Step 6: For the Option Key, change the action as Command and for the Command Key, change the action as Option. Step 5: Keep Caps Lock Key and Control Key as it is. Step 4: Select your connected USB or Bluetooth keyboard name from the drop-down menu. Step 1: Connect the keyboard to the Mac and click on the little Apple icon in the upper left corner. Look closely and notice that you only need to ask the system to modify the Option and Command keys.Īpple has added a built-in option to let you modify keys on the keyboard. Instead of the new Control | Command | Option layout, you need to go back to Control | Option | Command arrangement. Thankfully, Apple has a way to fix the issue. Of course, you can continue using the Windows keyboard with new keys arrangement but it can create a headache for someone typing on Mac for years. On Windows, you have Control | Windows | Option (Alt) keys inline instead of the Control | Option | Command arrangement on Mac.ĭue to the muscle memory, you will keep hitting Alt (Option for Mac) key instead of the Command and Windows (Command on Mac) key instead of the Option function. The problem lies with the order of the keys. The Option key works similarly to the Alt key, and the Windows key works identically to the Command key on a Mac. Starting from the left, the Control, Option, and Command keys are exchanged with Control, Windows, and Alt keys on a Windows keyboard.Īll of the modifier keys on Windows keyboard map 1:1 with the keys on a Mac from a functionality point of view.įor example, the Control key does the same on the Mac as it performs on a Windows keyboard. The problems start when you try to use other Mac functions with a Windows key. You won’t have any issues with those keys though. Similarly, the Backspace key on Windows will work as Delete on Mac. The Enter key on Windows works as a Return key on Mac. There are five major keys differences between a Windows and Mac keyboard. Before we show you how to use a Windows keyboard with a Mac, let’s understand how a Windows keyboard differs from Mac on the fundamental levels.

Alt on macbook keyboard