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Help, Guides, and News on making the Switch To Apple Macintosh Computers
Expose for Apple keyboards that have volume controls on F9, F10, and F11
If your keyboard has speaker adjustments on the F9, F10, and F11 keys the preconfigured keys in Systems Preferences won't work. This is often the case for newer Macs and for Apple's aluminum-based keyboards.
Use the F3 key
The following details how you can use the F3 key to invoke the three Exposé actions:
Use the function key
You can press the function key (fn key in the lower left corner of the keyboard) along with F9, F10, or F11 key to invoke the Exposé action.
Modify the configuration to use the default F9, F10, F11 keys
There is a workaround that will allow the default configuration for Exposé as set in System Preferences to invoke the three Exposé actions. This is done via the "Keyboard & Mouse" preferences. Click on the the checkbox that says "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys"
What about adjusting volume via the keyboard?
If you've made the configuration change as described above, all you'll have to do is press the function key (fn key in the lower left corner of the keyboard) while simultaneously pressing the F9, F10, and F11 to adjust the volume.
Updates
The following details how you can use the F3 key to invoke the three Exposé actions:
- The F3 key on aluminum Apple keyboard is the substitute for the F9 action (All windows).
- Simultaneously pressing the Control and F3 is the substitue for the F10 action (Exposé the window(s) of the active application)
- Simultaneously pressing the Command and F3 is the substitue for the F11 action (Show Desktop)
Use the function key
You can press the function key (fn key in the lower left corner of the keyboard) along with F9, F10, or F11 key to invoke the Exposé action.
Modify the configuration to use the default F9, F10, F11 keys
There is a workaround that will allow the default configuration for Exposé as set in System Preferences to invoke the three Exposé actions. This is done via the "Keyboard & Mouse" preferences. Click on the the checkbox that says "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys"

If you've made the configuration change as described above, all you'll have to do is press the function key (fn key in the lower left corner of the keyboard) while simultaneously pressing the F9, F10, and F11 to adjust the volume.
Updates
- June 15, 2009 - Content revision
By: switchtoamac
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