Fn key - exposé?

Hi all,
When I just got my MBP, I was looking around in some keyboard features. For some reason, I thought it to be useful to link my fn key to some (I don't know which) Exposé function. Everytime I hit the fn key now, it just shows my active window(s) in the application I'm working with.
Now I want to disable this, and use my fn key the way it's supposed to work. Guess what, I can't find where to do that anymore
I've already tried to reset all keyboard options to default settings, and I've also checked all Exposé features for fn key settings. It just wasn't there.
Anyone who knows where to find this?

Should simply be a case of going System Preferences>Expose & Spaces and then altering the settings there. For the Expose default settings, if you look to the Expose +All windows+ line then this is place where you can set the key to display the current application windows...I have this set to F9 and -, and below that is +Application windows+ for everything open...and I have this set to fn and -, and finally below that is +Show Desktop+ which is self-explanatory...and I have this set to F11 and - on my machine.

Similar Messages

Keyboard Shortcut Unresponsiveness

Greetings potential allies in my fight against minor inconveniences!
I recently acquired a MacBook Pro after having endured years of Windows use, and am enamored with it. I am especially fond of the Exposé and the View Desktop keyboard shortcuts. Unfortunately, due to the default hardware mapping of all of the F# keys, Exposé must normally be accessed through Fn+F9. This is especially troublesome for my hands to reach, and limits my ability to instantaneously impress users of other operating systems. Thus I desired to change my shortcuts, and as I have no reason for a Dashboard keyboard shortcut, I hoped I could swap the defaults for the two functions (Dashboard to F9 and Exposé to F12, which lacks any hardware association). I did just this in system preferences, and all works fine. However, when I shut down my computer and reboot, the shortcut for "All Windows" magically reverts back to F9--a most grievous problem. No matter which key I map "All Windows" to, it always defaults back upon reboot or log out to F9. This is untrue of all other shortcuts, as I can change any other default successfully--so I am baffled.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is one of very few problems which mar an otherwise flawless system.
Many thanks!
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

One thing you might consider trying is to invert the function of the fn key. This is controlled by the "Use the F1-F12 keys to control software features" checkbox, which when ticked means that you no longer need press the fn key at the same time as the F9-F12 keys. Of course, to alter brightness, volume etc. you must then press the fn key, but this is usually less of a problem as the relevant keys are well to the left making them easy to span with a single hand.
As for retaining the change, I have not encountered this problem, but you could try deleting the User—>Library—>Preferences—>com.apple.systempreferences.plist file and subsequently resetting your preferences.
In any case, shutting down and restarting a computer is a Windows habit—there's little or no point in doing this on a Mac. When in "sleep" mode, the machine uses almost no power at all. I regularly have machines running continuously for 10 weeks or more!
Hope this helps,
Archie

Expose doesn't Stick

Sometimes when I hit F3 to activate Expose all windows show for a half second then revert to the window I'm on. Basically Expose is not "sticking". Has anyone encountered this problem? Perhaps I had too many programs open.
Thanks.

Same problem, happens often. F3 key, Exposé showing for half a second only and not sticking. Don't have the time to pick a window of my choice.

Exposé hot keys disabled after Time Machine "Delete all backups of file"

I have been having the same problem that was initially mentioned in this topic:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5850265#5850265
Namely, sometimes after I restart all of my Exposé and Dashboard hot keys have been turned off (but not the Spaces hotkey, just F9-F12). My hot corners for turning off or on the screensaver work just fine, but I have to manually go in and turn back on my Exposé hot keys. Some people said it was associate with WoW, but I am not running World of Warcraft. This last time it happened (this morning), I had removed all backups of a few files in Time Machine (what's the point of having a backup of a rented movie after the 24 hour viewing period has expired?). I have been looking for a way to report this to Apple, but have been unable thus far.
I just tested it to see if you have to restart, and you do not. About thirty minutes ago I turned all the Exposé hot keys on, and just a minute ago I deleted a backup of a file on my Desktop in Time Machine (by selecting, "Delete all backups of file ______") and the hot keys had been disabled again.
Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this?

Mechanist wrote:
At some point I told Time Machine to get rid of backups of a particular file using the "Delete all backups of ..." option. Time Machine duly deleted the backups of the file and stopped making new ones.
Not exactly. It did delete the existing backups, but didn't make any new ones because the file hasn't changed since then.
The easiest way to get it to back it up is to make a minor change to it (the name or something in the contents), then change it back. Time Machine should back it up on the next backup.
Alternatively, you need to force a "deep scan," where Time Machine compares everything on your system to the backups. Usually, just starting up from your Recovery HD will do that, although sometimes you have to start from it and Repair your internal HD to trigger it.
If you're not sure how to do that, see Using the Recovery HD and/or #6 in Using Disk Utility.

Function and Mouse Shortcut Keys for Exposé Reset Frequently

I have been noticing, recently, that my keyboard and mouse shortcuts for exposé and dashboard reset almost every day. It happens most frequently after I run World of Warcraft or fullscreen with VLC (which I have set to use the first 5 function keys but not F9-F12, which I have set for exposé and dashboard). It will happen regardless of what I do, but more frequently when i run fullscreen applications. Is there anything I can do to stop it? Because I hate sitting down to my computer, wanting to check the weather or show the desktop and having to go to system preferences to turn the shortcuts back on. Thanks for any help.

I found the problem. You either have to play WoW full screen (completely) or unbind the bag buttons from the key bindings menu. Then reassign the buttons in Settings.

I'm having huge problems with my MBP (2010). Exposé just stopped working, both the key on the keyboard and the multitouch gesture stopped working. Does anyone have any idea why, or how to solve it?

Exposé just stopped working, both the key on the keyboard and the multitouch gesture gets no response. Does anyone have any idea why, or how to solve it?

I found a way to fix it. Simply restart the dock by using "killall Dock" in the terminal.
Cheers!

New Apple Keyboard - Dashboard and Exposé Keys not working

I have the new Apple Keyboard connected to my PowerMac G5 and i have installed the lasted Keyboard Software Update (1.1) from the Apple website. All new function keys are working (the media keys, brightness, etc.) except for the dashboard and exposé keys. I cannot get them to work, not even asign them in the preferences. Anyone else have this problem? Solutions?

I bought the new aluminum keyboard the other day, but didn't notice there was a software update required. Last night a keyboard software package appeared in Software Update, so I downloaded and installed it. Now virtually nothing works in the function keys except brightness and volume. No dashboard where it's supposed to be, no Exposé, and worryingly no F12 Preview In Browser, which I use a lot for Dreamweaver and web design. Dashboard now appears in F13.
I then went and downloaded the 1.1 Update I should have done in the first place, but this has changed nothing. And yes, I think the PowerPC users are being forgotten when this new stuff is made. But...just how many million of us are there?

Disappearing Exposé hot keys

Expose works fine on my machine, except for this occasional glitch. Sometimes it's after playing a fullscreen game that utilizes the f-keys. Sometimes it happens for no apparent reason, but my settings for Exposé keys will default back to nothing. It's not hard to fix, but frustrating when I've got 15 items selected and am in the process of speed typing and dragging while using exposé to toggle between windows or apps.
• Does anyone know WHY this is happening?
• Does anyone know how to stop this from happening?

Hi Dan,
Perhaps trashing this preference file will help:
com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist
It's here: Home/Library/Preferences. Open the Preferences folder. Drag that file to the Trash and reboot.
Sometimes preference files can become corrupted after using 3rd party software. It's ok to Trash the file, your Mac will create a new .plist file for you.
Carolyn

Exposé Keys

My exposé keys aren't working in system prefs it set as the default f9 f10 f11 f12.
But they don't work and my mighty mouse side button is set as F9 (all applications) and it doesn't work.
Spaces work ok but not the F8 button.

Try updating to 10.5.1 or verify permissions on your hard drive.

R Shift key now triggers exposé. Need help!

Whenever I press the R shift key, regardless of the application, exposé is always triggered. Specifically, it activates exposé for the current application in use. I did not modify any of the keyboard or exposé settings in system preferences. I created a new account to see if it was preference related, and the keyboard functioned normally in the test account. The problem is that I have no idea how or what preference was changed. I thought about trying to restore a preference folder with time machine, but I have no idea which file or folder contains the relevant preferences. I have scoured the internet for answers and have so far come up empty. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot, problem solved. No idea how the problem occurred.... I went into system preferences and the application exposé was set to the default F10. Just to see what would happen, I disabled this option and was directed to 'keyboard shortcuts', which simply indicated that the particular shortcut had been unchecked.
Sure enough, my R shift was functioning normally again. I went back and enabled the application exposé shortcut and everything is working just fine.

Assigning Exposé to Unassignable Keys

Hi there. I have a Powerbook, so using Expose on F9 is hard, since the key is so small and out of the way. Is there a way I can switch it to the Enter key or the Arrow keys, which would be more convenient?
I figure I'd have to get into some preferences list or code or something, since the System Preference only lets you assign Control or Option keys.
Thanks!

