If you are using a Windows 10 laptop or a Gaming Keyboard you might be aware of the special function keys that you get on the top row that lead to different shortcuts to certain features or functions. Function keys allow you to do play around with a lot of stuff, you can change your brightness levels, you can adjust the volume, you can change your fan profiles and In addition to this, you can also put your laptop to sleep. These function keys come in handy sometimes however most of the Windows 10 systems also come with a specific Fn key that gives access to the normal Function Keys like F1 and F2 and disables these features.
What if you don’t want to press double keys (Fn key along with F1, F2, F3, etc) to work with the actual Function keys? Well, you can do that and disable the special features that your laptop offers via the function keys and get access to the regular function keys. However, the process to do that is kind of complicated and not as easy as you may think. Hence, in this guide, we are going to show you How to use Function Keys without pressing the Fn key on Windows 10. Without waiting further, let’s get started.
How To Use Function Keys Without Pressing Fn Key [Windows 10]
1) Use the Keyboard Shortcut
This is probably the easiest method to use function keys without pressing the Fn key however this method would only work if you have a Windows laptop with the Fn lock key on the keyboard which is hard to find on laptops these days. Once you find the Fn lock key on your laptop press the Fn Key + Function Lock key simultaneously to enable or disable the standard F1, F2, …F12 keys. Voila! You can now use the functions keys without pressing the Fn key.
2) Make use of the BIOS or UEFI Settings
Your Laptop either comes with a software that allows you to disable the function key features else you have to disable it from your BIOS or UEFI settings. Your laptop needs to boot into the BIOS mode or UEFI settings which can be accessed before starting Windows.
Whenever you are starting your laptop you may have noticed a quick screen that shows you the logo for your laptop company. To enter your BIOS Settings you have to make sure that you press F2 or F10 before that logo goes away. The shortcut is different for all laptop manufacturers so make sure you check the right key for your laptop.
Once you enter the BIOS or UEFI settings, locate to the function keys option in the system configuration or advanced settings, once you find it, enable or disable the function keys as desired.
Note: Every laptop manufacturer offers its own UEFI depending on the laptop model and you may need to search and locate the function key shortcut somewhere in the settings. Make sure you don’t change anything else in there or you may ending up with a laptop that will fail to boot.
Access UEFI From Windows Settings
For those who can’t enter your laptop’s BIOS or UEFI, you can do it from the Windows settings.
Step 1: Bring up Windows Settings by searching it in the search bar or directly opening it from the Start Menu.
Step 2: In the Settings menu, click on Update and Security and head to the recovery section.
Step 3: Click on Restart Now button and your laptop will take you to the UEFI settings.
Step 4: Click on Troubleshoot to continue with the process.
Step 5: Select Advanced Options, choose UEFI Firmware Settings and click on Restart.
That’s all. Your laptop will now take you to the UEFI settings directly and you’ll be able to make changes to the function keys. So these were the two methods to disable Fn key or using the Function keys without pressing the Fn key. If you liked this guide, make sure you share it using the social media buttons.
