Using function keys without pressing FN

[KEVENO]

Hello all,

I recently got a mechanical keyboard and I noticed that there's no option in the keyboard preferences to "use all F keys as function keys". I tried googling this issue with no luck. I want to be able to use the volume up/down/play/pause buttons without having to hold the FN key down. Is there a program or script that can achieve this?

Thank you!

 

[MacGizmo]

I don't know of a script or hack to do this. The "control" keys are tied to keyboards that support the function, so if you're not seeing that preference, it's because the keyboard doesn't support it natively. It's rare, but it happens.

The way around it is to use an app like Spark to customize them. There are plenty of apps that do this, but Spark is pretty darn powerful, and it's free. Unfortunately it has been discontinued, but it still runs under Sierra. MediaKeys also appears to be made for this purpose, but I've never used it so I can't comment on how well it works.

 

[KEVENO]

I don't know of a script or hack to do this. The "control" keys are tied to keyboards that support the function, so if you're not seeing that preference, it's because the keyboard doesn't support it natively. It's rare, but it happens.

The way around it is to use an app like Spark to customize them. There are plenty of apps that do this, but Spark is pretty darn powerful, and it's free. Unfortunately it has been discontinued, but it still runs under Sierra. MediaKeys also appears to be made for this purpose, but I've never used it so I can't comment on how well it works.

LIFESAVER! thank you so much. Mediakeys accomplished it all.