So, guys, I was contacted by Dell's support, and this is the last response I've got after the issue was reviewed by the "internal team". > We checked the system keyboard shortcut details and see that it's by design and unfortunately we do not have an option to change this. By default, the Home and end key shortcut is Fn+ F11/F12. That's a bit frustrating, and I am not sure how to proceed further. Meanwhile, I've created a shortcut in my IDE (alt+left/right). The easiest way to make this change happen would be to contact someone from the firmware team directly (i.e. on Reddit) and ask them for help.
Oh boy, I was so happy to start developing on my brand new xps 9300 and I immediately found out about this Home/End key fiasco. This is incredible, the xps line is basically the best dev laptop out there and they can't figure out how to add an EFI setting to enable the fn modifier on the left-right arrow keys? The upper row keys are completely undiscoverable, it is impossible for muscle memory to kick in. Please, please, please, a lot of people really need it!
I, too, would like to voice my concern for this issue. The XPS 13 9360 was the best laptop I ever used, and still supported the fn + arrow keys working "as they should".
I don't want to sound entitled, but I thought Dell should know that right now, I am simply not going to buy the new XPS 13 because of this redesign. In fact, I would much rather buy a refurbished 9360 just so I can use the fn + arrow keys as I am used to.
I mean, how ridiculous is that?! Can we all appreciate the silliness of the situation here for a brief moment?
I'm really, really happy to see many voices speak up and especially hopeful seeing @jphughan putting so much effort into getting this to happen. I'm really hoping to see this change in the near future, as I am in dire need for a new workstation and would love nothing more but to be able to return to the XPS 13.
It was probably tested by someone who does not use F11, F12, F1, Home, etc. - but spends a lot of time changing volume while watching YouTube? I have the Dell Latitude - my "power computer" assigned for work - and my tendonitis is literally flaring up because of the extra keystrokes. And the power button is where I'm used to "delete", so that's fun.
Oh, boy! How sad am I? Got a good black friday deal and bought this dream laptop for myself as an early chirstmas/birthday/(and a few other special dates!) gift and to read this thread is the very first thing I'm doing on my XPS 9300...
I have no idea if I will EVER get used to fn+F11 and fn+F12 being home/end (I lock F keys, since I use them a lot), so any updates on this topic or some trick that might help...
Please, Dell... do something about it, this is painful to me although it might seem irrelevant for most. And thanks all for all the attempts in solving this.
Well, after almost throwing the PC out of the window after having to work on it for like 3 hours today, I think it came to the point that I will fry some capacitor on motherboard and have the PC returned. Such a shame, the best notebook on the market was reduced to useless by this dumb decision.
If anyone is looking for an alternative way to use Home/End keys, here is a guide on how to repurpose the Caps-lock key as a modifier key that turns the arrow keys into Home and End. I like this better than using other keys (Windows/Meta, Alt, Left Shift etc.), as these keys all have their own purpose already. This method also registers a custom keyboard layout, which you can select permanently for your entire system, and switch on/off whenever you want.
This method modifies XKB keymaps, so it is not trivial and partially dangerous, but is not also possible to recover from configuration errors. Please comment on the Gist or write me a message on Github, if you have any remarks or fixes.
I would prefer if fn left/right mapped to home/end as other laptops, but Microsoft PowerToys has a workaround that I am getting used to for programming.
Alt-Left/Right is used for back/forward in browsers and IDEs. Browsers don't let you remap shortcuts.
Dell should just fix this already. It's a simple addition to a firmware update and lord knows Dell issues enough of those.
If Dell chooses to make PageUp/PageDown second-class citizens and Home/End third class citizens, then I'm sure Lenovo will be happy to take my business when it's time to replace my laptop.
