The missing FnLock on macOS

Press Fn-Esc to switch the top row between function keys and system controls.
Set a different top-row mode for each app.
Read the current mode from the menu bar.
Show the Caps Lock indicator in the menu bar.

Download Beta Read FAQ

macOS 14 Sonoma or newer required

Core Features

Global Default

Choose one top-row mode as the global default. Switch between F1-F12 and system controls from the menu bar.

FnLock status item showing the global default set to system controls.

Per-App Override

Let each app use a different top-row mode without changing the global default. The blue dot shows when an override is active.

FnLock status item showing a frontmost-app override active for Fn keys.

FnLock status item showing a frontmost-app override active for system controls.

FAQ

Short answers.

External keyboard

On non-Apple vendor external keyboards, macOS cannot identify the Fn key, and media functions are handled directly by the hardware rather than exposed to software. FnLock can still support some features there, but the experience is less complete than on Apple keyboards, including built-in keyboards and Magic Keyboard.

FnLock does not collect analytics or personal usage data from within the app. If you choose to report a bug, logs or other diagnostic information are only shared if you decide to include them.