How do I enable function keys to work properly?

Question

How do I enable function keys to work properly?

AT 0

The top bar of my keyboard doesn't work. The keys are mismatched, essentially. The volume button searches for words on a webpage. The brightness displays seems to reload pages. I can't keep hitting them to determine what they do because they are unpredictable and I've had to rewrite this twice.

I've done all of the basic fixes. I've tried exiting the 'Alternate Function' mode with the FN key, both by pairing it with the escape key and pairing it with the shift key, as I read. Neither worked. I tried updating my keyboard driver; Windows says I already have the best one. I try troubleshooting my keyboard in settings. It says everything is great. I am going crazy over here-I just want to use the buttons on my computer as they were intended. This is a refurbished laptop, but I've had it for about six months and cannot seem to fix it.

Horace Wiggins 535 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:43:46.75+00:00

Do you have a laptop, desktop or all in one computer? If a laptop, have you looked at your User Manual
AT 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T00:46:35.8066667+00:00

It's a refurbished laptop, so I didn't get a paper manual, and I can't seem to find anything helpful for this online. Seems like a lot of the time when this happens, it's one of the easy fixes which I tried with no success. Frustrating

1 answer

Your answer

Horace Wiggins 535 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:43:46.75+00:00

Do you have a laptop, desktop or all in one computer? If a laptop, have you looked at your User Manual
AT 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T00:46:35.8066667+00:00

It's a refurbished laptop, so I didn't get a paper manual, and I can't seem to find anything helpful for this online. Seems like a lot of the time when this happens, it's one of the easy fixes which I tried with no success. Frustrating

Answer 1

DaveM121 936.1K Independent Advisor

Windows has no control over the actions associated to the function keys (F1 - F12) on your keyboard, that is always controlled by the laptop manufacturer, because the actions vary from laptop to laptop.

If Fn + Esc does not toggle off the function lock, boot your system into BIOS, then in there search for a setting to toggle between Function keys and Action/Media keys.

If you are unable to find that setting, I need some information about your laptop model, click your Start Button, then just type msinfo and press Enter, please provide a screenshot of the resulting System Information window.

AT 0 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:36:48.91+00:00

Hi! I am struggling to enter BIOS as it seems the hotkey for this laptop is F2, one of the keys that is not working as designed. I also can't screenshot for the same reason-but I took a picture. Hopefully this helps. Thank you for helping me!
DaveM121 936.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-18T05:17:51.7566667+00:00

Sorry, I was offline.

If tapping the F2 key or Fn + F2 keys as soon as you see the Acer logo screen on startup does not get you into BIOS, that may indicate there is a hardware fault on the keyboard.

1

Open Command Prompt, then paste in this command and press Enter:

msdt.exe -id KeyboardDiagnostic

Run that Keyboard Troubleshooter to see if that can solve the problem.

2

If that does not resolve this for you

Open Device Manager

Expand the Keyboards section

Right click your keyboard and choose 'Uninstall'

Then restart your laptop.

Then test if the function keys are working to get you into BIOS.