By default, the top row of Mac keys controls brightness, volume, and media - not F1 through F12. To make them work as standard function keys, open System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Function Keys, then toggle on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys". Now F1-F12 behave as expected; hold the Fn key to access brightness/media. You can also customise per-app behaviour in the same panel.
If the keys don't respond at all (no brightness, no F-key, nothing), it's hardware or driver. Try: 1) Restart the Mac. 2) Reset NVRAM (Intel only). 3) Boot into Safe Mode. 4) Check the keyboard isn't physically stuck.
On MacBooks 2016-2019 with the Touch Bar, the F-key row is virtual - if the Touch Bar is dead, the strip won't respond. We replace Touch Bars and keyboards at our Dubai workshop.
Quick answer
F-keys do brightness instead of F1? Or nothing at all? Here are both fixes. By default, the top row of Mac keys controls brightness, volume, and media - not F1 through F12.
Make F1 to F12 work as standard function keys
- 1Open System Settings and choose Keyboard.
- 2Click Keyboard Shortcuts, then Function Keys in the sidebar.
- 3Turn on Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.
- 4Hold Fn when you want brightness, volume or media controls.
- 5For a single app, stay in the same panel and add the app to the per-app list instead of switching globally.
When the row does not respond at all
If brightness and volume keys do nothing either, the problem is below the settings. Restart the Mac, then boot into Safe Mode to rule out a software conflict. On Intel Macs, reset NVRAM. Check for a stuck key by pressing each one gently. If the whole row stays dead, the keyboard ribbon, the keyboard itself or, on Touch Bar models, the Touch Bar has failed and needs a bench repair.
Touch Bar MacBook Pro specifics
On 2016 to 2019 MacBook Pros the F-key row lives on the Touch Bar. If the strip is blank, frozen or flickering, restart first; a persistent blank strip usually means the Touch Bar display or its controller has failed. We replace the Touch Bar assembly and, where the digitiser has gone, quote it before any work.
Setting or hardware
F-keys doing the wrong thing vs F-keys doing nothing
The two symptoms look alike and have opposite causes.
| Wrong behaviour (a setting) | No response (hardware) | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | F1 changes brightness instead of acting as F1. | Nothing happens, not even brightness or volume. |
| Fix | Toggle Use F1, F2 keys as standard function keys. | Keyboard, ribbon or Touch Bar replacement. |
| Where | System Settings, Keyboard, Keyboard Shortcuts, Function Keys. | Bench diagnosis at Azizi Technologies. |
| Per-app control | Available in the same panel. | Not relevant. |
| Touch Bar models (2016 to 2019 Pro) | Touch Bar shows F-keys when Fn is held or the setting is on. | A blank or frozen Touch Bar means the strip or its controller has failed. |
| Time | Under a minute. | Usually same day with parts in stock. |
How Azizi Technologies handles this in Dubai
- Free intake diagnosis at our Dubai Media City or Bur Dubai workshop (or via WhatsApp photos).
- Written AED price quote before any work begins - no surprises, no hidden fees.
- Apple Certified Mac Technician on every Mac job; brand-trained technicians for Windows and Linux.
- 90-day parts-and-labour warranty on every repair.
- Free pickup and delivery across Dubai including DIFC, JLT, Marina, Business Bay, Downtown, Media City, Jumeirah.
- Same-day service on most common jobs walked in before 11:00.
Need help with your Mac or laptop?
Contact Azizi Technologies - Dubai's trusted repair experts since 2007. We respond within 60 minutes during workshop hours with a written AED quote and the next available pickup slot in your Dubai zone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make the F-keys work without pressing Fn on a Mac?
Open System Settings, Keyboard, Keyboard Shortcuts, then Function Keys, and switch on Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys. F1 to F12 then act as function keys by default and the brightness, volume and media controls move behind the Fn key.
Can I set function keys for one app only?
Yes. In the same Function Keys panel, add the app to the per-app list. Those apps receive standard F-keys while everything else keeps the media controls, which is the usual setup for design software, development tools and games.
Why does my Touch Bar not show function keys?
The Touch Bar shows F1 to F12 only while Fn is held, unless the Function Keys setting is on or the app is in the per-app list. If it shows nothing at all, or is frozen, restart the Mac; a strip that stays blank has a failed display or controller and needs replacement.
Why do the top-row keys do nothing on my MacBook?
If neither the F-key nor the media function works, the fault is hardware: a keyboard ribbon, the keyboard membrane, or on 2016 to 2019 Pros the Touch Bar. After a restart and a Safe Mode boot rule out software, bring it in for a free diagnosis and a written quote.
Do external keyboards follow the Mac's function key setting?
Apple's Magic Keyboard does. Many third-party keyboards have their own Fn Lock key or a maker's utility that decides the default, and that overrides the Mac. Check the keyboard's manual for Fn Lock, usually Fn plus Escape, before assuming the Mac setting has failed.
What are your workshop hours and locations?
Azizi Technologies runs two walk-in workshops in Dubai. Main: Concord Tower, Office 45, 10th Floor, Dubai Media City, covering Marina, JLT, Al Barsha and Jumeirah. Second: G 58, IT Center Building, Bur Dubai, covering Karama, Deira and Downtown. Open Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 21:00, with a Friday prayer break. Closed Sunday. Free pickup across Dubai.
Related Services
MacBook Keyboard Replacement Dubai
Browse the full service page - pricing, turnaround times, and what's included.