Hi,
This might interest some of you. Recently, I discovered you can change BIOS settings using PowerShell scripts for some Windows laptops. I'm on an HP machine, and I wanted to change the default behaviour of my function keys. By default, the function keys when pressed don't produce F1 F2 etc., they in fact change the mouse wheel, screen brightness and control the volume for media etc.. If you want normal function key behaviour, you have to press the function key, the key either to the right or to the left of the control key depending on your keyboard, and then the function key you want. This can get very annoying. This is my second HP machine, so on the first one I just put up with it, but I did some googling around for this new machine, and this is what I found.
https://woshub.com/powershell-view-change-bios-settings/
So due to the instructions on this page, my function keys now behave like function keys should! Hope this helps some of you.
By Tara, 7 April, 2024
Forum
Windows
Comments
Using the keyboard
There’s a easear way to do this, just press function and shift
Is that a permanent solution?
That doesn't sound like a permanent solution to me. It most likely wouldn't lock the function keys permanently. A permanent solution is what I wanted, and I got it when I configured this with PowerShell. I only have to worry about this again when I get a new computer and that won't be for years. Even if I re-install Windows which I did just after doing this because I messed up a software configuration or to, the function keys were still working as I wanted.
Good info
Hi Tara,
I find this a very useful functionality. I love to play with my windows laptop, install different operating systems etc. I've tried Android, Chrome OS, Ubuntu etc. During such things I have to constantly enable/disable secure boot etc, hopefully this will help me do those bios changes more easily. Obviously if windows doesn't boot up at first place, I won't be able to get in to powershell, so have to be careful about that.
BTW on my dell laptop and thinkpad as well, I was able to change functionality of all function keys with a togle shortcut. FN+escape key toggles the behaviour of function keys, and it's permanent unless you yourself toggle it back with that same keyboard shortcut. The shortcut is scylent though, screen reader doesn't announce anything if you press it.
I don't think this keyboard shortcut toggle exist on HP laptops though, you have to do it either from some preinstalled keyboard tool or from Bios, or from powershell as you suggested.
No way to do it easily on HP
Hi SeasonKing,
there isn't a keystroke that permanently toggles function keys, and there isn't a pre-installed manager for it either or any tool you can install. At least if there is, I never found one. I'm just glad my function keys now behave as they should! Thanks for the info.
Thanks, Tara
Wish I knew about this back when i first received my HP laptop. I ended up having a sighted friend assist me with this via the BIOS. Also, and this may have already been mentioned, but HPs do not have a 'Function Lock' like other manufactured laptops. So no Shift + FN or ESC + FN for us. 😣
Function key with escape key too, lock f keys
So for most computers, holding down the function key and pressing escape locks the function key into place so that you automatically get F1, F2, F3, etc. I ended up having to buy new windows computer, and I noticed that it was a very annoying process to have to hold down the function key just to get certain keyboard command to work properly. I found this and it’s been working great. So you hold down the function key and then press escape and I believe it permanently yep, the keyboard the way you wanted it and if you wanted to go back to the other way, you do the same thing F4.
Plenty of other reasons to configure bios
Doesn't look like this is supported by Asus so I'm out of luck for now. Still, this seems quite useful for much more than merely changing the behavior of the function keys ... not trying to trivialize that need, I get it, this is just so much more than that.
glad you find it useful
Hi,
Yes of course, you can do more with this than just changing function key behaviour. Unfortunately the Function key + Escape doesn't work on my HP laptop. I tried it to see if I could change back and forward between modes but nothing. Still a useful command to know though. I'll bear it in mind for when I get a new laptop.
Function and shift
On HP press function and shift to switch the function key behavior, doing it again will go back to the way where you need to pres function with other keys