Special Keys

Microsoft Keyboard Special Keys

Microsoft keyboards have many special keys that let you complete more tasks with your keyboard.

Hot Keys

Hot Keys are special shortcut keys that provide quick, one-press access to programs, files, or commands. Using Hot Keys can increase your productivity because you do not have to take your hand off the keyboard - to use a mouse for example - as frequently.

Important

The types of Hot Keys available vary depending on the keyboard model.

Å Back

Goes back to a previous item you already viewed in programs that support the “Back” command, such as Web browser.

Æ Forward

Goes to the next item -- if it was previously viewed in the same session -- in programs that support the “Forward” command, such as a Web browser.

Ò Stop (browser)

Stops loading or refreshing a Web page or the contents of certain windows.

F Refresh

Updates the information on an active Web page or the contents of certain windows.

L Search

Opens the Internet Explorer Search pane.

µ Favorites

Opens the Internet Explorer Favorites pane. This is where you can store shortcuts to frequently used files, Web sites, or other items for easy access.

D Web/Home

Starts the default Web browser and goes to the home Web page. If the Web browser window is active, it opens the home Web page.

* Mail

Starts the default e-mail program. If you are not sure what the default e-mail program is, press the Mail Hot Key to find out. You can also reassign the Mail Hot Key to start another e-mail program or have a different behavior.

U Mute

Mutes (turns off) the computer’s sound volume. Press it again to turn the system volume back on.

¾ Volume -

Decreases the computer’s sound volume. Press and release to decrease volume incrementally; hold down to decrease volume more quickly.

+ Volume +

Increases the computer’s sound volume. Press and release to increase volume incrementally; hold down to increase volume more quickly.

4/;Play/Pause

Switches playing and pausing media. Once paused, press this button again to resume play.

< Stop (media)

Stops playing the media. Press Play/Pause to start playing the media again.

9 Prev Track

Switches to the previous media track. Press once for each preceding media track.

: Next Track

Switches to the next media track. Press once for each subsequent track.

: My Computer

Opens My Computer. My Computer shows you the contents of your floppy disk, hard disk, CD-ROM drive, and network drives. You can also search for and open files and folders, and gain access to options in Control Panel to modify your computer’s settings.

Ë Calculator

Starts Microsoft Calculator.

? Sleep

Puts the system into power management mode (such as standby, suspend, or hibernation) if the system supports power management and has it enabled. You can put your computer to sleep with the press of a button directly on your desktop, protecting your data and saving energy. If power management is not enabled, this Hot Key will not work and it cannot be reassigned because it is a system key.

To use Windows power management features, you must have a computer that is set up by the manufacturer to support these features. To see if your system supports Windows power management features, refer to the documentation that accompanied your computer or contact the computer manufacturer. You may also need to turn these features on in the Windows Power Options Control Panel, and then restart the computer. For more information about Windows power management features, see Windows Help.

A quick way to find out if your system is currently configured to support Windows power management features is to click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Power Options (if you don’t see the item you want, click view all Control Panel options). On the Power Options tabs, you can see which power management features Windows is currently supporting based on the system settings and hardware. For example, if there is a Hibernation tab, Windows has detected that your system supports this feature.

Important The way to resume computer operation from power management mode depends on the system settings and hardware. Typically, you can resume operation by pressing the Sleep Hot Key, pressing a standard key on the keyboard moving the mouse, or quickly pressing the power button on the computer. If you cannot resume computer operation from any of these methods, you may have encountered a system problem. For more information about how your system resumes operation, see the documentation that accompanied your computer or contact the computer manufacturer.

W Word

Starts Microsoft Word. You can also reassign the Word Hot Key to have a different behavior.

X Excel

Starts Microsoft Excel. You can also reassign the Excel Hot Key to have a different behavior.

¦ Calendar

Starts the default calendar program, such as Microsoft Outlook calendar. You can also reassign The Calendar Hot Key to have a different behavior.

1 Files

Starts Windows Explorer.

Log Off

Opens the Log Off Windows dialog box. Logging off closes all programs, disconnects the computer from the network, and prepares the computer to be used by someone else.

Function Lock (F LOCK)

Switches between the standard function key commands (light on) and the Microsoft keyboard enhanced commands (light off). Leave it on or off, or alternate between modes for increased key press functionality.

Cut

Cuts the selected item in programs that support this command.

Copy

Copies the selected item in programs that support this command.

Paste

Pastes a previously cut or copied item at the cursor location in programs that support this command.

Application

Switches the focus to the next open window when you press the right side and the previous open window when you press the left side. Continue pressing to scroll through the available windows.

Keyboard wheel

Moves around in a scrollable document like clicking the scroll arrows or using a mouse wheel--but without taking your hand off the keyboard. Roll the wheel towards you to move down a scrollable document, away from you to move up a scrollable document.

Custom Hot Keys

If the Microsoft keyboard was purchased as part of a computer bundle, the computer manufacturer may have customized certain Hot Keys to enhance the features of the computer. You may be able to reassign these Hot Keys.

Alternate command keys

Alternate command keys give the keyboard extra functionality by providing two command modes for the top row of standard keys (and the TAB key above the number pad).

Important

The F LOCK (function lock) key and alternate command keys are available on certain keyboard models only.

The F LOCK key switches between the standard commands that are labeled on the front of the keys (such as F1 or INSERT) and the alternate commands that are labeled on top of the keys (such as Close or BACKSPACE). When the F LOCK light is on, function lock is on and these keys perform their standard commands; when the F LOCK light is off, the alternate commands are enabled. You can choose which mode you prefer to work in, or you can switch F LOCK on and off to access the commands you use most frequently.

Note

You must turn F LOCK on (light on) to access commands such as INSERT, PRINT SCREEN, SCROLL LOCK, PAUSE, and NUM LOCK, which are labeled on the front of the respective keys.

The F1 through F12 keys have special alternate commands, and these keys are called enhanced function keys. Enhanced function keys provide quick access to frequently-used commands, printed on the top of the keys, that can increase your productivity.

The list below specifies the default assignments for the enhanced function keys, but you can reassign many of them using IntelliType Pro keyboard software.

Enhanced Function Key What it does

Help Opens the Help system (if any) for the active window

(F1) Office Home Starts the Web browser and goes to the Office Web site

(F2) Task Pane Shows or hides the Office task pane previously displayed.

(F3) New Creates a new document in programs that support this command.

(F4) Open Opens a document in programs that support this command.

(F5) Close Closes the document or file in the active window.

(F6) Reply Replies to the e-mail in the active window.

(F7) Forward Forwards the e-mail in the active window.

(F8) Send Sends the e-mail in the active window.

(F9) Spell Starts the spell-checking program in the active document, if the document’s program has this feature.

(F10) Save Saves the file in the active window