VMware Communities
lensv
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Function keys

I can see that the keyboard setting "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" isn't avaliable in the guest machines' System Preferences. Is it not possible to make the "special keys" work in a VMware Fusion Mac guest VM?

Reply
0 Kudos
30 Replies
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,
I have the same problem as you, I am in contact with Vmware technicians but they do not know how to solve the problem.

Have you finally been able to solve the function key issue?

If so, how did you do it?

Thanks

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi maurfin,

Not 100% sure what you are after..
Does this help?

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/Can-t-have-permanent-Escape-Key-and-Func...

 

wila_0-1606757833548.png

As a result whenever I'm in a VM, the function keys will be available on the touch bar.
(You're not mentioning that you have a touch bar issue, so this is me guessing what your issue is)

edit: also see this post:

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/MacBook-Pro-Touch-Bar-function-keys-alwa...

--
Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

In fact, as you suspect, I'm not talking about a touch bar, but an extended USB keyboard.
It is with this keyboard that I cannot use the function keys on the Mojave virtual machine (the host machine is an Imac with Catalina)

 

Reagards

Reply
0 Kudos
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

And the choice you indicate does not exist, neither on the virtual machine nor in the guest one.

Schermata 2020-12-01 alle 23.52.36.png

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

I suspected it was a touch bar issue.. so it is not.

Then next question is if the function keys work in the host?

If they don't then it might be a matter having selected the wrong keyboard layout at the host OS.

I have been using external keyboards for the last 15 years with mac's and the function keys have always worked in a VM since VMware Fusion 1.0.


Not saying that you're not having this issue, but suspecting that it is either:

- a wrong keyboard layout issue

- a keyboard not being compatible with your imac issue.

If OTOH it does work at the host, but not at the guest, then you still might have selected the wrong keyboard in the guest.

Yet another thing to try is to create a new keyboard profile in VMware Fusion and assign that to the VM.

--
Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

That was a screen at the host OS, touch bar only.

--
Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

Well, the keyboard is the original Apple keyboard, purchased with the computer and in the Host system it has always worked correctly. Also on 4 other virtual machines (Window Xp, W 8, W10 and Linux) the keyboard works correctly.

The virtual machine was created from a Time Machine backup of the Host machine, made BEFORE installing Catalina and the virual machine with OS Mojave I need to use some 32b apps.
So I have not installed any keyboard, I think it is exactly the keyboard with Italian layout.

For further consideration I created an additional Mojave virtual machine from scratch, totally clean but the result is identical: the function keys don't want to know that they work ...

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

OK.

In that case try the suggestion I added last to my previous reply.

Create a new keyboard profile and set your VM to use that.
If that still doesn't help, open a ticket with vmware support.

--
Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

I tried to create a new MAC profile and I realized that if I enable the Mac OS Host keyboard hotkeys, the function keys also work on the virtual machine BUT they execute the command on the HOS machine, not on the virtual one.
If for example, on the virtual machine I press the F4 key, which corresponds to Launchpad, this is done but on the host machine and I am listed the APP of the host machine instead of those of the virtual ....
So this does NOT solve the problem

 

Schermata 2020-12-02 alle 01.40.04.png

Reply
0 Kudos
maurfin
Contributor
Contributor

"If that still doesn't help, open a ticket with vmware support."

 

I have already opened the ticket for this issue for more than a month, the support has sent me the link of this thread ... 😭

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Sorry I'm out of ideas... (and I'm only helping out in my free time..  so try support)

--
Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos