I don't have an F14 or F15 key!

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Level 1

9 points

I don't have an F14 or F15 key!

Hi,

I've recently updated my 2012 27" iMac to Mac10.12.1 and found that I no longer have brightness control over my display from my keyboard using the F1 and F2 keys (marked with the brightness up and down logos, respectively).

All the doc from Apple indicates that brightness for desktop machines should be the F14 and F15 keys, but.. I don't have them. My keyboard physically stops with an Eject button appearing next to the F12 key. This is the keyboard that came with this machine, so I'm pretty certain this isn't an intended behavior!

I also note that the "Display" subsection in the Keyboard settings is completely missing, so I can't even re-map the setting.

Any ideas or solutions?

Thanks!

(Sidebar - did anyone else note that the 10.12.1 upgrade also re-enabled the Guest account? That was a bit of a surprise...)

iMac (27-inch, Late 2012), 10.12.1

Posted on Dec 12, 2016 10:43 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

155,810 points

Dec 12, 2016 11:38 AM in response to unp3rs0n

If that option disappeared with the recent update, try applying it again: Download macOS Sierra 10.12.1 Update.

What Apple Support document describes using the F13 and F14 keys? As you wrote those keys don't exist except on the Extended keyboard, and they are not used for screen brightness anyway.

The Guest account is a consequence of enabling Find My Mac.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

155,810 points

Dec 12, 2016 12:06 PM in response to unp3rs0n

unp3rs0n wrote:

Source for my earlier comment about F14/15 use for brightness: macOS Sierra: Adjust your display’s brightness

Thanks!

I have no idea what Apple is thinking with that:

On a portable computer: Press the F1 key to decrease the brightness, and press the F2 key to increase the brightness.

On a desktop computer: Press the F14 key to decrease the brightness, and press the F15 key to increase the brightness.

😁

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 12, 2016 12:04 PM in response to unp3rs0n

I had to correct my post. It's the F4 & F5 keys that change the backlight on laptops.

FWIW, I have six installs of Sierra on 4 different Macs and the only place I see the Display setting is in a Sierra VM I made in VMWare Fusion.

I've posted about this before.

I don't run any cleaning apps.

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Answer 4

unp3rs0n Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 12, 2016 12:00 PM in response to John Galt

So, here's what I've got so far:

Source for my earlier comment about F14/15 use for brightness: macOS Sierra: Adjust your display’s brightness

Here's where I found the reference to Display settings under Keyboard > Shortcuts (though this might be tied to Yosemite, or a macbook, maybe?): http://superuser.com/questions/916276/keyboard-shortcut-to-toggle-mirror-display s-in-osx-yosemite

I've tried to run the update again using the macOSUpd10.12.1.pkg file you linked to, but I'm getting "macOS Sierra Update can't be installed on this disk. This volume does not meet the requirements for this update." when attempting to select the Mac HD. I'm chasing the solution on Google, but if you have any tips, I'd welcome them 🙂

I think I've found the solution - re-downloading via the App Store now.

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Answer 5

Nov 29, 2017 5:25 AM in response to unp3rs0n

OMG

Took my months.

its in Settings-Keyboard-Shortcuts- there is a Display settings. in it Shortcut to display brightness increase/decrease. DISABLE THEM.

BOOM

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Answer 6

unp3rs0n Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 12, 2016 11:39 AM in response to John Galt

I'll try to find the reference I was working with, but it was several tabs ago, so... (but it was definitely F14 and F15 - I saw a screenshot of the Keyboard settings window, which is how I noted the Display subsection was completely missing for me.

This did happen after the recent update, so I'll try your suggestion and update as soon as I'm done.

Thanks for the help!

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Answer 7

John Galt

Level 10

155,810 points

Dec 12, 2016 11:52 AM in response to unp3rs0n

I noted the Display subsection was completely missing for me.

That is also confusing me. There is a Displays Preference pane in System Preferences, but the Keyboard Preference pane doesn't have one.

If Displays is completely missing from System Preferences, the most common reason for its disappearance is the installation and use of ill-conceived "cleaning" products distributed by a variety of vendors. Such things are extremely destructive as well as extremely popular. Just a guess.

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Answer 8

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 12, 2016 12:26 PM in response to unp3rs0n

FWIW, I believe the documentation for Sierra is incorrect. The F14 & F15 keys don't do anything on my iMacs.

edit: the F1 & F2 keys change the brightness of the display on all my Macs.

the F4 & F5 keys change the backlighting of the keyboard on my MacBook and MacBook Air.

okay I'm done.

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Answer 9

unp3rs0n Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 12, 2016 5:49 PM in response to John Galt

This did the trick! My F1 and F2 keys are working properly, after the re-application of the 10.12.1 update.

For the benefit of anyone coming along after the fact:

If your F1 and F2 keys are no longer bound to brightness controls for your Mac, open the App Store, find the macOS Sierra download, and download/install it again.

Thanks again for all the help!

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Answer 10

John Galt

Level 10

155,810 points

Dec 12, 2016 11:06 AM in response to unp3rs0n

De-select:

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Answer 11

John Galt

Level 10

155,810 points

Dec 12, 2016 6:24 PM in response to unp3rs0n

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Answer 12

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 15, 2016 6:50 AM in response to unp3rs0n

FWIW, I still have the F14 and F15 shortcuts listed in my Sierra 10.12.2 VM but not in any of my physical machines.

😮

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Answer 13

unp3rs0n Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 12, 2016 11:56 AM in response to dialabrain

That's probably the difference, but it's weird the Apple documentation is calling that out as explicitly display brightness on desktops: macOS Sierra: Adjust your display’s brightness

*shrug*

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