Command Button On Windows Keyboard For Mac
Many people that are looking to purchase a Mac computer choose a Mac Mini. It is one of the most affordable Mac options and it has a very small form factor. But the Mac Mini only comes with a computer and a power plug. You need to supply your own keyboard, mouse and monitor. Fortunately these do not need to be Mac-specific. I have a Samsung monitor, Microsoft mouse and Dell keyboard hooked up to mine right now, and everything is working fine. But there is one slight problem with the default configuration. OS X assigns the Command action to the Windows key on a Windows keyboard, and that key is often not very convenient. Especially for something as integral to your usage of the operating system as the Command action. Luckily this setting can be changed to something more convenient, such as the Ctrl key. 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.
You won't find a Print Scr button on a Mac keyboard, so if you want to capture what's on your display then you'll need to use the Windows Snipping Tool. To find this, open the Windows Start Menu and type snipping tool, then select it from the results that appear. How to remap modifier keys in OS X. Step 1: Open System Preferences → Keyboard → Modifier Keys. Step 2: Select your third-party Windows keyboard via the Select keyboard drop down box. Step 3: For the Option (⌥) Key setting, select ⌘ Command. Step 4: For the Command (⌘) Key setting, select (⌥).
That Windows key is not a good option for using the Command action
Or you could just buy a Mac keyboard and make all of this unnecessary. Plus it matches the Mac Mini a lot better.
Assign the Mac OS X Command Action to a Different Key
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. But the Ctrl key is a lot more convenient, so I am going to use that instead. Simply follow the steps below to re-assign the Command action to the Ctrl key on your own Mac computer.
Step 1: Click the Apple icon at the top of the screen, then click System Preferences.
Step 2: Click View at the top of the screen, then click Keyboard.
Select the Keyboard option from the View menu
Step 3: Click the Keyboard tab at the top of the window.
Step 4: Click the Modifier Keys button at the bottom of the window.
Click the Modifier Keys button Best vpn software for mac.
Step 5: Click the drop-down menu to the right of the Command Key option, then choose the Control option.
Step 6: Click the drop-down menu to the right of the Control Key option, then choose the Command option.
Set the action for the Control Key
Step 7: Click the OK button to save your changes.
You should now be to able to use Mac’s Command action by pressing the Ctrl key on your Windows keyboard. This is going to make using that keyboard a lot simpler in programs like Microsoft Office.
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Microsoft's use of open standards such as USB means that its peripherals will work with products from almost all computer manufacturers, including Apple. However, Apple's own keyboards and Mac OS X operating system use a slightly different layout than standard PC keyboards, with some altered key locations and some additional keys. Knowing how to use a PC keyboard with a Mac could help your business save money on the cost of a brand new Apple keyboard.
Mac Keyboard Layout
The principal different between Mac and Windows keyboards is the addition of the 'Command' key. The 'Command' keys are located in between the 'Alt' keys and the spacebar on the standard Mac keyboard, in similar locations to the 'Windows' keys on Windows machines. The 'Command' key is important because it, rather than the 'Control' key, is generally the key used to trigger keyboard shortcuts on OS X computers. In addition, Apple keyboards do not have a 'Menu' key, and replace 'Num Lock' with the 'Clear' key.
Control Key Mapping
It might seem strange, but the likely cause of your 'Control' key seemingly not working on a Mac is that it is actually acting as 'Control,' rather than a 'Command' key. As 'Control' has few functions in Mac OS X, this could result in the key appearing to be faulty. By default, the 'Command' key is either mapped to the 'Control' or 'Windows' keys on a Microsoft keyboard. As such, you should be able to trigger keyboard shortcuts by substituting the 'Windows' key for the 'Control' key.
Altering Mappings
You can reinstate your 'Control' key as the primary source of keyboard shortcuts using the Modifier Keys menu. To access this menu, click the Apple logo on the toolbar and open 'System Preferences.' From here, click 'Keyboard,' then click the 'Modifier Keys' button on the following window. To switch the function of your 'Command' and 'Control' keys, select “Command” from the Control drop-down menu, and “Control” from the Command drop-down menu.
Key Names
In addition to the altered role of the 'Command' key, Apple refers to some standard keys by different names. This could cause confusion for users who are not familiar with Apple's terminology. For example, the 'Alt' key is usually referred to in OS X circles as the 'Option' key. However, it is still fundamentally the same key, with identical locations and functions on both Windows and OS X systems. The same is true for the 'Backspace' key, which is known as 'Delete' in OS X.
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About the Author
Andy Walton has been a technology writer since 2009, specializing in networking and mobile communications. He was previously an IT technician and product manager. Walton is based in Leicester, England, and holds a bachelor's degree in information systems from the University of Leeds.
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