New USB-C Keyboard's context key below F13… "add" it to the older keyboards

[tonywalker23]

Thought I'd share this little tip. The new Apple keyboards have the new key below the F13 key. It is a context menu key. I was curious if I could "add" it to my previous model keyboard...

System Preferences → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Keyboard → Show contextual menu

The default is Control + Return, but I changed it to F13 to "almost match" the new keyboards.

This reminded me of stories earlier about Sequoia. They added the control plus return shortcut to bring up the context menu. However, I often use that control+return combination when I want to make a new line without making a new paragraph. So this tweaks lets me easily create a new line without making a new paragraph, and it mimics (almost) the new usb-c keyboard layout.

My one delimma remaining: I like the new tile and window shortcuts. but they use the globe key. on my MacBook Pro that is fine since it is in the bottom left. but on this magic keyboard extended, the globe being under F13 makes for some weird finger reaches. I checked to see if I could make the bottom right control key act like a globe key, but you cannot change the left and right modifier keys, you can only change the pair.

 

[NewUsername]

Thanks for the tip – I didn’t know about the new shortcuts.

For your last dilemma: the solution is to buy the new 2024 keyboard, but I know $179 for one extra key is a little pricey.

Do you ever use the menu key (in your case F13)? To me it seems it would only very rarely be useful and not worth to have its own key.

 

[xraydoc]

I find it a little odd that in 2024 (nearly 2025), Apple would add a key to bring up context menus. It's not like 2001 when Macs had single-button mice and you had to Control-click to get the context menus and all. I think virtually everyone knows what the left and right mouse buttons do by now.

I know macOS has no use for the Insert key, so I'm sure Apple is looking for something for it to do, but it just seems like a weird addition to me. A dedicated Emoji key seems like a better use, then allow the Fn key to act like a dedicated Fn key (like for Fn-arrow secondary actions, etc) instead of performing two functions (emoji/language and Fn). Or maybe a screen capture button instead of a three-finger combo like it is now.

Maybe just me though... I use programmable mechanicals and usually set keys for screen capture and for Emojis.

 

[eroatique]

It is the Menu (also recognised as Application) Key on a normal PC keyboard between the right Win and right Ctrl.
Instead of the ⌃+↩ shortcut, you may just remap the HID of the menu key, or just ignore it because it just works like a right click on the mouse

 

[NewUsername]

Yes, but would anyone actually use it? Granted, very few people use the F13-F19 keys as well, and Windows keyboards have even more useless keys (like the pause/break key), but it is surprising that of all possible replacements for the key in that spot, Apple came up with a menu key…

 

[MikeDr206]

What does the contextual menu do? Is that “right click”?

 

[MikeDr206]

Yes, but would anyone actually use it? Granted, very few people use the F13-F19 keys as well, and Windows keyboards have even more useless keys (like the pause/break key), but it is surprising that of all possible replacements for the key in that spot, Apple came up with a menu key…

I’m an old… went to college in the 80s. Engineering student no less. Even then, I had no clue what the pause and break keys were for. I think it’s a relic of mainframes?

 

[xraydoc]

What does the contextual menu do? Is that “right click”?

Yep.

 

[BDSpain]

Just following up on this post since that key doesn't do anything for me. I've connected the keyboard to a new iPad Pro and my MacBook Air and it didn't do anything on either of them. I tried chatting with Apple support for an hour and they apparently don't know either. Very strange that the key is there with no explanation or documentation and doesn't appear to work.

 

[tonywalker23]

Just following up on this post since that key doesn't do anything for me. I've connected the keyboard to a new iPad Pro and my MacBook Air and it didn't do anything on either of them. I tried chatting with Apple support for an hour and they apparently don't know either. Very strange that the key is there with no explanation or documentation and doesn't appear to work.

forgive the simple question, but are your OSes up to date? I don’t remember the specifics but there was mentioned on a tech podcast in the last couple of weeks about the new keyboards not working until the latest OS was installed. Don’t know if that applies here or not.

 

[xraydoc]

Just following up on this post since that key doesn't do anything for me. I've connected the keyboard to a new iPad Pro and my MacBook Air and it didn't do anything on either of them. I tried chatting with Apple support for an hour and they apparently don't know either. Very strange that the key is there with no explanation or documentation and doesn't appear to work.

I think it needs macOS 15.1. Same with the smaller TKL version of the keyboard and the new Magic Mouse.
Not sure about iPadOS (if it's even supported on it or not).

 

[BDSpain]

forgive the simple question, but are your OSes up to date? I don’t remember the specifics but there was mentioned on a tech podcast in the last couple of weeks about the new keyboards not working until the latest OS was installed. Don’t know if that applies here or not.

 

[BDSpain]

Sorry for the delay in responding. Had some other things to take care of. Here's what I found out.
My MacBook Air is a 2018 model running Sonoma 14.7.1. The key has no effect in any application that I could see. My iPad is a new iPad Pro running 18.1.1 and depending on the application, you can get a context menu. Numbers for example, does show context menus. So it's definitely true that the OS version makes a difference. Seems like an odd choice for the key and it's too bad Apple doesn't document what is it and what the requirements are to make it work.