Action of Function Keys (F1 - F12)

 F1,F2......keys, commonly known as "function keys", they may have a variety ofdifferent uses or no use at all.

 Below is a short-listing of some of the common functions of the functions keys oncomputers running Microsoft Windows. As mentioned above not all programs support function keys and may perform different tasks then those mentioned below

   F1

Almost always used as the help key, almost every program will open the help screen when this key is pressed.

Enter CMOS Setup.

Windows Key + F1 would open the Microsoft Windows help and support center.

Open the Task Pane.

   F2

In Windows commonly used to rename a highlighted icon or file.

Alt + Ctrl + F2 opens a new document in Microsoft Word.

Ctrl + F2 displays the print preview window in Microsoft Word.

Enter CMOS Setup.

   F3

Often opens a search feature for many programs including Microsoft Windows.

In MS-DOS or Windows command line F3 will repeat the last command.

Shift + F3 will change the text in Microsoft Word from upper to lower case or a capital letter at the beginning of every word.

   F4

Open find window.

Repeat the last action performed (Word 2000+)

Alt + F4 will close the program currently active in Microsoft Windows.

Ctrl + F4 will close the open window within the current active window in Microsoft Windows.

   F5   

In all modern Internet browsers pressing F5 will refresh or reload the page or document window.

Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word.

Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.

   F6

Move the cursor to the Address bar in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

Ctrl + Shift + F6 opens to another open Microsoft Word document.

   F7

Commonly used to spell check and grammar check a document in Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc.

Shift + F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted.

Turns on Caret browsing in Mozilla Firefox.

   F8

Function key used to enter the Windows startup menu, commonly used to access Windows Safe Mode.

   F9

Opens the Measurements toolbar in Quark 5.0.

   F10  

In Microsoft Windows activates the menu bar of an open application.

Shift + F10 is the same as right-clicking on a highlighted icon, file, or Internet link.

Access the hidden recovery partition on HP and Sony computers.

Enter CMOS Setup.

   F11

Full-screen mode in all modern Internet browsers.

Ctrl + F11 as computer is starting to access the hidden recovery partition on many Dell computers.

Access the hidden recovery partition on eMachines, Gateway, and Lenovocomputers.

   F12

Open the Save as window in Microsoft Word.

Shift + F12 save the Microsoft Word document.

Ctrl + Shift + F12 prints a document in Microsoft Word.