Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga, Fn key fix w/function lock

48 comments

Updated for 2023:

The Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga defaults to having all the function (F1-F12) keys perform their alternate behavior (media controls, brightness, etc.) and not their traditional ‘function’ key behavior. For example, if you want to refresh a web page by pressing F5 you must simultaneously press and hold the Fn key, otherwise the key will function as ‘decrease brightness’ . What is even more annoying to me is trying to close a tab by pressing Ctrl+F4 (and it not working b/c you have to press Fn too) or attempting to close a Windows with Alt-F4…

Thankfully, there is a simple fix. Simple press the Escape Key and the Fn key at the same time to toggle on the function key lock (FnLk). The keyboard will now operate like a conventional PC keyboard and personally I much prefer the keyboard’s behavior with FnLk ON! 🙂

NOTE: If you toggle the function key lock, the F5 key, for example, will then be the normal function of  “refresh” and F1 would be the normal “help” function. To adjust brightness or media controls etc. you would press the approriate Fn+Fx
(where Fx is F1,F2,F3,F4,F5,F6,F7,F8,F9,F10,F11, or F12). 

Tip from Leo: Using the Vantage app, under “Device”, “Input and Accessories”, worked on the Yoga 730

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48 comments

  • Marie
    Saturday, 2014.06.07 at 12:12 PM

    Thank you for this tip. Setting up new Thinkpad Yoga and not having the Alt F4 driving me crazy!

    Reply
  • harel
    Wednesday, 2014.11.19 at 2:49 PM

    Thanks! Great tip..

    Reply
  • mnd
    Monday, 2014.12.15 at 3:19 PM

    JD, that kept me annoyed for quite a while… after looking through forums and trying to find the HOTKEY switch in BIOS (as suggested on lenovo forums, not for the yoga though) (which of course wasn’t there) , I found this. You’re a life saver, thanks a lot mate!

    And I bought thinkpad for the great keyboard – but the stupid super-duper-advanced shortcuts like this are an annoyance if you press it accidentally and don’t know what happened, I apparently did and was killing myself to get back the alt-f4 functionality back. Bastards just made it too advanced.

    Reply
  • tessa
    Wednesday, 2015.01.28 at 6:52 PM

    This is not working for me….help!

    Reply
    • J.D. H.
      Thursday, 2020.04.30 at 7:13 AM

      Dear Tessa,
      If my original tip did not work for you, you may want to try using the Lenovo Vantage application and look for a hardware settings adjustment for the Fn lock. Another commenter had good success with that method.

      I hope this helps! 🙂

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

      Reply
      • Nick
        Friday, 2021.04.23 at 10:24 PM

        Hi J.D. –
        I’m just going back over your suggestions above, and my Lenovo Yoga 7 doesn’t have an esc fn-lock. However, your second suggestion was on the nail: I was able to get into the “accessories” section of the Lenovo Vantage platform, and switch the polarity of the fn relationship to the F1-12.

        Thanks so much – Best regards
        Nick

        Reply
        • J.D. H.
          Tuesday, 2024.07.02 at 12:38 PM

          Hi Nick! Sorry that this reply is so late. I am so glad that my second suggestion was able to help you. Thank you for commenting and have a GREAT day!! 😀👍

          -J.D.

      • Leo
        Tuesday, 2023.07.04 at 9:09 AM

        Thanks! Using the Vantage app, under “Device”, “Input and Accessories”, worked on the Yoga 730, where the Fn+Esc method did not.

        Reply
        • J.D. H.
          Thursday, 2023.07.13 at 9:13 AM

          You are very welcome! I am glad to hear that the Vantage app solved your issue with the Fn lock, great job! It’s always nice to find a workaround when the usual method does not work. Have a great day! 😊

  • tclt
    Monday, 2015.03.09 at 7:43 PM

    Thank you!!! Everything else I looked up was talking about modifying the Bios which was way overkill – this was exactly what I needed.

    Reply
  • BulldogFan
    Tuesday, 2015.04.14 at 1:23 PM

    Thank you so much for this fix. I was becoming extremely frustrated due to my function key being stuck. This was a lifesaver!

    BulldogFan

    Reply
    • J.D. H.
      Thursday, 2015.04.16 at 9:39 AM

      Hi BulldogFan,
      Thank you for your nice comment!

      I am very glad you were able to get your Lenovo back the way you wanted 🙂

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

      PS Which model are you using?

      Reply
  • MelissaEMCT
    Sunday, 2015.06.14 at 8:04 AM

    You are my hero!

