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

2013-05-28T01:11:45+00:00

Excellent news - thank you for sharing this!

Sadly, I'm in the small camp of Surface Pro users for which this doesn't work. I didn't have the firmware update installed when this suggestion came in and tried both before updating as well as after to no effect. I have no pending updates at the moment but the fn lock functionality still isn't working.

I've tried fully powering the device off as well as rebooting. I haven't gone the route of reinstalling or anything but wanted to add a +1 to those looking for ideas on why this might not be working.

Is anyone aware of any kind of firmware/bios refresh or reset that could be tried?

I have a type cover - is anyone for whom this isn't working on a touch cover? I wonder if it's somehow specific to the type cover.

Thanks to all on this thread who have poked and prodded at this problem the last few months.

Randy
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