input, Show Emoji, Start Dictation
03:28 Change Modifier Key Options
04:10 Mission Control Shortcuts
04:50 Notifications, Control Center, LaunchPad
05:52 Show Desktop, Full Screen Mode, Quick Note
06:39 Emoji Viewer, Dictation
07:07 Page Up/Down, Home, End
07:35 Forward Delete
07:56 Control the Dock With Your Keyboard
#macmost #mactutorial

[@alexbootthanoo]

This is honestly one of the most important tech channels on KZbin. People don't need "more apps" to increase their productivity, they just need to master their operating system. And Gary seems to be one of the only tech youtubers that teaches this.

[@tomv3999]

I know Gary personally (tho I have not seen him in quite a few years). I agree with you. He's a good voice for anyone trying to master the tricks and quirks of macOS. He's a good guy.

[@Calbear707trees]

I agree. Thorough, clear and he goes in DEPTH in all things. I agree, he’s one of the best Apple Tubers out. And super informative. Guy might as well show up as a manual in each Apple product.

[@tomv3999]

I like Gary. I don't use macOS anymore, but I appreciate the work he does.

[@psoon04286]

Greetings Gary, I’ve been a subscriber for quite a while now and Im still amazed by your contents. They are a wealth of information on the MacOS. My 75 yr old brain needs as much help in learning new tricks and saving your tips and tricks makes it possible for me to overcome my computer illiteracy. Thanks, from BC🇨🇦

[@VerstedeckenAbrufenSpeichern]

the Genuine, real Professional channel for Mac to the level of Maximum productivity capability.

[@PangaeaVoyager]

I'm thrilled to discover these new function key shortcuts-what a game-changer! Your channel is a treasure trove of information. Keep up the great work! 💻

[@angusorvid8840]

Mac shortcuts are the best. It's just so easy to operate a Mac and customize it to work for you. It makes workflow a breeze. I've always believed that the more advanced and sophisticated a piece of technology is, the easier it should be to use. You shouldn't have to be a computer or rocket scientist to get things done on a computer. Mac OS is designed for human beings.

[@carolinebarlow4795]

Thanks very much, Gary, for this informative video. Learned a few new shortcuts that I had never heard of today.

[@georgee3401]

Excellent tutorial. As usual, I learned a great deal here. Many thanks!

[@richardbruning]

After many many years on the Mac, I always learn something new from Gary!

[@bobcleaver]

brilliant !! incredibly useful to now have another modifier key and dock manager, thank you !!

[@dedos-pima]

Thanks, your info is much appreciated!

[@davideliahou5249]

Excellent video once again. I learned so many things. Not only do you bring a lot of knowledge but you also are very clear in your explanation. Thanks so much.

[@wbshappy1]

Love your videos! I'm a new user, and learn so much from you! Thank you so much!

[@ChromeJob]

FN C has one value that I've been using a lot lately … a quick look at _details_ in the Control Center, e.g. exact percentage of the battery, status of Wifi, sound, etc. Click, glance, click away. :)

[@jimarger8533]

Thanx coach. Once again learned something from my visit.

[@mihailskulbanskis6541]

fn+A rocks! Many thanks, Gary!

[@johnodwyer5938]

I have learnt so much from this channel. Everything that you put out is pure gold. Thanks for all the great info.

[@tomv3999]

He does good work.

[@donlibes]

Great explanations! According to System Report, I have an Apple Pro Keyboard but it must be quite old because the key (next to the "home" key) is labeled "help" rather than "fn" and Sonoma doesn't respond to it. But I used your suggestion to repurpose the (otherwise useless) caps lock key. I now have globe key functionality. Thank you!

[@desertpatient]

Thanks bunches

[@scott5x5]

You're the best for learning about the things you didn't know that you didn't know!

[@neodevils]

Knowing that fn + Delete will be useful for coding. I was actually looking for that cause doing with Command + Delete is kinda bad since I have to go to end of the line. Thanks Gary.

