Command+A which selects all items in the active window.Some examples of commands that your modifier keys are assigned to perform by default are: Like Function keys, modifier keys also work as keyboard shortcuts to frequently used commands. SEE THE BEST PRICES ON NEW MACS ON AMAZON What Do Modifier Keys Do? **F5 and F6 has no specific function attached to it by default. *To use the traditional functions of the Function keys, you have to press F1 or F2 together with the Fn key. Pressing F12 shows or hide the dashboard.Pressing F11 hides all open windows and shows the desktop instead.Pressing F10 shows all open windows for the active application.Pressing F9 launches “Mission Control.”.Pressing F8 displays thumbnails of your current work spaces.Pressing F7 lets you rewind a video that you were watching.Pressing F4 gives you quick access to business, communication and Internet tools.Pressing F3 lets you switch to “Expose” view to see all running programs or apps.Traditionally, Function keys were designed to work as shortcuts to system-related commands usually buried under convoluted menus and submenus however, since they are not frequently used by the average user, Function keys have been increasingly remapped to provide quick access to basic customization tools (like brightness or volume control) although their traditional functions have not been completely removed but simply delegated to the backseat instead.*įor example, in the current Mac keyboard design, SEE THE BEST PRICES ON NEW MACS ON AMAZON What Do Function Keys Do? The modifier keys, on the other hand, are the sets of keys that you use in combination with another key to perform specific functions like the CMD, CTRL, Caps Lock, Shift, and Option keys. sun icon for brightness and speaker icon for volume). F1, F2, F3, etc.) or an icon that signifies what they do (e.g.

The function keys are usually located at the top most part of your keyboard and are either marked with a letter F followed by a number (e.g. Among the sets of keys that the functions of which you can easily change and remap according to your needs are the function and modifier keys.

You can modify the functions of some keys, but there are some that you cannot. There are several sets of keys on your Mac keyboard that perform individual functions. If you have a lot of unused keyboard shortcuts yourself and would like to replace their functions with something that you actually use, below is a guide on how to remap keys on your Mac. When Apple designed the MacBook keyboards, they were probably thinking of which commands we will be using the most when they assigned shortcuts to specific functions, but as with everything else that is being used by millions of people, actual usage does not always align with intended purpose, so many default keys are left unused while some missing keys remain desired.

Ctrl key on mac