Frequently Asked Question

Keyboard mappings using a PC keyboard on a Macintosh
Last Updated 7 years ago

Keyboard mappings using a PC keyboard on a Macintosh

INTRODUCTION

When you use a Windows (PC) keyboard on a Macintosh computer, the keyboard shortcuts that you use map to different keys. In particular, the primary key that is used in keyboard shortcuts in combination with other keys is frequently different. The following are the primary key substitutions on the Windows keyboard, and their Macintosh equivalents.
Windows Macintosh
CONTROL COMMAND (for most shortcuts) or CONTROL
ALT OPTION
Windows/Start COMMAND/Apple
BACKSPACE DELETE
DELETE DEL
SHIFT SHIFT
ENTER RETURN

More Information

The following are typical Windows keyboard shortcuts and their Macintosh equivalents that apply to the operating system.

System Shortcuts

Action Windows Macintosh
Backward delete BACKSPACE DELETE
Capture whole screen to Clipboard PRINT SCREEN COMMAND+CONTROL+SHIFT+3
Capture front most window ALT+PRINT SCREEN COMMAND+SHIFT+3
Close active window CONTROL+W COMMAND+W
Copy a file/folder CONTROL+ drag icon OPTION+ drag icon
Copy to Clipboard CONTROL+C COMMAND+C
Create an alias or shortcut Mouse right-click, then select Create Shortcut Select item, then COMMAND+L
Delete to Clipboard CONTROL+X COMMAND+X
Exit a dialog box without changes ESC ESC
Find/Search CONTROL+F COMMAND+F
Force exit from unresponsive application CONTROL+ALT+DELETE COMMAND+OPTION+ESC
Forward delete DELETE DEL (Mac notebooks: Function (fn)+DELETE)
View item information or properties ALT+ENTER COMMAND+I
Log off Current User Windows logo key +L COMMAND+SHIFT+Q
Maximize window CONTROL+F10 CONTROL+F3, then UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW to select minimized windows on Dock, then ENTER
Minimize windows Windows logo key +M COMMAND+M
New folder CONTROL+N COMMAND+SHIFT+N
Open file CONTROL+O COMMAND+O
Paste Clipboard content CONTROL+V COMMAND+V
Print CONTROL+P COMMAND+P
Exit/quit program ALT+F4 COMMAND+Q
Rename file/folder Select item, then F2 Select item, then ENTER
Save file CONTROL+S COMMAND+S
Select all items CONTROL+A COMMAND+A
Select more than one item in a list (noncontiguous) CONTROL, then click each item COMMAND, then click each item
Send items to Recycle Bin/Trash Select items, then DELETE Select items, then COMMAND+DELETE
Send/receive e-mail CONTROL+K COMMAND+K
Shut down Windows logo key +U+U COMMAND+OPTION+CONTROL+Eject key
Switch to next window CONTROL + F6 COMMAND+~ (tilde)
Switch to previous window CONTROL+SHIFT+F6 COMMAND+SHIFT+~ (tilde)
Toggle through open applications ALT+TAB COMMAND+TAB
Type special characters ALT+ character key OPTION+ character key
Undo CONTROL+Z COMMAND+Z

Microsoft Office / iWork

The following are typical Windows keyboard shortcuts and their Macintosh equivalents that are specific to the Microsoft Office and Apple iWork office suites.
Action Windows Macintosh
All Caps CONTROL+SHIFT+A COMMAND+SHIFT+A
Bold CONTROL+B COMMAND+B
Extend selection word left CONTROL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW OPTION+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Extend selection word right CONTROL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW OPTION+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Font menu CONTROL+D COMMAND+D (Office) or COMMAND+T (iWork)
Italic CONTROL+I COMMAND+I
Move to beginning of current or previous word CONTROL+LEFT ARROW OPTION+LEFT ARROW
Move to end of current or next word CONTROL+RIGHT ARROW OPTION+RIGHT ARROW
Move to end of current line CONTROL+END OPTION+END
New document, new e-mail message, and so on CONTROL+N COMMAND+N
Underline CONTROL+U COMMAND+U

Windows Internet Explorer / Safari Shortcuts

The following are typical Windows keyboard shortcuts and their Macintosh equivalents that are specific to the Microsoft Internet Explorer and Apple Safari Web browsers.
Action Windows Macintosh
Back ALT+LEFT ARROW or BACKSPACE COMMAND+LEFT ARROW or DELETE
Find word/phrase on a page CTRL+F COMMAND+F
Forward ALT+RIGHT ARROW or SHIFT+BACKSPACE COMMAND+RIGHT ARROW or SHIFT+DELETE
Browse to home page ALT+HOME COMMAND+SHIFT+H
Open new browser window CTRL+N COMMAND+N
Open new tab CTRL+T COMMAND+T
Print page CTRL+P COMMAND+P
Refresh Web page CTRL+R COMMAND+R
Switch to next tab CTRL+TAB COMMAND+} (right brace)
Switch to previous tab CTRL+SHIFT+TAB COMMAND+{ (left brace)
Toggle full screen F11 None
Increase text size CTRL+PLUS SIGN (+) COMMAND+PLUS SIGN (+)
Reduce text size CTRL+MINUS SIGN (-) COMMAND+MINUS SIGN

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