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New function keys aren't working

walterpaisley

walterpaisley

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 27, 2004
366
380
Springfield
I can't get the new M1 function keys to work (dictation, spotlight, do not disturb). On my system they're mapped to the original features those keys used to do (keyboard brightness and launchpad). Trying to track down if this is a bug in the 11.1 beta or something specific to my system - anyone else have this working (or not)?
 
neilio said:
I can't get the new M1 function keys to work (dictation, spotlight, do not disturb). On my system they're mapped to the original features those keys used to do (keyboard brightness and launchpad). Trying to track down if this is a bug in the 11.1 beta or something specific to my system - anyone else have this working (or not)?
Click to expand...
Do you have "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys" checked in keyboard settings? I was able to get it to work with that checked or using the function (fn) key with that unchecked.
 
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Set your keyboard preferences like this:

by default 2020-11-22 at 3.08.34 PM.png
 
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neilio said:
I can't get the new M1 function keys to work (dictation, spotlight, do not disturb). On my system they're mapped to the original features those keys used to do (keyboard brightness and launchpad). Trying to track down if this is a bug in the 11.1 beta or something specific to my system - anyone else have this working (or not)?
Click to expand...
They work fine for me in the beta, so I'd try what the previous posters suggested.
 
Well first, I really doubt that it's a bug. Let's consider starting over. What machine do you have? I assumed you had a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar but I guess not. Do you have the new Air? What is that lower left button--"Change Keyboard type"? I don't think that should be there unless you're using an external keyboard. I'm really confused.
 
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It's the Air - the new M1 MBPs don't have the new keys. I'm running the latest 11.1 dev seed which might? be why my prefpane looks different? I don't necessarily think it's a bug, but it is really odd that I can't seem to get these keys to work.
 
For what it's worth, this is the menu I get when I click on the form element beside the globe. My system and keyboard are in Canadian English.
 

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What is odd, and there may be a lot Apple needs to fix. I have the MBA, but have settings for the "Touch Bar."
My function keys do work, as designed. So MBA may be showing the wrong settings screen and Canadian keyboard may not be mapped properly.

If so, the team responsible for this, has some 'splaining to do...
 
neilio said:
It's the Air - the new M1 MBPs don't have the new keys. I'm running the latest 11.1 dev seed which might? be why my prefpane looks different? I don't necessarily think it's a bug, but it is really odd that I can't seem to get these keys to work.
Click to expand...
Your preferences pane looks different because your MBA doesn’t have a Touch Bar. It looks like @chabig has a MBP with Touch Bar, so his Keyboard preferences will look very different.

Your problem sounds like a beta bug to me. The mapping of the Function keys shouldn’t have anything to do with what the Globe key does.
 
Mr. Awesome said:
Your preferences pane looks different because your MBA doesn’t have a Touch Bar. It looks like @chabig has a MBP with Touch Bar, so his Keyboard preferences will look very different.

Your problem sounds like a beta bug to me. The mapping of the Function keys shouldn’t have anything to do with what the Globe key does.
Click to expand...
On, MBA M1 Base, I have the incorrect preferences pane. Looks like they attempted to fix in the Beta he has, but in so doing borked the key mappings.

Maybe in the future the Air is going to get the Touch Bar ... nooooooooooooooooo.

Screen Shot 2020-11-22 at 9.29.11 PM.png
Screen Shot 2020-11-22 at 9.36.43 PM.png
 
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These new function keys are a bit weird. My (Intel) Touch Bar MacBook Pro still uses the old function keys, even though they could have updated those in a simple software update. Also, the external keyboards still have the old keys. I wonder if macOS is smart enough to detect that. So if you press F4 on an M1 MacBook Air, it will open Spotlight, but if you press it on your Magic Keyboard, it will open Launchpad.

Anyway, I would wait until 11.1 to see if they fix it. Did you use migration assistant or did you start with a clean install? Perhaps these are some preference files copied over from your previous installation? (Just guessing.)
 
I am using ventura on a new macbook pro. The fn key worked fine to start dicctation, but now show emoticons. Any ideas?
 
Emoji on the Touch Bar is application dependent, I believe. The default keystroke to start and end dictation is a double tap on the control key.
 
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