macOS includes a feature that allows you to instantly sweep all open windows off the screen, revealing your pristine Desktop underneath. By default on many Apple keyboards, this “Show Desktop” action is hardcoded to the F11 function key (or Fn + F11, depending on your keyboard settings).
This creates a massive conflict for power users, video editors, and web developers. F11 is a universally standard keyboard shortcut used across dozens of professional applications (for example, triggering full-screen mode in web browsers, or rendering previews in video editors). If you try to use F11 in your app, macOS intercepts it and violently throws all your windows off the screen instead. You can disable this system-level shortcut to reclaim the F11 key for your applications.
How to Turn Off the F11 “Show Desktop” Shortcut on Mac
You must untether the F11 key from the Mission Control shortcuts menu.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Keyboard.
- Click the Keyboard Shortcuts… button in the main window.
- A new menu will appear. In the left sidebar of this new menu, click on Mission Control.
- Look through the list of shortcuts on the right for the one labelled Show Desktop.
- You will see a blue checkbox next to “Show Desktop,” and the F11 key assignment listed next to it.
- Click the checkbox to uncheck it and completely disable the shortcut.
- Click the Done button to save your changes.
macOS will immediately release its grip on the F11 key. When you press F11, your Mac will no longer throw your windows away. Instead, the keystroke will be passed directly to whatever application you are currently using, allowing you to use standard F11 commands like full-screen browsing or software-specific macros.