What Does the Fn Key Do?
Fn stands for "function". It is a helper key on laptops: hold Fn and press another key to use that key's second job, like turning the volume up or the screen brightness down.
Look for tiny pictures on your top-row keys. Those are the jobs Fn can unlock!
Where is the Fn key?
The highlighted key is the Fn key on a typical Windows laptop keyboard. Keyboards vary a little by brand.
What the Fn key does
Laptops are small, so many keys have two jobs. The second job is usually printed in a different color or as a little picture (a speaker, a sun, a moon). Hold Fn, then press the key to use that second job.
- Fn + F1 … F12: on many laptops the top row controls volume, brightness and Wi-Fi. Fn switches between those controls and the real F1 to F12 keys.
- Fn + arrow keys: on small laptops this often works as Home, End, Page Up and Page Down.
- Fn Lock: many laptops let you lock Fn on (often Fn + Esc) so you do not have to hold it. A small light on the key shows when it is locked.
Fn is special in another way: it is handled inside the keyboard itself, so programs and websites (including this one) cannot see when you press it. That is why the drill below asks you to click it instead.
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
Windows
Most Windows laptops have Fn in the bottom-left corner, next to Ctrl. What Fn does depends on the laptop maker, so look at the small symbols on your keys.
Mac
Mac keyboards have a fn key in the bottom-left corner; newer ones show a globe 🌐. Hold fn and press F1 to F12 to use them as standard function keys. Pressing fn/Globe on its own can open the emoji picker or switch keyboard languages, depending on your settings.
Chromebook
Most Chromebooks have no Fn key. The top row has special keys like Back, Refresh and Brightness. To use F1 to F10, hold the Search (or Launcher) key and press a top-row key.
Which finger presses it?
Fn is pressed with your left pinky or left thumb, then you press the second key with your other hand.
Fun fact
Because Fn is wired inside the keyboard, it never sends a signal to the computer. It quietly changes what the other key sends instead.
Keep learning
- Practice the reach in Lesson 25: Numbers 1 to 5.
- More keys: Function keys, F1 key, Ctrl key, Windows key.
- See every keyboard key explained.
- Names of all the symbols: Keyboard Characters and Meanings.
Quick drill: find the Fn key
Click or tap when Rocky asks. Wrong key? We will tell you what it was.
Fn key FAQ
What does Fn mean on a keyboard?
Fn means function. Holding it gives some keys a second job, such as volume, brightness or Page Up.
How do I turn off Fn Lock?
On many laptops you press Fn + Esc (look for a small lock symbol on Esc). Some laptops use a setting in the BIOS or in the maker's keyboard app instead.
Do Chromebooks have an Fn key?
Most do not. Hold the Search or Launcher key and press a top-row key to use F1 to F10.