# Fn key or driver?

**URL:** <https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [January 2, 2025, 6:55am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545 "2025-01-02T06:55:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dusty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Dusty](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/Dusty)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 6:55am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545/1 "2025-01-02T06:55:11Z")

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I’ve been test driving a thinkpad T530 and while doing so, I went ahead and put 24.04 on a usb to test drive the two together.

I am realizing now that I didn’t know much about how keyboards really communicate, etc.

The T530 has a nice keyboard backlight that is controlled with the fn key and spacebar. It doesn’t work in a live session. After poking around some I realized that an fn key press isn’t even recognized. After some more digging I am reading that fn may not even be a direct “key” in some cases as far as what an OS sees from a keyboard.

Im not sure if that is the case, or if the fn key just isn’t working, or if I’m in a situation where the keyboard isn’t detected correctly so its a driver mismatch situation. Any help or suggestions appreciated! Thanks

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**Author:** ![jlb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/jlb/32/4919_2.png) [@jlb](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/jlb)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 7:25am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545/2 "2025-01-02T07:25:34Z")

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Hi @Dusty!

I don’t know if this is the case with your Lenovo, but some computers, like my Acer, have a setting in the BIOS that needs to be changed so that the “Fn” keys are recognised as such.  
I think you have to press F1 at startup to get into the BIOS editor (check your computer manual).

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**Author:** ![Dusty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Dusty](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/Dusty)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545/3 "2025-01-05T20:53:43Z")

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Yes, those are activated.

There is another I have not tried in there which is swapping fn and ctrl which I may try.

I am just feeling unsure at this point as to rather or not the fn key just isn’t working or if the live session just isn’t detecting the keyboard properly and there needs to be a driver change.

The backlights for sure work because I plugged in an old Ubuntu Mate live usb and the backlight is on.

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**Author:** ![jlb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/jlb/32/4919_2.png) [@jlb](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/jlb)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 4:22am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545/4 "2025-01-06T04:22:35Z")

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Too bad, it was too easy…

Did the Fn keys also work with this older version of MATE?  
Actually, it’s possible that the 6.8.0 kernel is to blame: it would just be another inconvenience.

Without going so far as to install the latest 6.13, you should try installing 6.9 LTS. I prefer the CLI method: you know what you’re doing:

> **[Install the Latest Mainline Linux Kernel Version in Ubuntu](https://itsfoss.com/upgrade-linux-kernel-ubuntu/#method-1-manually-install-the-new-linux-kernel-in-ubuntu-using-the-command-line)**
>
> This article shows you how to upgrade to the latest Linux kernel in Ubuntu. There are two methods discussed. One is manually installing a new kernel and the other uses a GUI tool providing even easier way.

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**Author:** ![fossfreedom](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/fossfreedom/32/1405_2.png) [@fossfreedom](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/fossfreedom)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2025, 4:28am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/fn-key-or-driver/7545/5 "2025-01-06T04:28:09Z")

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Indeed. Likely to be kernel related.

Check what happens with 24.10 in a live-session.

24.04 will have the 24.10 kernel available in the next few weeks as part of the run up to the 24.04.2 point release.