What could have caused my function keys to stop working?
I experienced this week that the keys F1 - F12 isn't functioning any more in any application. I can't think of any big changes I did to the computer that would cause this.
There was some Windows Updates, but I think it was there before that and none of the updates said to be related to the keyboard.
I have rebooted several times while trying to work out what's causing it.
The keyboard is a wireless full size Microsoft keyboard for a desktop computer running Windows 7 64bit.
I'm wondering if there's an application that's claimed the keys for some functions. (All though - nothing appear to work when pressed.)
Any tools to diagnose keyboard issues like this? Inspect global shortcuts?
Something that would be quicker and easier than disabling all statup apps and enablind them one by one (that will just take a very long time.)
10 Answers
Most newer microsoft keyboards have a function lock button and by default have the function keys used for multimedia keys. Does your keyboard have such a button? If so, you just need to push the function lock button.
8Do they function outside of Windows? Can you cold boot the computer and hit F1, or whichever, key to go into BIOS?
Try booting off a Linux livecd and see if the problem still occurs. If they do, then you know the problem is hardware related.
Does your keboard have an fn button? if so, try fn+F4, etc.
In my case, I have no F-Lock key.
It was a loose USB RF-receiver for my wireless keyboard.
I tried multiple keyboards on the same receiver before realizing I had to unplug the receiver and plug it back in again.
My keyboard has the Mode button in its top right hand corner (Couger keyboard). When I pressed this it re-enabled the function keys.
On a HP windows 8.1 system, you can hold down the start button in your keyboard and press the Fn key. It works just like the F-lock key.
If you have to use SetPoint for your keyboard, sometimes you have to kill the setpoint process and restart it for your function keys to work. Great code!
I had the same problem with HP Windows 8 but I didn't have the FLock option on my keyboard but I held the Windows button located under the 'Z' key along with my Fn button and it worked like the FLock and problem solved.
Hope this helps anyone with the same issue!
Holding down the Win button on the left side of my space bar along with the fn button to the left of the win button worked for me.
i had a problem like this none of my f-12 keys were working but it was because my computer has something called quickset and it was set to functions row instead of multi-media all i had to do was press esc and fn at the same time to set it to mullti media
