current community

your communities

more stack exchange communities

company blog
Stack Exchange Inbox Reputation and Badges
tour help
Ask Ubuntu is a question and answer site for Ubuntu users and developers. Join them; it only takes a minute:

Sign up
Here's how it works:
  1. Anybody can ask a question
  2. Anybody can answer
  3. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
up vote 20 down vote favorite
1

When the Gnome desktop has focus, hitting F1 brings up "Ubuntu Desktop Guide". How do I disable this keyboard shortcut?

UPDATE: This problem seems to be gone in Ubuntu 12.04 (hitting F1 while the desktop has focus does nothing). I believe the question is specific to Ubuntu 10.04 which I no longer have installed, so I cannot verify the answers.

I will accept whatever answer is confirmed by the community (post a comment on the answer that works for you) and please mention what Ubuntu version you're using.

share|improve this question
up vote 14 down vote accepted

For 12.10

You can disable the help browser by opening "System Settings" -> "Keyboard" and switching to the "Shortcuts" tab, then under "Launchers" turning "Launch Help Browser" to "Disabled".

enter image description here

However some applications, for example the terminal, have their own help settings you will have to turn off as well. For the terminal, open the "Edit" menu and click on "Keyboard Shortcuts". Scroll to the bottom and change the key for "Contents" under "Help". To turn the shortcut off, select it and then hit backspace.

enter image description here

share|improve this answer
    
Please specify Ubuntu version numbers as this does not seem to exist in 12.04. – Gili Jan 19 '13 at 20:59
    
@Gili I did this in 12.10 though I think it should be there in 12.04 also. – Seth♦ Jan 20 '13 at 4:18
    
It works for gnome-terminal in Ubuntu 13.10. Thanks. – Marcello Nuccio Dec 19 '13 at 7:31
    
This works for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS – RoraΖ Aug 26 '15 at 12:20
    
Using Backspace in this case is so intuitive... Thanks! – nuoritoveri Jun 22 '16 at 13:10
up vote 3 down vote

14.04

Install the DConf editor, go to org > gnome > desktop > wm > keybindings.

Assign the F1 key to some inoffensive function, like 'raise'.

share|improve this answer
1  
Checked and works in 14.04. Is more like a workaround than a real solution, but at least now the annoying gnome help app don't appears every time I miss the Esc key when working with vim :P – sucotronic Jul 21 '14 at 11:10
    
Is this dconf - Simple tool for manipulating a dconf database? If not, what package name? – Tom Hale Sep 25 '16 at 7:06
up vote 2 down vote

You can go into Settings->Keyboard->Shortcuts->Starter and press backspace on the coressponding item. Sth. like 'Launch help'

However other applications might still open their help on F1

share|improve this answer
    
There is no "Starter" entry under Ubuntu 12.04. – Gili Jan 17 '13 at 20:00
    
Anything similar to that maybe? It was a loose translation from German – JavaJens Jan 17 '13 at 23:07
1  
The key point that @JavaJens makes here is that some applications hook the F1 key to the application's Help file. Disabling F1 at the OS level will not always disable it at the application level. – Ed Manet Jan 18 '13 at 20:49
up vote 0 down vote

Just to Disable F1 may not be functioning in gnome. The practice way to avoid F1 to bring up Help window is to assign it to some unused function or a common function, such as 'raise'.

In most Ubuntu releases, using Settings->Keyboard->Shortcuts to assign F1 to 'raise' should work, except Ubuntu 14.04. Under Ubuntu 14.04, use dconf-editor to reassign F1 to 'raise' described by The Thunder Chimp above.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.