[BRAVO 15 B5DD] Fn + F4 Touchpad Toggle Not Working (Fedora 42 Workstation)

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Hello Fedora Community,

I’m encountering an issue with my MSI Bravo 15 B5DD laptop running Fedora Linux 42 Workstation (GNOME 48, Wayland) where the Fn + F4 key combination, which is supposed to toggle the touchpad, is not working.

System Information:

  • Hardware Model: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. Bravo 15 B5DD
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 5600H
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Graphics (Integrated) & AMD Radeon™ RX 5500M (Dedicated)
  • Firmware Version: E158KAMS.116
  • OS Name: Fedora Linux 42 (Workstation Edition)
  • Kernel Version: Linux 6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64
  • GNOME Version: 48
  • Windowing System: Wayland

Problem Description:

When I press Fn + F4, absolutely nothing happens. The touchpad state does not change, and there’s no visual indication or system response.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken:

  1. GNOME Settings (Settings > Mouse & Touchpad): Confirmed the “Touchpad” toggle switch is present and functional. I can enable/disable the touchpad from here.
  2. gsettings Command:
  • gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad send-events correctly shows the current state.
  • gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad send-events enabled and gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad send-events disabled successfully enable and disable the touchpad from the terminal. This confirms the touchpad itself is working and controllable by software.
  1. acpi_listen:
  • I installed acpid and ran sudo acpi_listen.
  • When I press Fn + F4, no output is generated in the acpi_listen terminal. This suggests the key combination might be intercepted by the laptop’s firmware before it reaches the operating system.
  1. Custom Keyboard Shortcut Assignment:
  • I attempted to create a custom keyboard shortcut in GNOME Settings (Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts) and assign the Fn + F4 combination to a command (the gsettings toggle command mentioned above).
  • However, when prompted to “Set Shortcut,” pressing Fn + F4 does not register as a key combination.
  • Interestingly, pressing F4 (without the Fn key, implying it’s not the intended hotkey function) does register and can be assigned as a custom shortcut.
  1. Other Fn Keys: All other Fn key combinations (e.g., Fn + F2 for brightness, Fn + F3 for volume) work perfectly fine, suggesting the Fn key itself and its general functionality are not the issue.
  2. BIOS/UEFI Settings: I have looked through the BIOS/UEFI settings for “Function Key Behavior,” “Hotkeys,” or similar options. I couldn’t find any specific setting related to the touchpad hotkey or general Fn key mode that seemed to affect Fn + F4. (My firmware version is E158KAMS.116).

Current Workaround:

I’ve set up a custom keyboard shortcut (e.g., Super + T) to execute the gsettings toggle command. This allows me to enable/disable the touchpad, but I’d prefer the native Fn + F4 key to function as intended.

Request for Help:

Has anyone else with an MSI Bravo 15 B5DD (or similar MSI AMD laptop) encountered this specific issue on Fedora or other Linux distributions? Are there any known kernel parameters, drivers, or firmware-related tweaks that might enable this Fn + F4 key to register and function correctly on Linux?

Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,