Function keys for the Surface RT - how can I use the F2 key without holding down the "Fn" button?

Anonymous

The keyboards that come with the Surface both lack a row of independent function keys, and while I know that I can hold the "Fn" key down and then press the "lower volume" button to get F2, there has to be a better way to do this. F2 and F4 are literally the most important keys in excel for me, and I don't want to hold down the "Fn" key every time I need to use the function keys. Can I turn on function lock somehow or possibly create a shortcut such that the "lower volume" button works as F2?

If not, the Windows Surface seems pretty worthless for financial and consulting professionals. I want the Surface to succeed - please tell me that Microsoft didn't overlook this issue.

Thanks

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Anonymous

Sorry to revive an old thread, but the solution for this is to press "Fn + Caps Lock", which acts as a toggle between using the function keys as F# keys and the labelled action.

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Anonymous

Fn+:

Up: Page Up

Down: Page Down

Left: Home

Right: End

Space: PrtScrn (only way to do a focused app shot using a blade is is Fn+Alt+Space)

Del: Bright Up

Backspace: Bright Down

CapsLock: FnLock

Woah! Sweet, thanks for the list! I had been using the snipping tool because I didn't know about the Fn + Space keyboard shortcut to get the Print Screen button. Awesome! :D

You'd think the brightness buttons on F1 F2 would be for the screen and the more obscure button combinations would be for the keyboard backlight...

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Anonymous

Thank you. I should have checked here long ago. Works perfectly.

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Anonymous

If you toggle the FnLock by hitting FnCaps, then the F1-F12 keys become F keys as their primary.

What you guessed is correct. When FnLock is engaed, the old functions now become their Fn behavior. Thus if you had FnLock engaged, and then hit Fn+F3, you would get Mute.

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Anonymous

press Fn + Caps Lock to toggle between the Fn key being active/inactive. this should fix your problem.

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Anonymous

Greetings Piaqt,

When you pressed Fn + CAPS, it enabled FN Lock which stays on. To disabled it, press and hold FN + CAPS for 2-3 seconds and it should disabled, and allow normal keys (mute) to work again.

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Anonymous

Hi there Mr. Harry Potter.

Thanks for your post. We appreciate the feedback and more importantly are glad to hear you are happy with the latest updates and improvements to Surface! Please let us know if you have any questions that we can help you with.

Kindest Regards.

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102 additional answers

Anonymous

2013-07-03T00:56:15+00:00

Thank you Mark,

I had seen a similar suggestion as a solution in this or another post, and tried it with no success prior to the Win 8.1 RT Preview update. After seeing your reply tonight, with the update installed, I tried it with 100% success. Finally, MS, thanks for looking out for the RT. And thank you Mark for the reminder.

Problem solved.

Update;

I remember when your post for this solution was up, and only reflected Surface Pro machines. That next day I tried it on a Pro with no success. I realized that that particular Pro machine did not have all its update patches, but did not think much of it. In retro, I believe a patch was sent to the Pro for this fix, and possibly was included in the latest 8.1 or as an update patch for RT.

Nevertheless, thanks again.
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