From the files of the Total Mac Beginner Dept.: Some things on a Mac require System Preferences fiddling to fix—keyboard settings, Expose/Spaces, and so on. Press Option and the related function key, and up comes the related preferences.


Original image via bfishadow.

Commenter akers_ tested this out on his up-to-date MacBook and #tips box. Hold the Option key and hit the MacBook's special screen brightness adjuster, and you get your screen/power preferences. Option+Volume button brings up sound preferences, Option+"Dashboard" loads the Expose/Spaces preferences. Not all of the keys work—Option+Play/Pause simply launches iTunes—but the crucial preferences are all available.


It's a good one—I've had a MacBook in my house for nearly a year now, and had no idea. For some of you, this may be old hat, and we're suitably impressed—no need to tell us so in the comments, if you catch our drift?

Options+Function Key for System Preferences [#tips]