Can I reprogram function keys on a Thinkpad?

Topic

New Reply

I got a  newer Lenovo Thinkpad, and now pressing F2 lowers the volume rather than letting me rename the file where the curser is. Is this fixable? If not, is there a 1-click way to do this?

TIA

Reply | Quote

Replies

Notebooks often have their special functions assigned to the F keys, and often default to those instead instead of the standard behavior. Look for a key with Fn Lock as its alternate. Fn+Fn Lock should switch your F keys back to standard.

Reply | Quote

Thanks for such a speedy reply.

The function keys are labeled:

F1 Mute, F2 decrease volume, F3 increase voume, F4 mute microphone, F5 decrease brightness, F6 increase brightness, F7 project to external screen, F8 switch to airplane mode, F9 link devices, F10 answer phone, F11 hang up, and F12 has a star on it and does nothing obvious when I press it. I get the impression that these are the standard functions for this ThinkPad. There’s a Fn key but nothing apparent to me happens when I press it.

If these really are the defaults, is there a way to program one of the keys (F9 is the obvious choice in my case) to rename the file?

Reply | Quote

Addendum to my reply: I found FnLock and it changes nothing.

Reply | Quote

Try holding down the Fn key while pressing FnLock

Reply | Quote

That did it! F2 now lets me rename files.

Thank you.

Reply | Quote

See How to use the function keys without pressing Fn in Windows 8.1/10

Reply | Quote

areader wrote:

F1 Mute, F2 decrease volume, F3 increase voume, F4 mute microphone, F5 decrease brightness, F6 increase brightness, F7 project to external screen, F8 switch to airplane mode, F9 link devices, F10 answer phone, F11 hang up, and F12 has a star on it and does nothing obvious when I press it.

The function on the F keys work when pressing together with Fn.

Without the Fn the keys function as F1, F2, F3 (search) ..F12 = insert…

https://support.lenovo.com/in/en/videos/vid500090-thinkpad-function-keys-fn-key-with-f1-to-f12-keys-overview

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds550030-lenovo-fn-and-function-keys-for-windows-10-64-bit-lenovo-14w-gen-2

Look at your product’s manual.

Reply | Quote

Thank you for this info. I got the computer as a brand new used computer: bought by a company and never used, so disposed of. I have the box it originally shipped in and nothing else; i.e., no manual.

On top of that, I have never, in 45+ years of using computers, done anything with BIOS settings. I have no idea how to do what you’re suggesting.

Reply | Quote

areader wrote:

I got a  newer Lenovo Thinkpad, and now pressing F2 lowers the volume rather than letting me rename the file where the curser is. Is this fixable? If not, is there a 1-click way to do this?

TIA

My Thinkpad laptop has a BIOS entry within the “Keyboard/Mouse” section titled “F-1 – F12 as Primary Functions”.  Options are “Enabled” and “Disabled”.

‘Enabled’ allows the “standard” F-1 – F12 functions to be what you get with a “regular” key press, and then the “special functions” are what you get when “Fn” is pressed along with them.

‘Disabled’ switches things to the other way around, and then the keys will provide special functions when the pressed without being accompanied by “Fn”; this is likely the behavior you are seeing, so examine your BIOS settings.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

Reply | Quote