KNOWING YOUR FUNCTION KEYS.

This post is intended to educate you to expose you to the functionality of the Function Keys in your Keyboard. Most of us have these keys but have rarely used them as form of shortcut while working, it is quite important and makes working on PC faster and easier and provides means of resolving issues that pop out once in while.

Function Keys, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12

F1

If you are in an application and you press this key, you will get its help file. Suppose you are not in Windows Explorer or Desktop, you press this key you will get Windows Help file. Suppose you are in an application, and you want windows help file, press windows key + F1, you will get windows help file. F1 + in combination with other keys:

SHIFT + F1 = Start context-sensitive help or reveal formatting (What is this? help)

ALT + F1 = Go to the next field

ALT + SHIFT + F1 = Go to the previous field

CTRL + ALT + F1 = Display Microsoft system information

For formatting characters and paragraphs:

CTRL + SHIFT + F1 = Change the font

F2

You select a program on your Desktop (icon) and press this key. You will be allowed to rename that program. The same function you can also perform by Right Clicking the mouse and in the resultant memo you will have the option to rename the program.

SHIFT + F2 = Copy Text

CTRL + F2 = Choose the print preview command (file menu)

ALT + SHIFT + F2 = Choose the save command (file menu)

CTRL + ALT + F2 = Choose the open command (file menu)

F3

ALT + F3 = Create an auto text entry box appears.

SHIFT + F3 = Change the case of the letters.

F4

F4 = Repeat the last action

SHIFT + F4 = Repeat a Find or Go To action

CTRL + F4 = Close the Window

ALT + F4 = Quit the word program

F5

SHIFT + F5 = Move to previous revision

CTRL + F5 = Restore the document window size

CTRL + SHIFT + F5 = Edit a bookmark

ALT + F5 = Quit the word program

F6

SHIFT + F6 = Go to the previous pane or frame.

CTRL + F6 = Go to the next window.

CTRL + SHIFT + F6 = Go to the previous window

F7

Users have no use of this key in Windows. But in MS Word if you press this key, you will get spelling command (Tools menu),

SHIFT + F7 = Choose the Thesaurus command (Tools > Language menu),

CTRL + F7 = Choose the move command (Control menu),

CTRL + SHIFT + F7 = Update linked information in a word source document.

ALT + F7 = Find the next misspelling or grammatical error. The ‘Check Spelling as you

Type check box must be selected. ( Tools menu, options dialog box, spelling and grammar tab)

F8

When you press this key while booting the system, you will get the start up menu. You may enter Safe Mode. While installing windows, you press this key to accept Linux. Suppose some additional information is being available at the push pin, you can press this key to see the information or you can hide the same.

When you are in MS Word, to extend the selection, press this key.

SHIFT + F8 = Shrink the selection

CTRL + F8 = Choose the size command (document control menu)

CTRL + SHIFT + F8 = Extend a selection or block (then press an arrow key)

ALT + F8 = Run a macro

F9

Users have no use of this key in Windows, but if you press this key in MS Word you will update the selected fields.

SHIFT + F9 = Switch between a field code and its result.

CTRL + F9 = Insert an empty field.

CTRL + SHIFT + F9 = Unlink a field

ALT + F9 = Switch between all field codes and their results

ALT + SHIFT + F9 = Run GoButton or Macrobutton from the field that displays the field results.

F10

Users have no use of this key in Windows, but if you press this key in MS Word you can activate the menu bar.

SHIFT + F10 = Display a short cut menu.

CTRL + F10 = Maximize the document window.

CTRL + SHIFT + F10 = Activate the ruler.

ALT + F10 = Maximize the program window

F11

If you press this key, you will enter the ‘Full Screen’ mode in IE. This mode is otherwise called ‘KIOSK’ mode.

In MS Word, if you press this key you will go to the next field.

SHIFT + F11 = Go to the previous field.

CTRL + F11 = Lock a field

CTRL + SHIFT + F11 = Unlock a field

ALT + F11 = Display Microsoft Visual Basic Code.

ALT + SHIFT + F11 = Display Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

F12

Users have no use of this key in Windows. But if you press this key in MS Word you can choose the Save as command (File menu).

SHIFT + F12 = Choose the Save command (File menu).

CTRL + F12 = Choose the Open command (File menu).

CTRL + SHIFT +F12 = Choose the print command (File menu)