What are the F1 to F12 keys for on a computer? – BBC News Africa

“Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for Word helps them work more efficiently,” Microsoft says.

“For users with visual or mobility impairments, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using the touchscreen and are an essential alternative to using the mouse,” the company adds in its blog post.

Apple also specifies on its website some of the functions of the “F”.

By default, Apple’s operating system has associated these keys with “special functions”, which are indicated by the icons on them, such as adjusting the screen brightness or increasing or decreasing the volume.

But you can also use them for “quick functions”. To do this, you hold down the Function (Fn) key or the globe key while pressing the “F” you want to activate. They’re especially useful if you’re using Word on a Mac.

But what are these “quick functions” and what actions do they allow?

Here is a summary of some of them.

In Windows, opens the Help menu. It also allows you to hide or show the Excel and Word options menu, as well as the Windows toolbar, if you press this key at the same time as the Control key. [Ctrl + F1].

If you click F1 + Shiftyou will see the “View Formatting” task pane.

In Apple, the key F1with the small light bulb icon, reduces screen brightness, and in Word – and pressing Fn, as explained above – undoes the previous action.

Press on Alt+Ctrl+F2 and this will immediately open the document library in Microsoft Office.

If you are in Word and using the shortcut CTRL+F2you’ll get a print preview of the file you’re working on.

In Windows Explorer, it allows you to rename a folder or a file.

And if you are using Excel and press this key, you can change the active cell.

If you use Apple, F2 increases screen brightness.

The key F3 is used to open the search function in Windows Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.

If you also press this key at the same time as the key Shiftyou will change the font state in Word to uppercase or lowercase.

On a Mac, enable or disable “Mission Control”, which provides an overview of all open windows.

And if you’re using Word on a Mac, the key F3 allows you to copy the selected content to the clipboard.

F4 allows you to place the cursor in the address bar of the browser.

And to close a window, use this shortcut: Alt + F4.

If you use Apple, the F4 key lets you enable or disable the Launch Keyboard, an easy way to find and open apps on the Mac.

And when you use the quick function in Word, you paste the contents of the clipboard.

Do you want to refresh your web browser or the folder you have open? Try pressing F5.

If, in addition to refreshing the browser, you want to clear the cache (temporarily stored data), press CTRL+F5.

If you use Powerpoint and want to start the presentation, this is also your key.

In Microsoft Office, it is used to open “Find and Replace”.

In Apple, it reduces the light intensity of the keys. And the shortcut in Word allows you to display the “Go To” dialog box.

In Windows, it is used to turn pages in a split screen in Word.

With Control and Shift [Ctrl + Shift + F6]it allows you to easily switch between Word documents.

On the Mac, it increases the light intensity of the keys.

And its quick function in Word, when accessed from an Apple computer, is to switch between document, task pane, status bar and menu bar – and also serves to include the various panes in a split screen.

Do you need spelling and grammar checking in your Word document? If you are using Windows, try this shortcut: Alt + F7. If you are using a Mac, just press the key F7 (next to Fn, so that the “quick function” is activated).

And if you need a synonym and you’re using a Windows computer, try Shift+F7 to access the thesaurus.

Apple users can also use this key to return to the previous song in iTunes.

If you are in Windows and you press F8you enable safe mode.

In Excel, enable extended mode.

And in Apple, it stops or pauses songs in iTunes.

Similarly, with Word in Apple, F8 is used to magnify a selection. For example, if you select a word, the size of the selection expands to a sentence.

This key allows you to send and receive e-mails in certain applications.

If you are using Windows, in Word and next to Control [Ctrl + F9] it is used to insert empty fields. In Apple, it updates selected fields.

Plus, on Macs, it lets you skip to the next song in your iTunes playlist.

F10 lets you highlight items in the active window. It also lets you switch to another tab and use Windows access keys or cursors.

With the Shift key [Shift+F10], it opens the Windows context menu, which is the menu that appears when you right-click on the desktop or on a file or folder. Likewise if you are using Apple (but remember to press Fn at the same time).

Also used to maximize window in Word [Ctrl + F10]with PC.

On a Mac, enable or disable audio.

Need to quickly exit and enter full screen mode on a PC? Just click on F11.

If you also press the key Shift and you are using Excel, you can automatically activate a new worksheet.

If you have Apple, use this key to reduce the audio volume. And the quick function in Word allows you to move to the next field.

To open the “Save As” function in Word, click F12.

You can also save the document directly, if you press this key at the same time as Shift or open a document if you use it at the same time as Control.

If you try all three keys at the same time [Ctrl + Shift + F12]you will open the print function.

If you use Apple, you can use F12 to increase the audio volume.