When pressing the F8 key while working in AutoCAD, it does not toggle Ortho mode on and off as it should. Some or all of the other function keys also may not work.

Causes:

On some computers, the row of function keys defaults to "Multimedia key" mode instead of the traditional "Function key" mode. This is a customization typically applied by the computer manufacturer.

Sometimes the MTEXT editor will swap function keys and affect function keys outside of the editor.

Solution:

Switch the Function Key Row setting in the Windows Mobility Center:

• From the START menu, open the Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Windows Mobility Center (or search for Windows Mobility Center on the machine and open it directly).
• Under Function Key Row, switch the setting from "Multimedia keys" to "Function keys".

Note: This is likely found under a section titled "Customized by <Computer Manufacturer>".