How go to item on menu bar with the keyboard?

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Level 2

269 points

How go to item on menu bar with the keyboard?

In Windows you can easily choose an item on the outer menu bar by pressing the Alt-key and then the letter that is underlined for that particular drop-down menu. If you want to choose the File menu, Alt-F does it. I can't seem to find a way to do that on my Mac using my full-size Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keyboard. I've seen web pages from years ago that suggest Ctrl-F2 should move focus to the menu bar and then you can scroll among the menus with the arrow key, but Ctrl-F2 doesn't seem to do anything for me. Any advice appreciated.

iMac 24″

Posted on Jan 26, 2025 7:37 AM

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Answer 1

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rick7 Author

Level 2

269 points

Jan 26, 2025 8:49 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Thanks, VikingOSX and Tom. Fn-Ctrl-F2 does do the job to move focus to the Apple key to the left of the menu bar--and then you have to arrow to the right to choose any of the other menus--but boy if that isn't the most awkward keyboard 'shortcut' I've ever seen. I wonder if I could make a keyboard shortcut out of that keyboard shortcut? :-))

VikingOSX, your point is well-taken.

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Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,112 points

Jan 26, 2025 7:54 AM in response to rick7

Try Fn Control F2

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Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,254 points

Jan 26, 2025 7:53 AM in response to rick7

Apple's macOS is based on UNIX, not Windows or Linux. Thus, what you describe in Windows is simply not implemented in the entirely different macOS operating system and you need to learn to use the Mac as a Mac.

Mac User Guide - Apple Support

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