# Remap Fn Key in Windows?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 31, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698 "2012-05-31T20:10:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698/1 "2012-05-31T20:10:58Z")
I just got a new mini Keyboard for my desktop, but one thing is driving me nuts: the location of the Fn key is left of the ctrl key. Is there anyway to remap this in Windows 7? I found a couple of programs that purport to do such, but none recognized the Fn key.
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### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698/2 "2012-05-31T20:27:26Z")
The Fn key is not a regular key and the operation system likely has no knowledge of its existence, instead it modifies the information sent from the keyboard:
> **[Fn key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fn_key)**
>
> The .mw-parser-output .keyboard-key{border:1px solid #aaa;border-radius:0.2em;box-shadow:0.1em 0.1em 0.2em rgba(0,0,0,0.1);background-color:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);background-image:linear-gradient(to bottom,var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0),var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa),var(--background-color-neutral,#eaecf0));color:var(--color-base,#202122);padding:0.1em 0.3em;font-family:inherit;font-size:0.85em}Fn key, short form for function, is a modifier key on ...
It’s probably not possible to remap it. See this paragraph from the wikipedia article describing how Lenovo keyboards are exceptions to the rule:
> [@](#):
>
> While it is most common for the Fn key processing to happen directly in the keyboard micro-controller, offering no knowledge to the main computer of whether the Fn key was pressed, at least one manufacturer, Lenovo, performs this mapping in BIOS running on the main CPU. This allows remapping the Fn key by modifying the BIOS interrupt handler.
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### Author:  [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698/3 "2012-05-31T20:58:17Z")
I agree that it cannot be remapped, it’s in the keyboard itself (either firmware or physical wiring).
If you dare, you can try removing the keycap from Fn. This way you won’t press it accidentally when reaching for Ctrl, and you can still press Fn by pushing the contact in the resultant hole.
(The foregoing is pure speculation. _ **Heracles LLC** _ will not be held responsible for any resulting damage or injuries.)
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remap-fn-key-in-windows/623698/4 "2012-06-01T03:52:29Z")
I’ve never seen a keyboard with a function key that didn’t also come with software. Given the ubiquitousness of keyboards and the ease of connecting them, it’s likely that you either threw it away as so much junk or the software is download-only.
And yes, if I haven’t seen it, it doesn’t exist. I’m sorry if that has thrown anyone into an existential crisis.