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I toggle the "Use all F1, F2 as standard keys" setting very often and would like to automate it via a script (or a keyboard shortcut). Is it possible? I've tried to Google the right arguments for defaults write ... but unsuccessfully.

fn settings

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2 Answers

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tell application "System Preferences"
    reveal anchor "keyboardTab" of pane "com.apple.preference.keyboard"
end tell
tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences"
    click checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
end tell
quit application "System Preferences"

You could also use defaults write -g com.apple.keyboard.fnState -bool, but I don't know any way to apply the changes without logging out and back in.

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Exactly what I was looking for, thanks. – jkbr Aug 12 '12 at 15:08
I've packed this script as an app using Automator so that it can be quickly run from Spotlight: github.com/jkbr/macos-fn-toggle – jkbr Feb 21 at 19:06
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Some AppleScript that might help: Applescript to toggle F1-F11 keys as function keys - MacRumors Forums

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