几乎每个键盘的顶部都有一系列以F. F1到F12开头的键，它们被称为功能键。你能相信他们从 1965 年就已经存在了吗？它们是作为键被引入的，可以改变为你想做的任何事情。可以编程的键也称为软键。
他们今天仍然是软键。操作系统 (OS) 和程序可以绑定到它们，以便按键启动特定功能。然而，多年来，软件开发人员已经非正式地将它们标准化。因此，无论您使用什么操作系统或程序，功能键通常都会做同样的事情。不总是，但经常。
让我们看看每个功能键(function key)在Windows中的作用。
F1 键 - 帮助即将到来
每当您对所使用的程序有疑问或问题时，您的第一步应该是按F1 键(F1 key)。它通常是调出帮助菜单(help menu)或打开您正在使用的操作系统或程序的支持网站的键。(support website)
在某些情况下，F1 键(F1 key)将为您提供上下文相关的帮助。也就是说，针对您当时正在做的事情提供的帮助非常具体。假设您正在处理程序中的图像并尝试更改颜色。如果程序有上下文相关的帮助，它会在你按下 F1 时显示有关颜色变化的信息。
在某些计算机上，F1 键(F1 key)可用于在启动计算机时访问BIOS
（Basic Input/Output System）设置，但在操作系统加载之前。
F2 键 – 名称转换器
对于Windows中的大多数项目，例如文件、文件夹或桌面图标，按F2 键(F2 key)可以重命名项目。在项目上单击一次以选择它，点击 F2，您将看到名称变为可编辑，编辑名称并点击 Enter(name and tap Enter)提交更改。这种方法比尝试用鼠标右键单击该项目、选择Rename并重命名它要快得多。
在Microsoft Office Excel 中(Microsoft Office Excel)，点击 F2 可以让您比单击鼠标更轻松地编辑活动单元格。
在Microsoft Word中，同时使用Ctrl和F2 键(F2 key)( Ctrl + F2 ) 将显示打印预览窗口(print preview window)。
在某些品牌和型号上重新启动计算机时，F2 还可用于访问BIOS 。
F3 键 – 搜索器
在大多数程序中，点击F3 键(F3 key)会弹出程序搜索窗口。在网络浏览器(web browser)中尝试，然后您可以在您正在查看的页面上搜索文本。
一旦你搜索了一些东西，经常再次点击F3 键(F3 key)
会找到你搜索词的下一个实例。要查找它出现的下一个位置，请点击 F3。之后要查找下一个地点，请点击 F3，依此类推。
F4 键 - 地址和关闭
如果您使用的是Windows Explorer 或 Internet Explorer(Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer)，您可以点击 F4 打开或关闭地址栏(address bar)。这对于快速访问最近访问的位置很有用。该栏将打开一个下拉菜单，显示您最近访问的项目。使用向上和向下箭头键选择一个
位置，然后点击 Enter(location and tap enter)去那里。无需鼠标。
Alt + F4是关闭窗口或程序(window or program)的最快方法。当您需要快速但安全地关闭计算机时，这会很方便。
F5 键——提神醒脑
在网络浏览器(web browser)、Windows Explorer和许多其他程序和实用程序中，您可以点击F5 按钮(F5 button)来刷新屏幕。在
网络浏览器(web browser)中，这意味着它将重新加载页面。
为什么要在Windows 资源管理器(Windows Explorer)
或其他程序中刷新屏幕？屏幕上的内容和计算机正在做的事情并不总是匹配的。通过点击 F5 进行刷新，您可以强制您所在的程序获取并显示最新信息。例如，系统管理员(Systems Administrators)可能会在监视服务器活动(server activity)时使用它。
当点击 F5 时，大多数Microsoft Office 应用程序(Microsoft Office apps)都会显示“转到”对话框。这可以帮助您快速浏览您的工作。Power Point 是个例外，可以使用 F5 开始幻灯片放映。
F6 键 – 循环
在任何程序中，都有可以用光标选择的地方。通过点击F6 键(F6 key)，您可以将光标快速移动到它可以选择的所有位置。例如，在Chrome 浏览器(Chrome browser)中，点击 F6 会将光标焦点(cursor focus)移动到地址栏(address bar)。再次点击它会将其移动到第一个选项卡。再次点击它会将其移至
书签栏中(bookmark bar)的第一个书签。
同样，这是在屏幕上通过击键移动比伸手去拿鼠标更容易和更快的地方。
F7 键 - 检查自己
Microsoft Office和其他文本编辑程序是 F7 键的亮点。在Microsoft Word中，点击 F7，您将打开程序的拼写和语法检查器(grammar checker)。Use Shift+F7，您将打开同义词库。在
Word中，同义词库将显示您选择的任何单词的替代词。
除此之外，当您点击F7 键(F7 key) 时，大多数程序都不会执行任何操作。
F8 键 - 安全
在旧版本的Windows中，在启动计算机时按 F8 可以让您启动到安全模式(Safe Mode)。这是一种仅运行最必要的Windows服务的(Windows)Windows模式，可以更轻松地解决问题。
在Microsoft Word中，点击 F8 可扩展您的文本选择。点击一次以选择整个单词。再次点击它以选择整个句子。再次选择整个段落，最后点击将选择整个文档。
F9 键 - 清除和计算
如果您有一个带有可填写字段的Microsoft Word 文档(Microsoft Word document)或带有公式的表格，点击 F9 将更新该字段。使用Ctrl+A然后点击 F9 将更新所有字段。
在Microsoft Excel 中(Microsoft Excel)，F9 会将单元格引用转换为纯值。Shift+F9将强制重新计算您正在使用的工作表。Ctrl+Alt+F9将强制重新计算所有打开的工作簿。您可能不想经常使用它，因为它确实会使您的计算机陷入困境。
F10 键 – 功能区和菜单
在Microsoft Office中，点击F10可操作功能区。功能区是所有工具（例如选择字体或插入图像）所在的地方。点击F10可以激活功能区项目的访问键。如果您使用隐藏的功能区(ribbon hidden)，F10将显示功能区并激活访问键。
F11 键 – 查看全部
主要用于网络浏览器和视频播放器，F11 键(F11 key)
将使程序进入全屏模式(screen mode)。这在VLC(VLC)或YouTube 上(YouTube)观看视频时最有用。再次点击 F11(Tap F11)，它将使程序退出全屏。
F12 键 - 另存为
F12是最后一个功能键(function key)，主要用于 Microsoft Office。如果您想使用不同的名称或保存到其他位置的文档、工作簿或幻灯片，请点击F12以调出“另存为”对话框。
Ctrl+F12将启动打开文件对话框(Open File dialog)。因此，如果您正在努力并决定需要打开另一个工作簿或文档(workbook or document)，请使用
Ctrl+F12快速获取它。
Shift+F12将保存您当前正在处理的文档。不过，您可能已经习惯使用Ctrl+S来执行此操作。
所有功能
由于可以对功能键(function keys)进行编程以执行任何操作，因此这并不是它们可以做什么的详尽列表。如果您在工作中使用 Adobe 的Creative Suite或企业资源规划 ( ERP ) 应用程序等专业软件，请查看帮助文件以了解哪些
功能键(function keys)可以帮助您。谁知道？它可能只会让你的生活更轻松一些。
What Are the F (Function) Keys For?
Across the top of аlmost eνery keyboard lies a series of
keys beginning with F. F1 through F12 and they are known as function keys. Can
you bеlieve that they’νe been around sіnce 1965? Theу were introduced as keys
that could be changed to do whatever you want. Keys that can be programmеd are
also known as soft keys.
They’re still soft keys today. Operating systems (OS) and
programs can tie into them so that the keys will initiate specific
functions. Over the years, though, software
developers have unofficially standardized them. Because of this, the functions
keys will often do the same thing, regardless of what operating system or
program you are using. Not always, but often.
Let’s look at what each function key does in Windows.
The F1 Key – Help is on the Way
Anytime you have a question or a problem with the program
you’re in, your first step should be to press the F1 key. It is universally the
key that will bring up the help menu or open the support website for the OS or
program you are using.
In some cases, the F1 key will get you context-sensitive
help. That is, help that is very specific to what you are doing at the time. Let’s
say you were working with an image in a program and trying to change the color.
If the program has context-sensitive help, it would show you information about
color changing when you pressed F1.
On some computers, the F1 key can be used to access the BIOS
(Basic Input/Output System) set-up when starting a computer, but before the OS
loads.
The F2 Key – The Name Changer
For most items in Windows, like files, folders, or desktop
icons, pressing the F2 key allows you to rename the item. Simple click-once on
the item to select it, tap F2 and you’ll see the name becomes editable, edit
the name and tap Enter to commit the change. This method is blindingly faster
than trying to right-click on the item with your mouse, selecting Rename, and
renaming it.
In Microsoft Office Excel, tapping F2 allows you to edit the
active cell more easily than going the mouse-click route.