    Reply
  • Flor
    Friday, 2015.09.04 at 9:10 AM

    Thanks so much for the tip! Other websites were talking about going to the BIOS startup menu, etc. and your way is sooo easy and convenient! I’m glad I read it before trying the other way 🙂

    Reply
    • J.D. H.
      Sunday, 2015.09.06 at 9:58 AM

      Hi Flor,
      Thank you for your sweet comment 🙂

      Enjoy your awesome laptop!

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

      Reply
      • Thuy
        Tuesday, 2018.10.09 at 3:56 AM

        Hi,
        I havr the same problem thiuto tried your way but it doesn’t help.
        The Fn still appears indicator light.
        Please advise mewhar to do with this

        Reply
        • J.D. H.
          Thursday, 2020.04.30 at 7:11 AM

          Dear Thuy,
          You may want to try the Lenovo Vantage application and see if there is a hardware settings adjustment for the Fn lock. Another commenter had good success with that method.

          I hope this helps! 🙂

          Best regards,
          -J.D.

  • jane c
    Thursday, 2015.10.01 at 9:06 AM

    Just got a new Lenovo Yoga 3 and am trying to figure out how to lock the function keys. I’ve tried pressing f2 and f12 upon startup and I can’t figure out how to get to BIOS. Function + esc doesn’t work on this computer because it puts it in “paper mode” Any ideas??

    Reply
    • J.D. H.
      Sunday, 2015.10.04 at 7:19 AM

      Hi Jane C,
      Thank you for your great question!

      On the Yoga 3, I believe Lenovo actually added an odd little button to enter the BIOS. The button is located next to the power button on the side of the laptop, it is VERY small so you may need a small object like a paperclip to depress it.

      PRO TIP: you actually press the button when the laptop is OFF. Then it will boot up and give you the following options:
      Normal Startup
      BIOS Setup
      Boot Menu
      System Recovery

      I hope this helps!

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

      Reply
  • Gerry
    Saturday, 2015.10.10 at 5:18 PM

    I have a Lenovo B590 laptop with the Fn Key seemingly locked on recently. The simultaneous Fn/Esc does not toggle it off. Any suggestions as to how to toggle it off? Nothing I’ve tried or found on the web has worked.

    Reply
    • J.D. H.
      Monday, 2015.10.12 at 7:52 AM

      Hi Gerry,
      Thank you for your comment. Have you tried checking in the BIOS/UEFI to see what the Fn key settings are there?

      That is the only thing that comes to mind, sorry to not be of more help 🙁

      Best regards,
      -J.D.

      Reply
    • Xin
      Sunday, 2016.01.17 at 9:43 AM

      I have a Lenovo Yoga 3 Thinkpad. In order to get the Fn keys to turn off (and turn off the Fn led) I pressed Fn then Esc. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  • W Green
    Friday, 2015.10.30 at 6:08 PM

    Thank you, that’s exactly what I needed. I was turning it off (somehow) but couldn’t guess my way into turning it back on. Thanks again.

    Reply
  • OZ
    Sunday, 2015.12.06 at 3:37 PM

    Perfekt. I searched for a (this simple) solution since some days – now my fn keys work like before Win10 installations.
    Best regards,
    OZ

    Reply
  • Nancy
    Monday, 2016.02.08 at 6:54 PM

    LIFE SAVER!!!

    Reply
  • NLhoots
    Wednesday, 2016.02.24 at 1:53 PM

    THANK YOU!

    Reply
  • Mr. GuyManDude
    Friday, 2016.04.15 at 6:56 AM

    THANKS! Also, thanks for putting the solution in bold text.

    Reply
  • Isimo
    Wednesday, 2016.06.15 at 7:28 AM

    Thanks!! I was so frustrated!

    Reply
  • Roi
    Friday, 2016.12.23 at 9:52 AM

    Thank you for the tip! I was quite sure my laptop got malfunctioned. Best Regards:)

    Reply
  • Michael Litzky
    Friday, 2019.02.22 at 9:50 PM

    Just thought I’d let you know that I found a solution that didn’t involve the BIOS after the Fn-Esc shortcut didn’t work for me. Fire up a utility called Lenovo Vantage (buried on the Start menu under “L” for Lenovo). You may get an annoying window prompting you to create a login but just close that window in order to get to the main screen. Chose “Hardware Settings” from the menu on the right of the main screen, then “Input.” The second item on the Input screen is “Function Keys” with a pair of buttons that let you toggle between hot keys and regular F1-F12.

    Reply
  • Ihtasham ud din
    Wednesday, 2020.04.29 at 7:54 PM

    Thanks for the tip, but for me, it did in the way that I press Fn key and then Esc key to toggle between.

    Reply
  • Andy R
    Monday, 2023.07.17 at 12:45 PM

    Thanks, this worked well for me: Fn + Esc to toggle.

    Reply

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