Stop the fn key from opening the emoji picker on Mac
If pressing fn or 🌐 opens emoji, switches your keyboard or starts Apple Dictation, here's the one setting to change — and what to do on keyboards without an fn key.
On recent Macs the bottom-left key is labelled fn and 🌐. By default, macOS gives it a job — usually showing the emoji picker. That's fine until you want to use fn for something else, like holding it to dictate.
The setting
- Open System Settings › Keyboard.
- Find Press 🌐 key to.
- Choose Do Nothing.
The options are Change Input Source, Show Emoji & Symbols, Start Dictation and Do Nothing. Anything other than Do Nothing will fire every time you hold fn.
Do fn shortcuts still work?
Yes. Shortcuts that combine fn with another key — fn← for Home, fnF for full screen — are unaffected. Sayburst treats fn pressed together with another key as a shortcut, not as dictation, and cancels the recording.
Keyboards without an fn key
Many external keyboards don't send fn to macOS at all. In Sayburst, open Settings › Shortcuts and choose Right Option, Right Command, Right Control, or record any key combination. The right-hand modifiers work well because you rarely use them for anything else.
Two dictation apps fighting over fn
If you run more than one dictation app, both may start recording when you hold fn. Sayburst warns you when it sees another dictation app running. Give one of them a different key.
Questions people ask
How do I stop the globe key from opening emoji on Mac?
Open System Settings › Keyboard and set “Press 🌐 key to” to “Do Nothing”.
Can I use fn for dictation on an external keyboard?
Only if the keyboard sends an fn key to macOS. Many don't. Use the right Option key or a custom shortcut instead.