Use the Option Key to Pull Up System Preferences on a MacBook Some things on a Macbooks require System Preferences fiddling to fix keyboard settings, Expose/Spaces, and so on.

Pressing the Option and the related function key brings up  the related preferences.

Examples:

• Hold the Option key and hit the MacBook's special screen brightness adjuster, and you get your screen/power preferences.
• Option+Volume button brings up sound preferences
• Option+"Dashboard" loads the Expose/Spaces preferences.

Not all of the keys work—Option+Play/Pause simply launches iTunes However crucial preferences are all available.