Fact · Dictation on Mac
On an Apple keyboard, holding the Fn or Globe key while you press a top-row key performs the action assigned to the F key instead of the symbol's feature.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Press and hold the Function (Fn)/Globe key while pressing a function key.”
How to use the function keys on your Mac (Apple Support), Apple Inc., Apple Support, n.d., How to use the function keys on your Mac, Use the keys as standard function keys.
Open the original- What it measures
- Apple's example is Fn with F3, which performs the action assigned to F3 instead of opening Mission Control. The same rule applies to any top-row key whose symbol is a built-in feature, which includes the Dictation symbol on keyboards that have one.
- What it does not show
- Apple's example is Mission Control, not Dictation. The rule for the Dictation symbol is an inference from the same article, so test it on your keyboard.