Dell just dropped itself from the pre-approved hardware for laptops as both the Inspirion 13 as well as the XPS-13 showed that totally unexpected as unprofessional problem. Fn-arrow-keys are used in development quite a bit, I heard it to be a problem with the XPS-13 and replaced my XPS-12 with an Inspirion instead just to face the same problem. Now I use an HP instead, offering the Fn-Arrow. As mentioned in this thread, this causes Dell to loose customers. So maybe one day, when this thread reports "problem solved", I may retry. For now, no developer will be bothered to work with F-Keys abused for Pos1/End. This is not "professional", it's amateurish neglect of user feedback and "cheap-cheap".
Edit:@antongulenko Replacing Fn-arrows with i.e. Ctrl or Caps Lock inhibits those keys, having their own use. Fn is a key meant to enable Keys that are common on a standard "102 keys" PC keyboard. The way Dell worsened here renders the keyboard unusable. So I for my case replaced it with an HP. Tough luck Dell. But I see no need to bother about substandard tech that keeps me from working. I also don't buy a hammer, only to grind and polish the unfinished, rough face.
"Und ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt sich's völlig ungeniert." German proverb: And once you ruined your reputation you can live totally unashamed.
Aside: Dell Support seems to have unlearned "reading". At least, I stopped bothering, as support repeatedly fails to respond to the question raised but comes back with irrelevant boilerplates. So I don't expect any firmware update anytime soon, as they seemingly even ignore their Dell Community "Rockstars"...
Another German Proverb: "Saving. No matter the cost."
alexandr.dev
4 Posts
1
October 17th, 2020 11:00
lscorcia
4 Posts
3
November 16th, 2020 03:00
Oh boy, I was so happy to start developing on my brand new xps 9300 and I immediately found out about this Home/End key fiasco. This is incredible, the xps line is basically the best dev laptop out there and they can't figure out how to add an EFI setting to enable the fn modifier on the left-right arrow keys? The upper row keys are completely undiscoverable, it is impossible for muscle memory to kick in. Please, please, please, a lot of people really need it!
sjeon
6 Posts
2
November 27th, 2020 20:00
Same here. Dell, please please fix the key issue.
TimothyVermeiren
3 Posts
3
November 27th, 2020 23:00
I, too, would like to voice my concern for this issue. The XPS 13 9360 was the best laptop I ever used, and still supported the fn + arrow keys working "as they should".
I don't want to sound entitled, but I thought Dell should know that right now, I am simply not going to buy the new XPS 13 because of this redesign. In fact, I would much rather buy a refurbished 9360 just so I can use the fn + arrow keys as I am used to.
I mean, how ridiculous is that?! Can we all appreciate the silliness of the situation here for a brief moment?
I'm really, really happy to see many voices speak up and especially hopeful seeing @jphughan putting so much effort into getting this to happen. I'm really hoping to see this change in the near future, as I am in dire need for a new workstation and would love nothing more but to be able to return to the XPS 13.
ajklsd
2 Posts
0
November 30th, 2020 06:00
It was probably tested by someone who does not use F11, F12, F1, Home, etc. - but spends a lot of time changing volume while watching YouTube? I have the Dell Latitude - my "power computer" assigned for work - and my tendonitis is literally flaring up because of the extra keystrokes. And the power button is where I'm used to "delete", so that's fun.
akramos7h
2 Posts
3
December 4th, 2020 14:00
Oh, boy! How sad am I? Got a good black friday deal and bought this dream laptop for myself as an early chirstmas/birthday/(and a few other special dates!) gift and to read this thread is the very first thing I'm doing on my XPS 9300...
I have no idea if I will EVER get used to fn+F11 and fn+F12 being home/end (I lock F keys, since I use them a lot), so any updates on this topic or some trick that might help...
Please, Dell... do something about it, this is painful to me although it might seem irrelevant for most. And thanks all for all the attempts in solving this.
michnovka
14 Posts
2
December 21st, 2020 07:00
Well, after almost throwing the PC out of the window after having to work on it for like 3 hours today, I think it came to the point that I will fry some capacitor on motherboard and have the PC returned. Such a shame, the best notebook on the market was reduced to useless by this dumb decision.
antongulenko
2 Posts
0
January 15th, 2021 04:00
If anyone is looking for an alternative way to use Home/End keys, here is a guide on how to repurpose the Caps-lock key as a modifier key that turns the arrow keys into Home and End. I like this better than using other keys (Windows/Meta, Alt, Left Shift etc.), as these keys all have their own purpose already. This method also registers a custom keyboard layout, which you can select permanently for your entire system, and switch on/off whenever you want.
