Windows 10: How to toggle between fn keys doing f1-f5 or brightness/volume

Hello,

I own an HP Envy Notebook PC (datasheet here: Page Not Found | HP® Official Site). At the moment, pressing the f1-f2 keys activates their secondary function, so for example turning the brightness/volume up/down. As an avid gamer, using the f-keys is beneficial sometimes, but the only way I can find to swap the f-keys from brightness/volume to the actual f-keys is by rebooting, going into the BIOS, and changing the configurations in there. Is there a simpler way to do it on my computer without having to restart?

:)

 

FN Button

FN stands for 'function' and it refers to the function keys at the top of your keyboard: F1, F2, F3, etc.

If your keyboard has a FN key, you can use it to toggle between two choices for a given function key. For example: On my keyboard, if I press the F5 key by itself my screen refreshes, which is the Windows default for F5. But if I press F5 and FN at the same
time, my computer opens a Search box.

 

Just the fn key, not the F1 or the F12! Don't drag this out.

It does nothing to the backspace key, Tab etc.

Normally only found on laptops, in most cases it will be coloured. F1 to F12 will have a small pictogram in a matching colour indicating things like Wireless, Numlock, Brightness, Volume up/down, Play/Pause.

By default the particular F key will perform the task indicated by the pictogram when the Fn key is held and the function key pressed (lower case "n" is a common mathematical term for a number in a range). There is no fixed function for each key, Dell for
years used Fn + F5 to switch which screen was to be used and each manufacturer uses their own mix.

On many laptops the BIOS has a toggle setting, the extra function being available by pressing Fn or the function (i.e. F1 = Help) needs the Fn key.

Because it only activates the pictogram it will not do anything with other keys without one.

 

According to HP Notebook PCs - Disable The Fn + Function Key Combination on Certain Models | HP® Customer Support when you set the action key mode to 'disabled' in the bios they function as normal F1-F12 keys, but work as action keys when you hold down the Fn key. The Fn key effectively acts as a 'shift' key for the function keys. Does this work for your model?

 

If you haven't already check the following to see if you any Fn Key options ...
Control Panel > Keyboard > Hardware Tab > Options
Control Panel > Windows Mobility Center.

Note: Didn't see it for you laptop, but watch out for Fn Key Lock (Fn Key+Esc) ... it has bitten me in the butt more than once *Smile

 

Ideally I'd like to not have to press the fn key to use the actions as opposed to the functions. Rather I'd just like to toggle fn lock on or off. A metaphor would be holding the shift key to write capital letters when I really just want a caps lock key.