Filed under: Hardware, OS, Software, TUAW Tips
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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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jeremy said 3:10PM on 7-13-2006
It does indeed work on desktops.
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fraser said 3:14PM on 7-13-2006
Works on white macbook
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markmac said 3:17PM on 7-13-2006
Yup ... works on panther on a powerbook G4 as well.
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Kevin said 3:23PM on 7-13-2006
It works on my iBook G4
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Cody Peacock said 3:28PM on 7-13-2006
you have to use the laptops keyboard it does not work otherwise
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Matt Gross said 3:32PM on 7-13-2006
Yea, I figured that out by mistake once on my MacBook
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Tim Biddle said 3:46PM on 7-13-2006
It works on my iBook G3/800 running 10.4.7 as well.
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mars said 3:49PM on 7-13-2006
Works on my iMac G5! What an awesome hint!
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Ganji Astral Mandi said 3:55PM on 7-13-2006
Mini g4. Check.
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Buthidae said 3:56PM on 7-13-2006
Cheers Dave! Works fine on my Pismo G4 running Tiger!
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Stephen C. said 4:03PM on 7-13-2006
Works on my iMac G4.
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Mark said 4:04PM on 7-13-2006
Works on my 15" powerbook G4.
OS 10.3.9
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Axel said 4:13PM on 7-13-2006
Works on powermac G5 with 10.4.7. Great tip thank u
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Chris Saribay said 4:14PM on 7-13-2006
Ah yes, modifiers. If you use shift + volume control keys, you won't hear the little "pop" indications on volume level. Useful if you're listening to music or watching a movie, and don't want that to be interrupted.
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Jameson said 4:37PM on 7-13-2006
Works on an Intel Mini
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Richard said 4:53PM on 7-13-2006
works on my G3 iMac running 10.3.9
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superjeff said 4:54PM on 7-13-2006
Good tip Chris. That buggs me all the time.
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Jonathan Piccolo said 5:27PM on 7-13-2006
I might be wrong, but if I remember correctly, this has worked since at least OS 9.
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Zoli said 5:47PM on 7-13-2006
Thats so cool! I'm in a TUAW post!
Thanx for posting guys! I found it by accident!
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xSmurf said 6:05PM on 7-13-2006
#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 :/
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