This Key on Your Mac Is Full of Hidden Shortcuts
When it comes to keyboard shortcuts on Mac , the focus is often on Command, Control, Option, and Shift. However, there is another useful key with great shortcuts – Fn, aka the function key. It’s a button with a globe icon in the bottom left corner of your Mac’s keyboard. Reddit user u/balanaicker highlighted these shortcuts in a post for r/macOS, and they are really useful:
- Fn + c : Opens Control Center on your Mac.
- Fn + e : Launches the emoji picker. If you have a writing application or text form selected, an emoji picker will appear next to your cursor. If not, it will appear in a small floating window. (May depend on the application.)
- Fn + delete : Allows you to perform direct delete, which means you can delete characters to the right of the cursor. This is the opposite of the Delete key on your Mac’s keyboard.
- Fn + q : Launches Apple Notes and opens a new Quick Note or opens the last Quick Note.
- Fn + f : Toggles the app to full screen in the foreground. If the app is already full screen, it will change it to a regular window.
- Fn + Shift + A : Opens the launcher, where you can see all the apps installed on your Mac and quickly launch them.
- Fn + n : Shows or hides the notification panel.
- Fn + h : Hides all open windows and allows you to see the wallpaper and dock. You can click it again to return all windows to their original position.
- Fn + Up Arrow : This is an alternative way to use the Page Up key and works because most Macs don’t have this key. It allows you to quickly scroll up the page.
- Fn + Down Arrow : This is similar to pressing Page Down, which scrolls down quickly.
- Fn + Left Arrow : Replaces the Home key and scrolls to the top of the page.
- Fn + Right Arrow : Replaces the End key to scroll down.
- Fn + a : Selects the dock. You can then use the arrow keys to select applications and press Return to launch any application. This is a way to browse the Dock using your keyboard.
- Fn + d : Lets you start dictation on Mac.