5

macOS lets you assign an action to the 🌐 (globe) key:

This setting works on a modern keyboard with combined 🌐 fn key:

globe/fn key

But my first-generation Magic Keyboard doesn't have the globe symbol on its fn key:

old fn key

This seems to be more than just a visual difference. On my Magic Keyboard, it only works as a plain fn key, and the action assigned to the 🌐 key ("Show Emoji & Symbols") doesn't work.

Is there a way to have the first-generation Magic Keyboard's fn key act like a modern 🌐 fn key?

Improve this question
6
  • Are these both connected to the same Mac, on the same macOS?
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Feb 23, 2022 at 14:07
  • Yes, same Mac and macOS.
    – Jo Liss
    Commented Feb 23, 2022 at 14:29
  • Then I'm guessing it's reading the keyboard 'live' I will disable the feature if it's not present. idk what difference is sent by the key. You could try Key Codes (freeware) & see what each is actually sending.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Feb 23, 2022 at 14:43
  • How old is the keyboard? My iMac 2017 keyboard has only fn on the key and works just fine to show emoji and symbols. Does Character Viewer work from the bottom of the Edit menu?
    – Tom Gewecke
    Commented Feb 23, 2022 at 15:11
  • 2
    for me it works double tapping the fn key in my first magic keyboard
    – santiagozky
    Commented Mar 31, 2022 at 10:56

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3

I was having a similar problem, but after upgrading to the latest version of Monterey (12.6), it is now working:

enter image description here

enter image description here

Improve this answer
-3

I since upgraded to a new Magic Keyboard with a globe symbol (🌐 fn), but the emoji window still doesn't show reliably when I press it, so I think the premise of this question is wrong. It's actually not about globe symbol at all.

I've made a follow-up question for this problem: Globe 🌐 (fn) key doesn't open emoji picker with external keyboard

Improve this answer
2
  • Were you also only talking about clamshell mode when you ask the question 6 months ago?
    – Tom Gewecke
    Commented Sep 20, 2022 at 10:45
  • @TomGewecke I think so, but I'm not sure. I only properly figured out that "external keyboard + clamshell mode" is a contributor to the problem when I wrote the follow-up question.
    – Jo Liss
    Commented Sep 22, 2022 at 16:41

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .