F1 to F12 function keys on a keyboard: Do you know what they all do?

Answer 1

have a list of keyboard shortcut .http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301583

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/tipsandtricks/keyboard_shortcuts_windows_xp.htm

hope you find this useful

Answer 2

That would depend on what software you are running at the time. Often many of them don't do anything. In general F1 is used as the Help key, the others can be assigned by the software to provide shortcuts for functions within the program.

Answer 3

F1 is normally "help" and the F12 key usually functions within the program that you are running. Go to the following link for more info on "F" keys.

Answer 4

In the Mac OS up to Mac OS 9, the function keys could be configured by the user, with the Function Keys control panel, to start a program or run an AppleScript. Mac OS X assigns default functionality to F9, F10, and F11 (Exposé); F12 (Dashboard); and F14/F15 (decrease/increase contrast). On newer Apple laptops, all the function keys are assigned basic actions such as volume control, brightness control, NumLock (since the laptops lack a keypad), and ejection of disks. Software functions can be used by holding down the Fn key while pressing the appropriate function key, and this scheme can be reversed by changing the Mac OS X system preferences.


The lowest row of the GW-BASIC screen associated the PC function keys to BASIC commands.Under MS-DOS, individual programs could decide what each function key meant to them, and the command line had its own actions (e.g., F3 copied to the current command prompt words from the previous command). Following the IBM Common User Access guidelines, the F1 key gradually became universally associated with Help in most early Windows programs. To this day, Microsoft Office programs running in Windows list F1 as the key for Help in the Help menu. Internet Explorer in Windows does not list this keystroke in the help menu, but still responds with a help window. F5 is also commonly used as a refresh key in many web browsers and other applications, while F11 activates the full screen/kiosk mode on most browsers. Under the Windows environment, the Alt-F4 key is commonly used to quit or close portions of an application.

Other function key assignments common to all Microsoft Office applications are: F7 to check spelling, Alt-F8 to call the macros dialog, Alt-F11 to call the Visual Basic Editor and Shift-Alt-F11 to call the Script Editor. In Microsoft Word, Shift-F1 reveals formatting. In Microsoft PowerPoint, F5 starts the slide show, and F6 moves to the next pane.

WordPerfect for DOS is one of the programs that made heavy use of function keys.

Function Keys are also heavily used in the BIOS interface. Generally during the power-on self-test, BIOS access can be gained by hitting either a function key or the delete key. In the BIOS keys can have different purposes depending on the BIOS. However, F10 seems to be a fairly wide standard for save and exit which saves all changes and restarts the system.

Answer 5

F1 is nearly always the help key but the other function keys vary depending on the program in which you are working. The best way is for you to click on them and find out what happens.

Answer 6

F1 for helps in MS Office Applications and other Softwares, and F2 using in some of MS Games for a new game,F3 for pausing the game, F4+Alt for ending programs, F5 -as he said- refresh, F7 ( don't know ), F8 when starting Windows for entring Safe mode and other modes, and the others can be used as short-cuts for VB 6.0 Applications ...

Answer 7

They don't have a fixed purpose, the function varies from one program to another.
By convention F1 is for help. If you search in the help available within a program you should be able to find what, if anything, the others do.

Answer 8

Mine just sit there. I'm watching them now as a matter of fact.
They seem great at collecting dust, especially in between them. On certain programs, they help to give instant commands in place of a joystick. In a way, I've grown use to them and would miss them if they were suddenly gone.
I have a favorite, the F8 key. Because it's "FATE". :)

Answer 9

I don't know all of them but I can give you some that come in mighty handy F1 displays help F4 - close the current window in (MDI) programs alt-F4 close the current window or quit a program Alt-spacebar - display the current window's system menu, Shift-F10 display the shortest menu for the selected item F11 enlarge page, moves it up and minimizes the address bar/bars at top of page. Ctrl-esc-display start menu, Ctrl+V paste, ctrl+C copy, alt+tab switch to another window by holding down ALT while repeatedly pressing TAB, Prevent a CD froms starting - hold down while you insert the CD, hold down CTRL as you spin your mouse wheel to enlarge/shrink the font size in internet Explorer or folder window, or excel or word document -W., in explorer or folder windows get the optimum column width for details view -. select (highlight) the address bar entry in windows explorer, windows, display the start menu Windows+D minimize or restore all windows Window+E display windows explorer Windows+tab cycle through the buttons on the taskbar Windows+F display find: all files CTRL Windows+F display find: computer I know that doesn't cover all the F keys but I use quite a few of these very often especially the copy and paste options. Hope this helps a little and that someone else explains the rest of them for you.

Answer 10

As said before, it depends on what program you are in....

F1 is generally Help, and in Excel, F2 is to edit the cell you are in....

The rest are there to stop my pens from rolling down the keyboard !!

There.... sorted !! how easy was that ?? !!!!

Answer 11

I don't know what all the F keys do..............I do however know what the F1 key does because I have used it way too many times.........lol