To reduce copying mistakes dramatically: New fool proof FN Ctrl firmware feature added to Lenovo ThinkPad laptops

Trying to press Ctrl + C as well and Ctrl + V, and then nothing happens: Most everyone knows this frustrating user experience when using laptop keyboards. These unfortunate mistakes happen, because laptop keyboards have an extra key - the FN key - that does not exist on desktop keyboard. Since it is located directly next to the Ctrl key, it is often pressed instead of Ctrl when using commands like copy and paste. Of course, FN + C and FN + V does not work, resulting in user frustration.

Lenovo's ThinkPad brand has a long history when it comes to user frustration over the FN key. After all, IBM had it placed to the left of the Ctrl key, but the standard position on most laptops evolved to be the opposite - the FN key to the right of the Ctrl key. Lenovo addressed this issue by allowing users to switch the key function in their BIOS firmware. Eventually, with the 2024 ThinkPad laptops, Lenovo relented, switching the FN and Ctrl keys around to reflect the industry standard.

Still, user frustration remains - after all, many long term ThinkPad users may be used to the old positioning of the FN key. Plus, if your company has both older and newer ThinkPad models, users may have issues switching between different machines with different layouts.

It seems like this was the inspiration to develop the new "Fool proof FN Ctrl" feature, as Lenovo calls it. Essentially, it is a new UEFI BIOS firmware setting that can be added to certain new ThinkPads like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 (available on Amazon). When enabled, the FN key acts just like the Ctrl key for certain key-combinations, namely Fn+A, Fn+C, Fn+F, Fn+V, Fn+X and Fn+Z.

Lenovo may not be able to make everyone happy with the new position of the FN key on the ThinkPad laptops, but with this new feature, it may be able to reduce user frustration considerably.