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On the MacBook Air keyboard shown in Apple’s guide, F3 opens Mission Control, which displays your open windows and desktop spaces. To send a standard F3 keystroke instead, press Fn/Globe + F3 when the top row is set to control Mac features. The exact key label and behavior can vary by keyboard.
What F3 does on a Mac
On the documented MacBook Air keyboard, F3 is the Mission Control key. Mission Control lays out open windows and desktop spaces; select a window or space to bring it forward. Apple’s guide to the MacBook Air keyboard shows this F3 mapping: MacBook Air keyboard.
Apple describes the top row as able to control built-in Mac features or act as standard function keys. Which behavior you get depends on the keyboard setting and, for standard F3, the app and its configured shortcuts.
Open Mission Control another way
If pressing F3 is inconvenient, Apple documents these alternatives for Mission Control: Apple’s Mission Control guide.
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- Keyboard: Press Control + Up Arrow.
- Trackpad: Swipe up with three fingers.
- Magic Mouse: Double-tap with two fingers.
- Window: Drag a window to the top edge of the screen.
- Hot Corner: Move the pointer to a screen corner configured for Mission Control.
Use F3 as a standard function key
When the top row is set to control Mac features, hold Fn or Globe while pressing F3 to request the standard F3 action. Apple notes that if your keyboard has no Fn key, you can try Control with the function key instead. The standard action itself depends on the app you are using and any shortcuts configured in it. See Apple’s function-key instructions.
Change the default behavior of the top row
You can make F1–F12 behave as standard function keys by default, so that pressing F3 sends a standard F3 keystroke rather than opening Mission Control. The setting’s location depends on your macOS version:
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- macOS Ventura or later: Open Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Function Keys, then turn on “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.”
- Earlier macOS versions: Open Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard, then select “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.”
With standard function keys enabled, use Fn/Globe plus a top-row key when you want that key’s Mac feature instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you cannot find the setting or F3 behaves differently
Apple identifies a non-Apple keyboard as one possible reason the Function Keys setting may not appear. Check the keyboard maker’s instructions or utility for its controls. Key symbols and mappings differ, so the MacBook Air’s F3-for-Mission-Control layout is an example documented by Apple, not a guarantee for every Mac or external keyboard.
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