Need to hold down the FN key to use volume buttons

Question

After a few years of working just fine the 3 volume buttons at the top of the keyboard now only work when I hold down the "Fn" key.

When I am not holding down the "Fn" key the "mute" button on F1 now opens a new tab in my brower, the "volume down" button on F2 doesn't do anything, and the "volume up" button on F3 now opens the search. Is there anyway of restoring it so the volume buttons can be used without holding down the "Fn" key?

Mary G · Answer

What model computer and which operating system? The default F key behavior must have been changed. You can change it back. See this--
https://www.howtogeek.com/235351/how-to-choose-whether-your-function-keys-are-f1-f12-keys-or-special-keys/

You must have hit the F-lock key by mistake.

Silas Holmes · Answer

The link help solve the issue. I must have been mucking around trying to figure out what all the keys do. In short, hold down the 'fn' key and press 'esc' this will turn the lock off

Jojo1537 · Answer

This comment helped SO MUCH and saved me a lot of time lol. THANK YOU!!

LoneBoyBandit · Answer

Hey there! I saw this forum earlier and I had faced the exact same problem, but later I decided to tinker with the BIOS Settings which can be accessed by spamming F2 key (atleast for me), I would suggest you go through all the sections and find a setting named turn fn lock on/off, even though this could be usually done on the basic settings through some tinkering but as it is embedded in the BIOS there is nothing you could do. So, make sure the box ticked or not indicates fn lock is off. This worked for me, if this doesn't work for you I don't know what can.

I am not a Dell Employee. Please do not change anything you don't know.

Thank You

StatixZ · Answer

It's actually very simple just press and hold FN+ESC that will lock out your fn key which then allows the keys to work fine hope this helped! Have good one

XPS

Need to hold down the FN key to use volume buttons

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