[@geekmeee]

Thanks Gary. I just added Option/Spacebar to bring up LaunchPad. Apple Logo in the upper left, System Settings. Did a Search for Keyboard (which displays several matches) Along the left, I selected the Fifth display 'Keyboard Shortcuts.' Selected 'LaunchPad and Dock' at the top. Window to the right, I clicked on 'Launch Pad' in the list. Then where the keys are displayed (it was empty) I clicked to reveal a text box. Entered in Option and Spacebar. Closed System Settings, voila!. I didn't know about the Search availability in LaunchPad. I don't see any reason to use anything else! Thanks again Gary.

[@Joebnx1]

Oh so helpful once again! Very necessary info should you find your not so magical “Magic Mouse” is in need of a charge thus rendering it useless while it lays on its side to charge. This way you really can get stuff done without it. Thanks again!

[@JorgeCPani]

Gracias por los subtítulos en español!!

[@macmost]

It must be KZbin doing those. Hope they are OK.

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very useful and informative video tutorial today! Thank you, Gary!👏🏻❤️

[@seattlebeard]

You have been a lifesaver for me. :o)

[@scottboettcher1344]

Another one of your videos I've bookmarked to watch again in a week; lotsa info here. Thanks Gary!

[@artysanmobile]

Great stuff here, Gary. Sorry if I missed this, but for those thinking “how will I ever remember...“ hold FN key for over a second while in any app including Finder and a full categorized menu overlays itself onto the bottom of the screen -in iPadOS at least - showing all it’s modifier key uses. A short press dismisses the menu.

[@macmost]

That's an iPad thing.

[@MarcioDuarteFilho]

How can I use this menu with the functions in my MacBook like I use in iPad

[@macmost]

@@MarcioDuarteFilho On macOS you have the Menu Bar. Look in the Menu Bar at the different commands there and you'll see the keyboard shortcuts listed alongside them.

[@MarcioDuarteFilho]

i want to se all the short cuts in my Mac like my iPad when I press the fn(globe) @@macmost

[@macmost]

@@MarcioDuarteFilho There are some third-party apps that can do something like that (I don't use those) but keep in mind that to see ALL of the available shortcuts would be overwhelming. There can be so many in any given situation.

[@rupertspencer6382]

A tip. If you are using a 3rd party keyboard without a FN key you can map another key for that. I never use Caps Lock so I mapped that to my FN key. You can do that in Settings under Keyboard>>Keyboard Shortcuts>>Modifier Keys

[@dannyize]

Thank you for that tip. And thanks to Gary! Keychron K2 Pro user here.

[@macmost]

See 4:00 in the video where I show it.

[@rupertspencer6382]

@@macmost Ah, I missed that somehow.

[@jbcarle]

Very helpful. Could you do a vid for iPad and Magic Keyboard?

[@macmost]

What about them? What are you looking to learn?

[@jbcarle]

@@macmost I would like to see what the globe key does on the iPad Magic Keyboard. While I have a MacBook, I do a lot on my iPad.

[@SandyBarnes-xu5ll]

Hi stupid question but why do I have a globe/world icon on my Mac? What is it for? Thanks

[@macmost]

You'll need to be more specific. Where, exactly, do you see it?

[@OerythiaDeQuatrefages]

Thank you very much. All the functions on my Fn Key works beside the "Fn+q: Quick Note", how could it be ?

[@macmost]

Not sure what you mean. The FN+Q isn't working? Did you check in System Settings, Keyboard, Keyboard Shortcuts, Mission Control to see if you disabled it or changed it?

[@CanDoSo_org]

Hi, Gary. Could you please show us how to show the keystrokes on screen? Many thanks.

[@macmost]

Do you mean like I have in my tutorials? That's a function of my screen recording and editing software, ScreenFlow.

[@CanDoSo_org]

Thanks Gary. Can any app do so?@@macmost

[@macmost]

@@CanDoSo_org Not sure what you mean. I'm talking about a specific screen recording app, ScreenFlow. That's what I use. If you need something that shows your keystrokes on the screen that is not ScreenFlow, search in the App Store and I think there are some options.

[@javtimestwo]

Once again I learned something new here with the FN key. I have the M2 MBA and it features the FN key. All this time I pressed the key and held it down thinking the emoji's would appear. I had no idea I was pressing the key incorrectly 🤦🏽‍♂ Gary, you mentioned you don't use the CAPS LOCK key. Is there a reason for that and how do you type capital letters without that key?

