Touch Bar - Alternate Key Combination to Show App controls

Solution 1:

Try Better Touch Tool.

I don't see a way to have the Touch Bar display function keys (initially) AND allow for the use of both App Controls and Control Strip.

Aren't you accustomed to holding fn when using the function keys anyway? I think this is the behavior Apple had in mind (show App Controls and use fn for function keys).

Instead of an additional keyboard shortcut, I'd suggest Apple add a "Show Control Strip" box on the the Fn setting when you choose App Controls (like the first drop down behaves).

Worst case: use an external keyboard when developing.

Solution 2:

Not an answer, but here's what I've done as a compromise:

In System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Function Keys, I add all applications where I want to have Fn keys as default. These are basically code editors, terminals, browsers etc. That way, when I'm developing, I will always see the function keys.

In almost all other apps (messaging, video calls, calendar etc.) I find the App controls + Control Strip default more useful, so I leave that as the default for all other apps. I've noticed that I rarely if ever use the Fn keys in these apps.

To me this is the only half-decent solution without buying Better Touch Tools.