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TUAW Tip: shortcuts for display, audio and keyboard preferences

This simple tip was actually sent to us by TUAW reader Zoli Honig. It works on my MacBook Pro, and I assume other portables: if you hold the option key while pressing any of the F-key shortcuts for display brightness, keyboard brightness or audio volume settings, System Preferences will open and take you straight to the relevant preference pane. I don't know if this is Mac OS X Tiger only, and I don't have desktop machine to test with, so if you're still on Panther or using some kind of desktop Mac, feel free to share whether this tip works on your machines in the comments.

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This simple tip was actually sent to us by TUAW reader Zoli Honig. It works on my MacBook Pro, and I assume other portables: if you hold...
 

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Bjorn Nitmo

Why does TUAW keep posting hints that appeared on Mac OS X Hints weeks, months and sometimes years earlier? I'm not suggesting that the hints are without value. It just strikes me as odd. Perhaps a story about Mac OS X Hints or just the occasional courtesy link would be in order? I'm sure many TUAW would be awed by the wealth of information on that site.

July 14 2006 at 2:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric Carroll

Yeah, How I missed these great shortcuts is beyond me thanks a million...

Now, as a Mac Tech, these will come in really handy, but the holy grail would be a 'Network Preferences' keyboard short cut. Anyone know of one?

July 14 2006 at 11:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wako

FINALLY!


TUAW Tips are back again! I wish you guys would post more tips from time to time.

July 13 2006 at 8:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
saitothesniper

a neat thing about this: i'm on a G4 Sawtooth w/ a CRT display running 10.4.6, and even though F14 & F15 don't control display brightness in this case, hitting opt-F14/F15 still takes me to the displays prefs

(it may have something to do with the keyboard being from a G4 iMac where it did have brightness adjustment… but i wouldn't think so)

July 13 2006 at 6:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joakim Nygå²€

#14: You can turn off the "interface sound effects" in the Sound prefpane.
#19: It does work if you press the option key first, then the fn modifier and some fkey.

And yes, this is a great hint.

July 13 2006 at 6:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin

Worked for me. 15" Ti G4 Powerbook running 10.4.7

July 13 2006 at 6:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
xSmurf

#14 Chris: it's a very nice feature I've been using it for ages. I just got a new MB Pro and to my great dismay this doesn't work when you set the F-Keys to be fkeys by default and action with the fn modifier. I was very disapointed when I found out :/

July 13 2006 at 6:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Zoli

Thats so cool! I'm in a TUAW post!

Thanx for posting guys! I found it by accident!

July 13 2006 at 5:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jonathan Piccolo

I might be wrong, but if I remember correctly, this has worked since at least OS 9.

July 13 2006 at 5:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
superjeff

Good tip Chris. That buggs me all the time.

July 13 2006 at 4:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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