Set Fn Key To Be Left Mouse Button

Question

Level 2

290 points

Set Fn Key To Be Left Mouse Button

Is there a way using some third-party utility to use the Fn key on your MacBook's keyboard to act as a left mouse click button? I much prefer the softer action of the keyboard keys, to the big clunky click of the trackpad.

 iMac 17" 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive (Xbench 134.26), Mac OS X (10.5.7),  16GB iPhone 3GS  40GB Apple TV

Posted on Jul 20, 2009 10:45 AM

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Answer 1

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

Jul 20, 2009 11:03 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

Have you tried enabling "tap to click"? It seems to be either a love or hate thing. I much prefer tap to click vs. a mechanical click... but others feel equally as strong in their preference to having a physical click.

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Answer 2

Reuben Feffer Author

Level 2

290 points

Aug 4, 2009 5:36 AM in response to JoeyR

I've tried Tap To Click, yes. And it's quite nice, although it seems a little delayed and unresponsive. You seem to be more in control when you have a physical click.

It's a real shame you can't set the Fn key to be a left-click. Maybe there's some third-party software that allows that. The action of Fn key is far nicer than the clunky mechanical pop of the multi-touch trackpad.

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Answer 3

BSteely

Level 5

7,643 points

Aug 4, 2009 8:11 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

You won't be able to set the Fn key alone as a mouse click. Fn is a keyboard-bound key, meaning no data is sent upstream by that press alone. It is meant to be used in conjunction with another key. It is similar to the Shift key on a keyboard in that regard. Shift also does not send an event until a second key is pressed in conjunction with it.

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