In Microsoft Word, using the Ctrl and the F2 key together
(Ctrl + F2) will display the print preview window.
F2 can also be used to access the BIOS when restarting your
computer on some makes and models.
The F3 Key – The Searcher
In most programs, tapping the F3 key will bring up that
programs search window. Try it in a web browser, and then you can search for
text on the page you’re viewing.
Once you’ve searched for something, often tapping the F3 key
again will find you the next instance of the search term. To find the next
place it occurs, tap F3. To find the next place after that, tap F3, and so on.
The F4 Key – Address and Closer
If you’re using Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer, you
can tap F4 to open or close the address bar. That can be useful for quickly
going to recently accessed locations. The bar will open a drop-down showing you
the most recently accessed items. Use your up and down arrow keys to select a
location and tap enter to go there. No mouse necessary.
Alt + F4 is the quickest way to close a window or program. This can be handy when you need to shut down your computer quickly but safely.
The F5 Key – Refreshing
In web browsers, Windows Explorer, and a host of other
programs and utilities, you can tap the F5 button to refresh the screen. In a
web browser, that means it will reload the page.
Why would you want to refresh the screen in Windows Explorer
or other programs? What’s on the screen and what the computer is doing don’t
always match. By tapping F5 to refresh, you force the program you’re in to get
and display the newest information. Systems Administrators might use this while
monitoring server activity for example.
Most Microsoft Office apps will display the Go To dialog
when F5 is tapped. This can help you navigate through your work quickly. Power
Point is the exception, where F5 can be used to start the slideshow.
The F6 Key – Cycle Around
In any program, there are places that you can select with
the cursor. By tapping the F6 key, you can quickly move the cursor through all
the places that it can select. For example, in the Chrome browser, tapping F6
will move the cursor focus to the address bar. Tapping it again moves it to the
first tab. Tapping it one more time moves it to the first bookmark in your
bookmark bar.
Again, this is where moving around the screen with a
keystroke is far easier and quicker than reaching for the mouse.
The F7 Key – Check Yourself
Microsoft Office and other text-editing programs are where
the F7 key shines. In Microsoft Word, tap F7 and you’ll open the program’s
spelling and grammar checker. Use Shift+F7 and you’ll open the thesaurus. In
Word, the thesaurus will show you alternatives for whatever word you have
selected.
Outside of that, most
programs don’t do anything when you tap the F7 key.
The F8 Key – Be Safe
In older versions of Windows, tapping F8 when starting your
computer will allow you to boot in to Safe Mode. That’s a mode of Windows that
runs only the most necessary Windows services, making troubleshooting problems
easier.
In Microsoft Word, tapping F8 extends your text selection.
Tap it once to select the whole word. Tap it again to select the whole
sentence. Once more selects the whole paragraph, and a final tap will select
the whole document.
The F9 Key – Clear and Calculating
If you have a Microsoft Word document with fillable fields,
or tables with formulas, tapping F9 will update the field. Using Ctrl+A then
tapping F9 will update all the fields.
In Microsoft Excel, F9 will convert cell references into
plain values. Shift+F9 will force a recalculation of the worksheet you’re
using. Ctrl+Alt+F9 will force a recalculation of all open workbooks. You might
not want to use that too often as it can really bog down your computer.
The F10 Key – Ribbons and Menus
In the Microsoft Office, tapping F10 manipulates the ribbon.
The ribbon being the place where all the tools like selecting fonts or
inserting images live. Tapping F10 can activate access keys for ribbon items.
If you work with the ribbon hidden, F10 will reveal the ribbon and activate access
keys.
The F11 Key – See it All
Used mostly in web browsers and video players, the F11 key
will put the program into full screen mode. This is most useful when watching
videos in VLC or on YouTube. Tap F11 again and it will bring the program out of
full screen.
The F12 Key – Save As
F12, the final function key, is used mostly in Microsoft
Office. If you want to save your document, workbook, or slideshow with a
different name or to a different location, tap F12 to bring up the Save As
dialog.
Ctrl+F12 will start the Open File dialog. So, if you’re
working along and decide you need to open another workbook or document, use
Ctrl+F12 to quickly get it.
Shift+F12 will save the document you’re currently working
on. You’re likely already used to using Ctrl+S to do that, though.
All the Functions
Since the function keys can be programmed to do just about
anything, this isn’t an exhaustive list of what they can do. If you use
specialized software like Adobe’s Creative Suite or an enterprise resource
planning (ERP) application at work, investigate the help files to see what
function keys might help you with. Who knows? It might just make your life a
bit easier.
