Special Key Actions in IGEL OS 12
In IGEL OS 12 you can trigger special key actions, like decreasing the volume, by pressing special keys of the keyboard.
Accessing Special Keys - Combinations with Fn and Ctrl Key
When to use [Fn] key?
In many keyboards the special keys share the same physical key as function keys. For example, the [Volume down] and [F2] share the same keyboard key on many Lenovo keyboards. To differentiate between the action triggered by pressing the key, you might need to keep the [Fn] key pressed down to switch to the special key and trigger the special key action instead of the function key action. This depends on the keyboard and the local configurations, and can also be the other way around, so that you need to use the [Fn] key to access the function key actions.
To test whether you need to use the [Fn] key, try to decrease the volume just by pressing the dedicated special key. If nothing happens, try keeping the [Fn] key pressed down while pressing the dedicated special key.
When to use key combinations with [Ctrl] key?
When VDI sessions are used, some special keys and key combinations are also forwarded to the VDI session. If you want the special key or key combination to be handled by the IGEL OS itself, you need to press [Ctrl] in addition to the other keys. For example, if you want to switch between IGEL OS windows, press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Tab]. However, the special keys that are not relevant for the OS running in the VDI session, for example volume or brightness control, are always handled by the IGEL OS without the need to press [Ctrl].
Basic Special Keys
The following common special keys are supported in IGEL OS 12.
In many cases these special keys are located on the function keys [F1]-[F6]. However, depending on the hardware, they can be located differently and still trigger the same action.
Special key | Action triggered |
|---|---|
Mute speaker | Mute loudspeaker |
Volume down | Decrease audio volume |
Volume up | Increase audio volume |
Mute microphone | Mute microphone |
Brightness down | Decrease display brightness |
Brightness up | Increase display brightness |
Lenovo Specific Special Keys
If you are using IGEL OS 12 on specific Lenovo devices, you can use special keys to trigger additional actions described in the table below. In some cases, the special key triggers the action when pressed in combination with the Ctrl key. For example, to maximize the window, you need to press [Ctrl]+[Maximize Window].
Special key actions are supported starting from IGEL OS version 12.5.1 and with the following Lenovo models:
ThinkPad L13 Gen5 Intel
ThinkPad L14 Gen5 AMD/Intel
ThinkPad L16 Gen1 AMD/Intel
Special key | Action triggered on L14 Gen5 Intel/AMD and L16 Gen1 Intel/AMD | Action triggered on L13 Gen5 Intel | Further Information |
|---|---|---|---|
Display Mirror Special Key (located at F7) | Launch IGEL display tray app | For details on the display tray app, see Tray Applications in IGEL OS 12. | |
Power Mode / Flight Mode Special Key (located at F8) | Access power mode The following power modes are available:
| Turn on flight mode |
Performance mode is not available when you move the laptop around. This is because the g-sensor detects movement and assumes the device is used in lapmode, placed on your lap. In lapmode the system maintains lower temperatures. You can check the sensor status with: |
Ctrl + Print Screen Special Key (located at F9) | Take screenshot of the whole screen | Not mapped to any action | |
Ctrl + Snipping Tool Special Key (located at F10) | Launch Snipping Tool | Not mapped to any action | |
Ctrl + Maximize Window Special Key (located at F11) | Maximise window (double press to restore) | Not mapped to any action | |
Star key (located on F12) | Jump to the web browsers URL bar if web browser is installed. |
If multiple web browsers are installed, the action is only triggered for the default browser. | |