
- #Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard how to#
- #Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard mac os x#
- #Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard mac#
- #Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard windows#
#Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard mac#
On small Mac keyboards (like laptop and wireless keyboards), this key is missing. On a desktop Macintosh with a full-size keyboard, it’s labeled with Del and the symbol.
#Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard windows#
The Delete key in Windows (technically, the forward delete key, because it deletes the character to the right of the insertion point) is a different story. On the Mac, the backspace key is labeled Delete, although it’s in exactly the same place as the Windows Backspace key. Depending on the manufacturer of the keyboard, the Windows-logo key may work just like the Mac’s ⌘ key.īackspace and Delete.

Just about any USB keyboard works on the Mac, even if the keyboard was originally designed to work with a PC. Then again, there’s no Start menu to open by pressing it, either. As you probably could have guessed, there is no Windows-logo key on the Macintosh. (See Input Sources to find out how you can see which letters turn into which symbols when pressed with Option.) And if you press the Option key while you type R, G, or 2, you get the ®, ©, and ™ symbols in your document, respectively. Whereas the Alt key’s most popular function is to control the menus in Windows programs, the Option key on the Mac is a “miscellaneous” key that triggers secret functions and special characters.įor example, when you hold down the Option key as you click the Close or Minimize button on a Macintosh window, you close or minimize all open desktop windows. Still, these two keys aren’t exactly the same. For example, in Microsoft Word, the keyboard shortcut for the Split Document Window command is Alt+Ctrl+S in Windows, but Option-⌘-T on the Macintosh. In many situations, keyboard shortcuts that involve the Alt key in Windows use the Option key on the Mac. This is the closest thing the Mac offers to the Windows Alt key. On North American Mac keyboards, a key on the bottom row is labeled both Alt and Option. Here’s your cheat sheet to the menu keyboard symbols: represents the Shift key, means the Option key, and refers to the Control key.Īlt key. Unfortunately, they’re represented in the menu with goofy symbols instead of their true key names. Have you connected your Mac computer to a Wi-Fi printer yet? It’s easier than you think.Mac keyboard shortcuts are listed at the right side of each open menu, just as in Windows. This is going to make using that keyboard a lot simpler in programs like Microsoft Office. You should now be to able to use Mac’s Command action by pressing the Ctrl key on your Windows keyboard. Step 7: Click the OK button to save your changes. Step 6: Click the drop-down menu to the right of the Control Key option, then choose the Command option. Step 5: Click the drop-down menu to the right of the Command Key option, then choose the Control option. Step 4: Click the Modifier Keys button at the bottom of the window. Step 3: Click the Keyboard tab at the top of the window. Select the Keyboard option from the View menu Step 2: Click View at the top of the screen, then click Keyboard. Step 1: Click the Apple icon at the top of the screen, then click System Preferences. Simply follow the steps below to re-assign the Command action to the Ctrl key on your own Mac computer. But the Ctrl key is a lot more convenient, so I am going to use that instead. If you looked at the picture of my keyboard in the image above, then you can see how awkward it would be to use the Windows key every time I needed to copy, paste or select all.
#Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard mac os x#
Plus it matches the Mac Mini a lot better.Īssign the Mac OS X Command Action to a Different Key

Or you could just buy a Mac keyboard and make all of this unnecessary. That Windows key is not a good option for using the Command action
#Switch command and control keys on mac keyboard how to#
So continue reading below to learn how to switch the Command action to a different key on your Windows keyboard when you are using the Mac operating system. Luckily this setting can be changed to something more convenient, such as the Ctrl key.

Especially for something as integral to your usage of the operating system as the Command action. OS X assigns the Command action to the Windows key on a Windows keyboard, and that key is often not very convenient. But there is one slight problem with the default configuration. I have a Samsung monitor, Microsoft mouse and Dell keyboard hooked up to mine right now, and everything is working fine. Fortunately these do not need to be Mac-specific. You need to supply your own keyboard, mouse and monitor. But the Mac Mini only comes with a computer and a power plug. It is one of the most affordable Mac options and it has a very small form factor. Many people that are looking to purchase a Mac computer choose a Mac Mini.
