F5 in most MS Office programs brings up the Go To dialog. You can refresh a page in Windows by pressing the F5 key. For example, Ctrl-F4 will close the current document and Alt-F4 closes the current application.į4 on a Mac gives you dashboard access to business, communication and Internet widgets. It doesn’t do much on its own (aside from opening the address bar in Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer), but with some simple combos, it can be quite useful. On a Mac, F3 activates Expose view, which gives you a glimpse of everything currently running. On a browser, the Find on Page box appears. For instance, if you are viewing the desktop, the File Search window opens. Press this key on a Windows PC to open the Find dialog for the current view. Type in the new name and press “Enter.”į2 increases the screen’s brightness on a Mac computer. Windows users can press this key instead of right-clicking an item and choosing “Rename.” Click on a file, folder or other object on your desktop or in any folder and press F2 to highlight the current name. On a Mac, F1 reduces the screen’s brightness. If you are browsing on Google Chrome, F1 opens the Google Support page. When using an MS Office application, the Help dialog opens. For example, if you are currently viewing the desktop and press F1, Windows Help and Support opens. Windows users can press this key to access the Help Menu or support page related to the current open page. Check out this comprehensive list of functions so you can stop neglecting those little f keys.

However, learning the uses for these function keys can help you become even more efficient. Maybe you know the purpose of one or two of them, or perhaps you simply try to avoid them because you have no clue what they do. If you’re using a laptop, they might even share space with other options, such as your Wi-Fi switch or your mute button. Chances are good you’ve noticed the row of numbered keys across the top of your computer keyboard that all have an “f” in front of them.

Keyboard button functions