Workflows that respond to Function key?

[ksnyde]

Considering how much hotkey congestion there is to navigate through these days I would really love it if Alfred could support a workflow trigger that comes off the less-congested function key hotkeys.

 

I was going to add this a feature request and then it occurred to me that maybe there was a sneaky way to do it. Can anyone point me to a solution?

Edited May 26, 2015 by ksnyde

[Vero]

Considering how much hotkey congestion there is to navigate through these days I would really love it if Alfred could support a workflow trigger that comes off the less-congested function key hotkeys.

 

I was going to add this a feature request and then it occurred to me that maybe there was a sneaky way to do it. Can anyone point me to a solution?

 

Thanks for your post. At this point, it's not possible to use Function for hotkeys.

 

There are legacy reasons why Function isn't used at this point, but I've raised a ticket for Andrew to look into whether it may be possible for the Function key to be used as a hotkey. I'll also move your thread back to Feature Suggestions for future reference

[shira]

@Vero -- if I read the question right, it sounds like poster wants to use the top-row function keys to trigger workflows, not the lower-left <fn> key itself. Regardless, that's definitely what I want to do -- specifically, the F5 and F6 keys, which seem to be wasted right now. Right now I can assign a keyboard trigger to something like <fn-F5>, but not just to <F5> itself. A brief google search reveals no easy way to do this. Any ideas?

[Jasondm007]

Hi @shira - Did you ever find a way to use Alfred to use the F5 and F6 keys (top row function keys) to trigger workflows? Thanks for your help!

[Andrew]

@Jasondm007 You should just be able to use F5 and F6. As the Apple Keyboard doesn't have additional functions assigned to these keys, don't hold the fn key, just use the F5 or F6 key by itself.

[Jasondm007]

Hi @Andrew - Thanks for getting back to me. I think I've got it working now! Thanks!!

 

By chance, is there any way to use F4/Function as a Hotkey, too?

 

On my laptop, it opens Launchpad. But on my Apple keyboard, it has assigned Dashboard (which I don't use and is set to Off in System Preferences - Mission Control). I'd love for them both to operate the same way. As a result, I was hoping to just set it up as a Hotkey and then have it trigger Launchpad.

 

Thanks again!!

Edited July 6, 2017 by Jasondm007

[Andrew]

@Jasondm007 You can't override Apple's key behaviour. If a key has an alternative (Apple) function, you need to hold the fn key to turn that key into an actual function key to use it in Alfred.

 

You can turn all keys into standard function keys in Apple's Keyboard prefs, then you could assign custom functions to every key.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Jasondm007]

@Andrew Thanks for the clarification!!

[Simon A]

Here is a way to get access to your F5 and F6 keys, and any other functions keys you want, as Hotkeys. It uses the keyboard remapping application Karabiner Elements.

 

1) In keyboard preferences, click "Use F1, F2, etc. as standard function keys"

 

 

2) Download and install Karabiner Elements. https://github.com/tekezo/Karabiner-Elements

The main application Karabiner does not yet have a version for Sierra. Karabiner Elements provides some of its functionality, including control of the Function keys. If you are running an earlier OS, you might find an older Karabiner application will work.

 

3) Using Karabiner Elements, set any function keys that you use for Mac things back to their original function. I use the media keys F7 F8 F9, as well as the brightness keys F2, F3 and volume keys F10, F11, F12, which leaves F3, F4, F5, F6 open for use as Hotkeys in Alfred.

 

 

4) Any function keys you haven't re-enabled using Karabiner Elements are available as Hotkeys in Alfred. For instance, here I use the F3 key to toggle the wifi.

 

[Jasondm007]

Thanks @Simon A!!!