About the Functionality of Microphone Key (that is on F4) on SF314-512

Accelerisme

Why is the signal light of microphone on the F4 key never lit after pressing it (meaning microphone cannot be switched on and off by pressing it while can be switched via settings) even if the overall performance of microphone is normal on my laptop?

I shall explain it a bit further. On SF314-512, there are two signal lights that are embedded on keys on the keyboard. One is on the Caps Lock and the other is on the microphone key, that is on F4 key. The light on the caps lock works normally and respond to each press on the key with turning on and off accordingly. However, the light on the microphone does not. Given that case, the microphone can be switched on and off normally through settings. I wonder the cause behind it. Someone gives me a clue as to it?

Joe9844

Read your manual.

ragsak28

Hi @Accelerisme

You can try to press the F4 along with the Fn button. Try to press Fn+F4 together to check if that works.

Hope it will help you in some way.

Accelerisme

I forgot to mention that I have taken the Fn into consideration and can firmly preclude the factor of Fn.

billsey

Yes, by default the keys are configured as media keys, with the Fn- combo to get function keys. You can toggle that bahavior in the bIOS to require the Fn- key to do the media functions. It sounds like F4 is doing as it's supposed to, toggling the microphone on and off, it's only the indicator light that is not working, correct? If that is the case I can try to escalate to see if the light is supposed to work, or if it takes some other functionality to enable it...

Accelerisme

I believe I have omitted one thing. As we know, when we press caps lock, the corresponding icon will appear right at the top of the screen as to the immediate status of the upper case or lower case. For example, after you press the caps lock for one time, let's say, it is on, and you see the light on the caps lock is lit, and an icon of a locked lock with a upper case 'A' is appearing at the top of the screen, right? And vice versa, and it shows an unlocked lock with a lower case 'a' instead. However, when I press the F4 key (I can make sure in the bios interface the default behaviour of f1-f12 is function key instead of f1-f12 themselves) but an icon of a microphone will always show on the screen. No matter how many times I press it, the icon of microphone will never switch between a normal microphone and a muted style microphone (and the light of the f4 key remains off in this process). It is a completely different story from that of the caps lock (switching between a locked 'A' lock and an unlocked 'a' lock). Completely different. So I guess the software issues should be precludes before going any further hardware check.

Accelerisme

Incidentally, I'm a newcomer to this community. Is there a reply button to reply people's post directly?

billsey

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150155#Comment_1150155

Reply in the forum is a reply that everyone else can see, so others with the same question can find it. You can point more directly at a specific post by quoting as I did here.

So, I need to pin it down... The function of the key is working, the microphone works until you toggle it, then doesn't work until you toggle it back on? It's just the display and light that don't follow function? My guess is it's a bug in the app that does the little popup (Acer Care Center IIRC) and it likely is the same app that handles the key light. Open Services on your system and check to see if ACC Service is running.

Accelerisme

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1150305#Comment_1150305

Thank you for your timely reply. Unfortunately, the function of the key is not working at all. Instead, enabling/disabling microphone can only be done in the Windows Settings or Control Panel. It is not only display and light but also the functionality of it that not work. I have examine that it is the App named Quick Access that control the display on the screen as to the real-time status of caps lock, microphone, scroll lock. Quick Access and Acer Care Center are all running well on my Acer.

billsey

OK, I'll see if it can be escalated and if they then have a reply...

egydiocoelho

Have you tried pressing the altgr f4 keys?