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Mac Users: A Note on Adobe Keyboard Shortcuts

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[OS X 10.5] While having a Volume, Brightness, Pause/Play buttons integrated into my keyboard may be convenient, it really drives me crazy that my function keys don’t, well…function like I want them to in Photoshop. (or illustrator, etc.) I want to show you a way that I managed to get around this while keeping the functionality of the media buttons at the same time.

1. Reclaim your function keys!

Like in the screenshot above, go to your System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard. Now, directly below the 2 sliders, check the box that says “Use all F1, F2 etc. keys as standard function keys.”

Now your keys will act normally in Photoshop (and everything else). For example, Shift + F5 will do a fill instead of turning up your volume! (MacBook)

2. Regain the functionality of the specialty keys.

You can still use your specialty keys, but you have to hold the “Fn” (function) key to enable them. The function key is the bottom left key on a Macbook keyboard.

… as well as the wireless keyboard:

On the regular keyboards, the function key in up by the delete key:

Now, given the location of the key on the regular keyboards, this will likely require two hands in many cases. Therefore, this little workaround might be much more convenient for laptop users, but as I like to say, It’s nice to know your options. Happy Keyboarding :)