Function key does not get passed on to Windows in Amazon WorkSpaces

Question

I am using MacBook Pro 2019 with Touch Bar and macOS Catalina 10.15.3. I have installed Amazon WorkSpaces 3.0.4 which I use to connect to Windows.

My Function keys are not getting passed on to my Windows.

How can I solve this issue?

Update 1:

Below are my keyboard settings.

Function keys that I have tried.

• F11: Shows desktop on Mac
• F5: In IE / Google Chrome does not refresh the page. It actually does nothing.
• F4: In Outlook email message does not open the Find dialog. It actually does nothing.

Answer 1

I played around with the Keyboard settings and found a workaround. In the Keyboard settings, set the "Touch bar shows" to "F1, F2, etc. Keys". After this setting, my function keys are being recognized in Amazon WorkSpaces. Although it does not recognize F11 as it still shows desktop on Mac. You also lose firect access to App Controls.

Answer 2

On macOS the function keys are media keys so if a piece of software doesn’t know that holding the function modifier down make a function key function, choose the keyboard settings and enable the check

• F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.

Answer 3

Function keys work properly for me in Amazon WorkSpaces. I'm using a 2015 MacBook Pro with real physical function keys (no touch bar). I have this option enabled in Keyboard preferences: Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.

The F5 key works for me to refresh the page in Internet Explorer.

Although I did notice that I wasn't able to use F11 to make Internet Explorer go into full screen mode until after I had disabled the Show Desktop global keyboard shortcut. Here's how I did that:

1. Open the macOS Keyboard preferences
2. Switch to the Shortcuts tab
3. Select the Mission Control category
4. Un-check Show Desktop, or change the shortcut to something other than F11