I want F4 to Show Dashboard Again

Question

I want F4 to Show Dashboard Again

Since the latest Mac OS update to 10.13.6, my F4 key longer brings up the Dashboard widgets (weather, calculator etc).

I have been to System Preferences > Mission Control > Keyboard > Show Dashboard

It is defaulted to F12, which is the VOLUME INCREASE button on my keyboard. Given that I want the Volume increase button to...increase the volume, I tried changing F12 to F4. However, my Mac doesn't seem to allow that. I've tried typing in F4, as well as pressing the F4 button, but nothing happens.

How can i get the F4 mapped back to the Dashboard where I can see the widgets, just as before?

And which genius at Apple decided to assign the VOLUME UP button to the Dashboard? Can we please get Steve back..?

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Dec 7, 2020 2:34 PM

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Answer 1

balsa2

Level 4

1,396 points

Dec 9, 2020 1:23 PM in response to JSCappleforum

Reassign the key in Mission Control.

Apple Menu > System Preferences > Mission Control.

As below, toggle Dashboard to show As Space & toggle Show Dashboard to F4:

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Answer 2

balsa2

Level 4

1,396 points

Dec 11, 2020 10:57 PM in response to JSCappleforum

Is the box Use F1, F2, etc. as standard function keys checked in

Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard:

With this selected, you should be able to use F4 for Dashboard [& fn F4 for Launchpad]

Apologies if this does not work.

But I am able to set Dashboard: As Space & As Overlay with this combination.

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Answer 3

Dec 11, 2020 4:38 AM in response to balsa2

@balsa2 many thanks for your reply. I followed your steps, and selected the following in the dropdown:

I then restarted the computer, and tried pressing all the buttons individually (F4, F5, F6) but no luck!

I even tried the above keys in conjunction with the fn key, ctrl key cmd key, but still no luck.

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Answer 4

Dec 13, 2020 8:34 AM in response to balsa2

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions.

@balsa2, good suggestion, though I've tried that before. Even with the tickbox for "Use F1, F2...", checked, the F4 wasn't working. A side effect of having that box checked was that my F11 and F12 volume buttons now required that I simultaneously pressed fn to have them work.

Just to test it again, I checked the "Use F1, F2..." tickbox again, but still Dashboard did not come up when I pressed F4 (I tried it with and without the fn pressed simultaneously).

I do get the feeling there is a setting that can fix this somewhere, unless HighSierra has discontinued Dashboard.

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Dec 13, 2020 9:09 AM in response to JSCappleforum

I think what you need is an older Apple keyboard with the Dashboard symbol printed on the F4 key, or a Logitech K750 keyboard, which has the same symbol. I have both, and happen to have a 2011 iMac running High Sierra and they both work.

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Answer 6

KiltedTim

Level 10

224,892 points

Dec 11, 2020 6:18 AM in response to JSCappleforum

I thought dashboard was dead.

Wasn't it killed off with Catalina?

It's not even an option for me under Big Sur.

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Answer 7

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Dec 11, 2020 7:24 AM in response to KiltedTim

Aha! :)👍

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Answer 8

KiltedTim

Level 10

224,892 points

Dec 11, 2020 7:43 AM in response to dialabrain

Ahhh... good point.

Need more caffeine...

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Answer 9

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Dec 11, 2020 7:47 AM in response to KiltedTim

I'm working on my second cup.

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Answer 10

balsa2

Level 4

1,396 points

Dec 13, 2020 12:05 PM in response to JSCappleforum

Sorry not to have solved this for you.

I can confirm Dashboard works on High Sierra.

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Answer 11

Dec 13, 2020 1:04 PM in response to balsa2

No problem, I appreciate the try!

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Answer 12

Dec 13, 2020 1:09 PM in response to dialabrain

thanks, but my keyboard is the original, with dashboard (speedometer icon) printed on the key. I'll play around a bit more with various settings. I'm sure there's an answer somewhere in there!

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Answer 13

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Dec 13, 2020 1:13 PM in response to JSCappleforum

You're welcome. FWIW, many of the old widgets are deprecated and no longer function as they once did. In any case it may be easier to click on the Dashboard icon in the Dock.

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