This method modifies XKB keymaps, so it is not trivial and partially dangerous, but is not also possible to recover from configuration errors. Please comment on the Gist or write me a message on Github, if you have any remarks or fixes.
https://gist.github.com/antongulenko/9e4b4251e77b34e281caaf4cf3f63bcf
motobrad
1 Message
0
January 30th, 2021 20:00
I would prefer if fn left/right mapped to home/end as other laptops, but Microsoft PowerToys has a workaround that I am getting used to for programming.
Microsoft PowerToys
Remap shortcuts
[Alt (Left)] [Left] --> [Home]
[Alt (Left)] [Up] --> [PgUp]
[Alt (Left)] [Right] --> [End]
[Alt (Left)] [Down] --> [PgDn]
TheseusLinux
1 Rookie
•
18 Posts
2
January 31st, 2021 18:00
Alt-Left/Right is used for back/forward in browsers and IDEs. Browsers don't let you remap shortcuts.
Dell should just fix this already. It's a simple addition to a firmware update and lord knows Dell issues enough of those.
If Dell chooses to make PageUp/PageDown second-class citizens and Home/End third class citizens, then I'm sure Lenovo will be happy to take my business when it's time to replace my laptop.
JayBee-XPS12
1 Rookie
•
11 Posts
1
February 10th, 2021 07:00
Dell just dropped itself from the pre-approved hardware for laptops as both the Inspirion 13 as well as the XPS-13 showed that totally unexpected as unprofessional problem. Fn-arrow-keys are used in development quite a bit, I heard it to be a problem with the XPS-13 and replaced my XPS-12 with an Inspirion instead just to face the same problem. Now I use an HP instead, offering the Fn-Arrow. As mentioned in this thread, this causes Dell to loose customers. So maybe one day, when this thread reports "problem solved", I may retry. For now, no developer will be bothered to work with F-Keys abused for Pos1/End. This is not "professional", it's amateurish neglect of user feedback and "cheap-cheap".
Edit:@antongulenko Replacing Fn-arrows with i.e. Ctrl or Caps Lock inhibits those keys, having their own use. Fn is a key meant to enable Keys that are common on a standard "102 keys" PC keyboard. The way Dell worsened here renders the keyboard unusable. So I for my case replaced it with an HP. Tough luck Dell. But I see no need to bother about substandard tech that keeps me from working. I also don't buy a hammer, only to grind and polish the unfinished, rough face.
"Und ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt sich's völlig ungeniert." German proverb: And once you ruined your reputation you can live totally unashamed.
Aside: Dell Support seems to have unlearned "reading". At least, I stopped bothering, as support repeatedly fails to respond to the question raised but comes back with irrelevant boilerplates. So I don't expect any firmware update anytime soon, as they seemingly even ignore their Dell Community "Rockstars"...
Another German Proverb: "Saving. No matter the cost."
ce123
15 Posts
4
February 10th, 2021 12:00
XPS 9310 BIOS got an update yesterday, supporting Fn+Left / Fn+Right for Home / End
https://www.dell.com/support/home/de-de/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=42j0p&oscode=wt64a&productcode=xps-13-9310-laptop
ei99070
1 Message
1
February 10th, 2021 12:00
Oh, that is awesome! I sure hope they do the same for the XPS 9500!
TimothyVermeiren
3 Posts
0
February 10th, 2021 13:00
It's finally happened! The XPS 13 is back on the market!
l_Peters
7 Posts
2
February 12th, 2021 01:00
sure hope Precision 5550 will get this feature too.
I've have pressed fn+right 5 times, looking for End, while typing this message.