[@macmost]

The normal way: hold the Shift key down and type the letter that needs to be capitalized? Are you saying you press Caps Lock, type the letter, and then press Caps Lock again?

[@eduardomarqu-es]

Hi, Gary. How are you? Thanks for producing videos like these! If you don't mind, I'd like your help. I've been having an issue for a few months now and can't seem to resolve it. Often, when I press the globe key (which is set to bring up the emoji window), nothing happens. I need to press it two or even three times for the window to appear. It seems to be some sort of software bug, as I've tested remapping this key to another function, and it works fine. The problem seems to be with the emoji window itself. Have you seen or heard anything similar about this issue? I've tried a lot of things to fix it, without success (such as deleting preference files, disabling function key settings, among other things).

[@macmost]

Sorry, I don't know what could be causing that. Try a restart. If that doesn't work, then you'll need to talk to Apple Support.

[@eduardomarqu-es]

@@macmost When I restart everything works fine for a short period of time. I have already tried to contact Apple’s support but they also don’t know how to help, unfortunately. I will continue with my tests. Thanks!

[@wbshappy1]

I would like a transcript of what you talk about in this video, but dictate won't do it as you speak. Also, dictate on MAC seems to have a time length. is there anyway to change that?

[@macmost]

There is a transcript right here at KZbin. There is also one if you click the link at the beginning of the description and go to my site, right under the video. No need to have your Mac re-dictate it.

[@afdanarcho4629]

I just f11/F12 /volume up/down)as "regular" FN keys... but the completly REST for my OWN use.... how is that possiblity?

[@macmost]

Sorry, I don't understand. "rest for my own use?"

[@davidpurple3698]

Thanks - but confusing

[@Papa-hs6yg]

Not on point, but something that I haven’t seen and feel compelled to point out dictation via accessibility is far better than dictation via keyboard icon

[@SandyBarnes-xu5ll]

Task bar bottom

[@JESK55]

Elgato Stream Deck is the way to do this!!! You can label and program keys easily.

[@macmost]

What do you mean by "this?"

[@JESK55]

Elgato gives you up to six free keys on your iPhone. If you set up a ‘profile’ for Keynote, you can now have multiple pages in use with as many keys as you want. You can set the keys up so that these shortcuts you’re talking about are labeled on the key so you don’t have to memorize them. You can just glance at the key and see what shortcut is available.

[@macmost]

@@JESK55 OK, not sure what this has to do with the FN/Globe key, sorry.

[@JESK55]

Shortcuts R Easy with labeled (programmable) keys 😂🎉😊

[@zoltanzana]

@@JESK55 Sorry, but it has nothing to do with the aim of this video: The Mac FN (Globe) Key, Everything It Can Do

[@MaiElizabeth]

I already know great deal about 🌐 key but still I don't really use it 😂

[@Brineytoes]

Too much information given too fast to be any kind of a tutorial. I will have to look for something a lot less rapid that offers step-by-step instruction, but thanks for making me aware that the fn key can do so much more. You didn’t say whether all that works on the iPad, either, which is where I use my Magic Keyboard. I don’t like my Mac and don’t use it.

[@tomv3999]

Bottom left corner should be the control key. The "fn" key is rarely used so dear god put it somewhere else.

[@87detto]

As the bottom row is hard to reach with the pinky finger, the rarely used fn key actually sits at the correct position. Most keyboard nerds remap their control key to the caps lock position because it's easier than the bottom corner.

[@macmost]

On the keyboard with numeric keypad, the FN key is with the Home/End/Page buttons. On the smaller keyboard and MacBooks it is at the bottom left. I think this video shows how much it can do so it isn't true for everyone (most?) that it is "rarely" used.

[@tomv3999]

@@macmost Yes. It is one reason I liked the Apple external keyboard.

[@tomv3999]

@@macmost I get that. I just don't use the Fn key much so I would like it out of the way. I am currently on a System76 Lemur Pro. I appreciate that the Fn key is not the bottom-left key. I want it accessible since I do use it, but I use it rarely. Adjust sound, display brightness, etc. The control key, however, I use 14,000 times a day. (exaggerating, of course)