How To Use the FN/Globe Key On Your Mac Keyboard

The FN or Globe key on your Mac keyboard can be used to switch between special feature and F-keys, change what is shown on a Touch Bar, or can also be a used by itself to bring up the Emoji and Symbol Viewer, change Input Source, or start dictation.

Comments: 11 Responses to “How To Use the FN/Globe Key On Your Mac Keyboard”

    Ken
    2 years ago

    The globe key also functions as a shortcut key. Globe+Q brings up Notes, and Globe+F switches a window to and from full screen mode. Globe+A lets you use the Dock with the keyboard, Globe+D lets you start dictating text, Globe+H hides the current window, Globe+N slides the notifications in from the right, and Globe+W goes to the top of the current window. However, you can't make shortcuts with it in Settings > Keyboard. I imagine that the Globe key will have expanded use in MacOS Ventura.

    Gary Card
    2 years ago

    I see the new Apple Magic keyboard with the Numeric keyboard is missing the (bottom left) "fn" key which is present on my current Apple keyboard. How does one enter a command associated with this function key on the new keyboard?

    2 years ago

    Gary: The FN/Globe key is on every Mac keyboard. On yours you will find it to the left of the Home key, under F13

    Gary Card
    2 years ago

    Thanks Gary and Ken,

    I see the Globe/ fn Key now on the new Black Magic keyboard under the F13 key.

    I enjoy watching your Videos, occasionally.

    Cheers,
    Gary

    Kathy
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary, Using keyboard viewer (Specifically Character Viewer) How can I add the 'globe with meridians' in black to my frequently used? I can drag the black globe from the 'font variation' to my pages document, & occasionally I get a black globe, but when I look in the frequently used area it is always blue & I can't rely on repeating the black globe. I would love to know how to select that as black by default from my Frequently used. I notice you have it on your handy Kboard Shortcuts pdf. Thx

    1 year ago

    Kathy: The only thing close to that that is part of standard emojis and fonts is the blue emoji character: 🌐
    The black one is not a standard symbol or emoji, but a specific character in the Apple Symbols font. But you can't normally use that font in most cases. Your best bet is to save it to a small rich text document or note or something and then copy and paste from there. I think I'm actually using the SF Fonts version of it for my PDF https://developer.apple.com/fonts/

    Kathy
    1 year ago

    Thanks Gary. It works well from a rich text document in Text Edit. That's a great work around and I appreciate it. Kathy

    Aliyah Ibrahim
    1 year ago

    I have a touchpad iPad keyboard but I messed with the globe key and it’s not woking how do I fix it

    1 year ago

    Aliyah: Look in Settings for your Keyboard settings and see what may be amiss.

    Dennis Martin
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary,
    I have a Logitech keyboard that doesn't have a "Globe" key. Is there a reasonable workaround?
    Thanx for your valuable time. Denn

    1 year ago

    Dennis: You'd have to ask Logitech that. May depend on your specific model. If it doesn't, maybe they have an updated keyboard you can get or it may be time to switch to a regular Apple one.

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