hurgaaA

Q: How to reassign the F4 key to Dashboard?

Hello Everyone,

 

How do I change the F4 key on my mid 2012 MBP (osx 10.8.x) to show Dashboard?

 

It now shows the total inutil Launchpad.

 

Please help,

 

Some terminal woodoo is welcome!

 

Thx

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Apr 3, 2013 6:21 AM

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Q: How to reassign the F4 key to Dashboard?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by arthur,

    arthur arthur Apr 3, 2013 6:42 AM in response to hurgaaA
    Level 5 (5,193 points)
    iBooks
    Apr 3, 2013 6:42 AM in response to hurgaaA

    Here's the Hoodoo:

    Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Mission Control, select Show Dashboard, and change it to F4.

  • by hurgaaA,

    hurgaaA hurgaaA Apr 3, 2013 6:51 AM in response to arthur
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 3, 2013 6:51 AM in response to arthur

    sorry: I meant to ask how to change the system key labeled with "f4" and some squares to show Dashboard instead of this useless Launchpad.

     

    assigning the way you suggested implies to press FN+F4

     

    thanks for fast reply.

  • by arthur,

    arthur arthur Apr 3, 2013 7:01 AM in response to hurgaaA
    Level 5 (5,193 points)
    iBooks
    Apr 3, 2013 7:01 AM in response to hurgaaA

    Aha.

    Take a look at system prefs > keyboard > Keyboard and uncheck " Use all F1, F2 etc....".

  • by veekeeweekee,

    veekeeweekee veekeeweekee Jan 16, 2014 11:53 AM in response to arthur
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 16, 2014 11:53 AM in response to arthur

    Hi there,

     

    This is driving me crazy too. I'm on 10.8.5 right now.

     

    System prefs > Keyboard > Keyboard and uncheck " Use all F1, F2 etc...." works but breaks all the single-key functionality on the rest of my keybaord.

     

    There seems to be no option where I can:

    1. Retain all the special one-press functionality of the other F-keys (volume, brightness, etc)

    and

    2. have pressing the F4 key take me directly to the dashbaord

     

    Instead I'm stuck with either having the totally useless Launchpad come up, placing another layer between me and my need for quick access to my calculator widget, or having Dashboard come up but it taking a two more steps to lower the volume of my Mac.

     

    Is there any way I can have my cake and eat it too, or am I stuck wishing for the simpler days of OS 10.6?

  • by Jasenboychair,

    Jasenboychair Jasenboychair Dec 15, 2015 12:48 AM in response to veekeeweekee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 15, 2015 12:48 AM in response to veekeeweekee

    Hello ,

     

    This response might be late, but there is a way to switch the keys. There is settings app that you can download and "flip" the control of your function keys. Its called FunctionFlip (http://kevingessner.com/software/functionflip/). If you really dislike the launch pad, you can open the app in your apple settings and click on F4 and it will switch to dashboard. Just make sure to go back to your keyboard shortcut settings and reapply the key to the dashboard as a shortcut. And there you have it. Same works as the other way around. From Widget to Launchpad. You can also modify your play and brightness keys, its just there to give you more control. I don't think its a good idea to disable the brightness or play controls.

     

    -Jasen

  • by cosmoknot,

    cosmoknot cosmoknot Jul 18, 2016 11:49 AM in response to Jasenboychair
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Safari
    Jul 18, 2016 11:49 AM in response to Jasenboychair

    Thanks for this! I'm now able to use dashboard on my new Macbook.