Member Avatar for altjen

I dont know why but my young brother laptop (Dell) keeps turning the FN button back to default, I mean, the buttons fn+F1 fn+F2 fn+F3 (mute, volume down and volume up). turn volume just by pressing them, not the FN button. It used to work the vice versa. I changed it many times in bios, but it keeps changing everytime..

how to solve this?

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Short answer: this usually comes down to a firmware preference, the laptop’s hotkey/keyboard utility, or a physical “Fn‑lock” toggle being pressed accidentally. has already tried changing the firmware setting, and and were on the right track — but when the choice keeps reverting you need to isolate whether it’s a software service, a failing firmware/CMOS store, or an accidental key press.

Try these steps in order:

  • Look for an Fn‑lock key or a lock icon on the top row; an inadvertent press can flip the default behavior.
  • Check installed Dell utilities and hotkey drivers (look in Add/Remove Programs and Device Manager). Temporarily uninstall or update them to see if the mode stops changing.
  • After changing the firmware/UEFI setting, do a full power cycle: shut down, remove AC (and battery if removable), wait 30s and then boot. If the preference does not persist across that, suspect a CMOS/firmware issue.
  • Test with an external USB keyboard or in the firmware setup screen to confirm whether the change is hardware/firmware or Windows-level.
  • Search startup programs for key‑remapping tools (AutoHotkey, third‑party keyboard suites) that might reset the row behavior at login and disable them.

If the setting still flips, update the BIOS/UEFI and the hotkey/keyboard driver from Dell’s support site (follow Dell’s instructions and keep AC power attached while flashing). If the machine is under warranty, contact Dell support or a service technician — persistent resets across full power cycles can mean a failing CMOS battery or a firmware bug.

Summary: ’s firmware angle and ’s accidental toggle are the common causes; use the checklist above to determine whether it’s a stray key, a utility, or a firmware/hardware fault before pursuing a BIOS flash or service.

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Member Avatar for rproffitt

I wish you had the exact model but the last time I saw this, the setting was in the BIOS.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

On my Dell laptop I can toggle the top row between function keys and media keys by pressing Fn+ESC. Pressing Fn+F1 toggles the mute and occasionally I miss F1 and press esc by mistake (thereby toggling the function keys). Perhaps this is what is happening with you.

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