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Function keys not working on Macbook Pro

W

walkere01

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
3
0
I noticed this evening that the function keys on my Macbook pro have stopped working. I can no longer use them to; change volume, change brightness of screen and brightness of the keys. The applications f keys however do still work, so if I hold down 'fn' I can still use the keys as 'F' keys, i.e f2, f3, f4 etc. they just don't work for volume etc.
This evening I also uninstalled a program and I'm pretty sure I only wiped the stuff off my Macbook that was related to that program, but the only explanation I can think of for the keys not working is that I accidentally deleted a driver or something for them? Ive searched through loads of forums and no one else seems to have had this problem, selecting the "use all F1, F2, F3 keys as standard function keys" is unrelated to this issue as I can still use the F keys.
If anyone can help me in any way it would be much appreciated.
 
xAgustinx

xAgustinx

macrumors regular
May 22, 2012
118
6
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10935

If you frequently use the alternate function of a function key, you can switch the keyboard so that the function keys perform the alternate function without your pressing Fn. You then hold down Fn to use a function key’s original hardware control function. If your keyboard doesn’t have an Fn key, try holding down the Control key.

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Keyboard.
Select the “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” checkbox.

------------------------
In your case: Do not select "use all F1, F2, F3 keys as standard function keys".
 
W

walkere01

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
3
0
Hi,
Thanks for the advice but function keys dont work at all for volume, brightness etc regardless of whether you are holding 'fn' or not. My keyboard setting screen is also missing the illumination section (see attachment) which makes me think there is definitely some sort of driver missing. do you know where i can reinstall software from for mac keyboards?
 

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A

abilene

macrumors newbie
Jan 11, 2019
1
0
walkere01 said:
I noticed this evening that the function keys on my Macbook pro have stopped working. I can no longer use them to; change volume, change brightness of screen and brightness of the keys. The applications f keys however do still work, so if I hold down 'fn' I can still use the keys as 'F' keys, i.e f2, f3, f4 etc. they just don't work for volume etc.
This evening I also uninstalled a program and I'm pretty sure I only wiped the stuff off my Macbook that was related to that program, but the only explanation I can think of for the keys not working is that I accidentally deleted a driver or something for them? Ive searched through loads of forums and no one else seems to have had this problem, selecting the "use all F1, F2, F3 keys as standard function keys" is unrelated to this issue as I can still use the F keys.
If anyone can help me in any way it would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
My issue was fixed:
System preferences>keyboard> then uncheck all 4 options.
 
Howard2k

Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
5,219
5,044
ftbotsb said:
3 more years. The answer is still relevant. There is more than one person who has this issue.
Click to expand...


Well yeah, there are people constantly having every kind of issue, but bumping near decade old threads to randomly address every issue makes it harder for those who actually are actively looking for resolution to immediate issues.
 
ocie

ocie

macrumors newbie
Aug 28, 2019
1
0
Howard2k said:
Well yeah, there are people constantly having every kind of issue, but bumping near decade old threads to randomly address every issue makes it harder for those who actually are actively looking for resolution to immediate issues.
Click to expand...

I have this problem on my 2017 Macbook Pro 15". I tried changing settings, smc reset, everything I could find. In my case, pressing the fn key would cause the touchbar to change briefly, then change right back. Even more strange was that the fn key on my external keyboard worked just fine. It turns out that there is something physically wrong with the fn key on my laptop and if I press a bit harder, it works as expected. Hopefully not a sign of things to come, but I thought I'd share.
 
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