Question about hotkeys

[stringking]

So I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to ask. I'm not exactly a computer geek and only like to play PC games as a small hobby, I don't really want to make a career out of it or be a hardcore enthusiast (I generally don't have the luxury to play the highest of high-end games anyways, since all I have is a basic, yet new laptop generously gifted to me by my sister as I'm rather poor).

I realize I probably sound really stupid, but I don't exactly know how to fix this issue. The games I play have hotkeys that are usually the top bar keys (with the series of f-'s). However, while in-game they usually don't do their served purpose, but usually do the command that they are originally for outside of the game program.

For example, in the Sims, supposedly I can take a screenshot with F9, but instead it only takes me to my lock screen, as if I weren't playing it at all. In another game, I should be able to use F4 to go into full-screen mode, but it only mutes and un-mutes my laptop microphone. I was basically wondering if there would be a way to make this stop, or if I'll just have to customize the hotkeys myself? Again, I know I sound like a noob, but I don't really have anywhere else to go. My laptop is a Lenovo Ideapad 110 with Windows 10 as its OS if that helps anything. Thanks.

 

[Nigel Spike]

Since each game has its own game specific hotkeys and its own way to store them, I would check each specific game for manuals, FAQs and/or forums.

Example: I googled "sims hotkeys" (I haven't playd SIMS for over 10 years so I don't recall how it´s played) and got loads of hits like this one http://aniscreationssims.weebly.com/sims-3-shortcuts-list.html

I´d also check the manual for the laptop, since they sometimes have their own way of dealing with F-keys and Fn-key lock.

Nigel