Thanks for your suggestions, but I think I'm not being clear enough. I don't want to assign Expose to any of the F9, F10, F11, F12 keys -- nor to any of the keys that the System Preference allows me to chose. I want to assign Expose to a key that is currently unassignable.
Specifically, on my Powerbook, on the bottom right part of my keyboard, moving left to right, I have a space bar, a command key, an enter key, a left arrow, a down arrow, and a right arrow. I would love to assign Expose to the enter key or the arrow key because it's more convenient for me to reach.
The System Preference panel only allows me to choose keys that they've pre-selected for me: F9, F10, right command, right control and the like. The enter key and arrow keys are not options. The Keyboard Shortcuts pane also will not let me assign enter keys or arrow keys.
So my question is: Is there a way to assign Expose to the enter key on my Powerbook?
Since I can't do it through the Dashboard & Expose System Preference or through Keyboard Shortcuts, I'm guessing it involves fiddling with the .plist, as mentioned above. Does anyone know how to do that or where to find the above-mentioned post from two years ago? Or is there another way?
Sorry I wasn't specific enough earlier. Thanks for any further help you can give.
A-

EFI Update and Exposé

Just wanted to know if anyone is having an issue with Exposé remembering the "Hide and Show" key that is set for Dashboard. Ever since the firmware update that fixed the dreaded RAW scenario it keeps forgetting they key that I select after I restart or wake from sleep. Trivial, I know, but a little annoying as I like to use the calculator widget often.

Now it's doing it at any point randomly, even when the MP hasn't been restarted. I'll be working along and then need to use the calculator, hit F13 and nada. I then check the preferences and nothing is selected. So set it back to F13 and go back to work. A couple hours later I try hitting F13 again and mind you without a reboot or shut down or sleeping it "forgets" the key selected again. Quite frustrating albeit a minor imposition compare to the RAW issue. Anyone have any suggestions?

Key mapping in SSH

Background info:
There are some users here that use Secure Netterm to log into an IBM server and do some telnet stuff (transactions etc.). There are a few users that need to use that but use Macs. Secure netterm does not work in Virtual PC so we are looking for a different solution that is native on OSX.
We can use the terminal to log into the server through ssh but since the terminal does not refresh its pages but continues it commands under itself it is not very usefull (Kind of hard to explain this). Anyway we are looking and Mindterm by appgate. The user can log in fine and all the commands work except for F5. In stead of exiting out of the field which he is in it doesn't do anything. Which can be anoying since you can go to different transactions but once you are there you can't go back.
Now I am wondering if there is a solution for this. Somehow map f5 to that command.... Like the other F keys work fine.
This is a long shot and I am not expecting a solution but then again you never know.
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Hi, M. S. G.
You wrote: "he user can log in fine and all the commands work except for F5."If the user in question is employing a laptop, see "Mac OS X: Portables - Using Function keys with Exposé, applications, games."
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

Spaces and Exposé don´t work together properly in Leopard

The very first time I activated Spaces, I defined four windows to be controlled with combined F8 key and right mouse button (the mouse being part of the Microsoft Optical Wireless Desktop 1000). But now I cannot use Exposé to open, say, Safari and Firefox in the window #3 - or any other combination of applications previously set to a same specific window in the Spaces preferences pane. I checked up on Microsoft keybord preference pane and the F9 to F11 keys are controlled by Mac OS, as it has been since Tiger. What´s the bug? My Mac OS version is 10.5.1.

This issue was resolved in BPC 5.1 SP3 and subsequentky un-resolved in SP4. I know that in the BPC 7M SP3 release, this is again corrected. It may have been corrected in BPC 5.1 SP8 as per the plan. I understand your pain, as this has been an open iten for me since last Jan.
Hope this helps.

Global keyboard shortcuts (Exposé, Spotlight, etc.) not working

I've run into an odd problem with my computer--sometime around or after I upgraded to 10.4.8, my global keyboard shortcuts have just flat-out stopped working. I noticed this quickly because I use LaunchBar and it stopped activating when I hit its keyboard shortcut...I noticed the same thing happened with Spotlight, and later, Exposé--when I hit their keyboard shortcuts, nothing happens. Even if I change the shortcut to a new key and hit the new key, nothing happens.
I have tried removing Launchbar completely in case it did something to mess things up (no luck) and have completely reapplied the 10.4.8 combo updater, as well as repair permissions. None of these things have helped?
Any ideas? I'm stumped on this one.

MadFax7 on the Ambrosia Software forums helped me out here (I posted this same post over there as well: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=107371)--he thought (correctly) that it sounded like a preference problem. I discovered the preference through a handy bit of Spotlighting--after deleting com.apple.universalaccess.plist and restarting, all my keyboard shortcuts reset to their defaults and started working again--I'm replying with the answer I found just in case someone else runs into the same problem or just wants to reset all their keybindings.

Fn key - exposé?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for