If you’re a long-time Mac user transitioning to a Windows keyboard, the Windows key, which is equivalent to the Mac's Command key, may occupy the physical position of the Option key on a Mac keyboard. Likewise, the Windows keyboard's Alt key is where you expect to find the Mac's Command key.
Like some Mac keyboards, Windows keyboards also lack the Option key. It's possible to use a Windows keyboard with a Mac - and just as you'd expect if you've read the above, the Alt key is the one.
If you want to use a Windows keyboard on your Mac, the good news is it's pretty simple. You can use almost any Windows keyboard as long as it has either a USB or Bluetooth connection.
Windows and Mac keyboards don’t share the same layout, but that doesn’t mean that you have to buy a Mac-specific keyboard - you just need to change some settings. Search for: Menu. How to Install & Run Windows on a Mac (2021) Windows Movies Maker for Mac.
Why use a Windows keyboard?
One of the main reasons you might choose to use a Windows keyboard on a Mac is that it's more readily available. In most stores, you'll find that there are more Windows keyboards than there are Mac keyboards. You may also have one lying around the house from an older computer.
Some people simply prefer to use Windows keyboards. Perhaps you recently switched from a Windows computer to a Mac and you prefer the feel of your old keyboard. There's also a variety of custom keyboards available, with most of them made for Windows machines.
What are the main differences?
Using Apple Keyboard With Windows 10
Backup mac computer. Although Windows and Mac keyboards feature most of the same keys, there are a few that differ. When using a Windows keyboard on a Mac, the Windows key is used instead of the Command key, and the Alt key is used in place of the Option key. For example, the Undo shortcut would use Windows+Z instead of Command+Z. It's also worth noting that their positions are reversed on the two types of keyboards.
Setting up a Windows keyboard
To use a Windows keyboard, simply connect it to your Mac (if it's a Bluetooth keyboard, your Mac should recognize it when you turn on the keyboard). You should be able to use it as soon as it's connected. You may be greeted with a Keyboard Setup Assistant prompt like the one in the image below. This is just the computer's way of identifying the keyboard; simply follow the onscreen directions. This only takes a minute or two, and then you'll be all set!
Remapping the keys
If you've recently switched keyboards, using shortcuts can be frustrating. Some modifier keys are arranged differently, which can be difficult to get used to. For example, if you're used to pressingCommand+Z, this same typing movement would be Alt+Z on a Windows keyboard.
Luckily, Macs allow you to remap your keys. This means you can change the function of the keys so when you press one key, it's actually performing the action of another. For example, you can set it so that the Alt key will act like the Command key when pressed. To learn how to remap your keys, read this article from 9to5Mac.
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If you're writing in a language other than English, you'll likely need to know how to include accent marks. You know, like voilà, olé, or über.
Fortunately, there are a couple easy ways to do this on a Mac. In this article, we'll go through the main methods so you can add accents to your text with ease.
The Press and Hold Accent Method on Mac
If you're not in a rush and you want to see all the common accent options at a glance, there's an easy way to do that.
Simply press and hold the key on which you'd like the accent to appear, and a number of options will come up above the letter, like this:
When you see the type of accent you'd like to add, just type that number and the accent will be added to the letter. You can also use the left and right arrow keys (and enter) to select which one you want.
So, for example, if you wanted the second option, above, you'd press and hold e, then press 2 (or press the right arrow key once and then enter).
This method works well if you don't mind the time it takes for that little accent menu to pop up. But it doesn't always include all accents in every language. And it does slow down your flow, especially if you're typing a whole article in another language. Whew, that's a lot of added time.
Fortunately, there's another common method that involves keyboard shortcuts. And gives you all the options, as well.
The Option Key Accent Method on Mac
The Option key helps you add all kinds of accent and diacritic marks to your text. Just press and hold the Option key (the same as the Alt key), then press the 'e' key, and then release them and press the letter key to which you'd like to add the accent.
For example, if you'd like to add an acute accent (´) to the letters a, e, i, o, or u, you'd press Option + e, and then the letter to which you'd like to add the accent. So, Option+e+a gets you á.
But what if you want a different sort of accent, like a grave or umlaut? Don't worry – there are option key combos for those, too (and more).
Option + ` + letter = grave accent à, è, ì, ò, or ù (like this: Voilà)
Option + i + letter = circumflex accent â, ê, î, ô, or û (like this: Crêpe)
Option + n + letter = eñe character ñ, ã, or õ (like this: El Niño)
Option + u + letter = umlaut accent ä, ë, ï, ö, or ü (like this: Über)
Option + a or Shift + Option + A (for capital A) = å or Å
Option + ' or Shift + Option + ' = æ or Æ (ligatured ae)
Option + q or Shift + Option + Q (for capital letters) = œ or Œ
Option + c or Shift + Option + C (for capital) = ç or Ç
Option + o or Shift + Option + O (for capital) = ø or Ø
Shift + Option + ? = ¿
Option + 1 = ¡
Option + 5 = ∞
Once you memorize these combinations, you can incorporate the keystrokes right into your typical typing flow. And you can always bookmark this article in case you forget :).
Bonus: Other Option Key combos on Mac
What if you need to type some math symbols? Or the symbol for the Euro currency? You'll need more than just accent options.
Well, did you know – your basic English-language keyboard is hiding all those special characters right in (almost) plain sight?
By holding the option key and pressing any of the letters/numbers/punctuation marks, you can create a completely different character than what's printed on your keyboard.
So how do you know what each key combo gets you? Don't worry – your Mac can tell you. It just takes a few steps to find that info.
Step 1: Go to System Preferences
Find the Apple icon in the upper left corner, and click it. Then select 'System Preferences' from the dropdown menu.
Select the Keyboard icon, and you'll see this box:
Make sure the 'Show keyboard and emoji viewers in menu bar' is checked (as it is in the image above).
Step 2: Click the keyboard icon in your top menu bar
Now you'll see a little keyboard icon in your top menu bar, next to your bluetooth and wifi symbols/icons. Click it, and select 'Show keyboard viewer'.
That will bring up an image of your keyboard as it's configured on your Mac:
Step 3: Press the Options key
Now, if you hold down the Options key, it'll show you what else all those keys can do, like this:
You can see the most common accent marks highlighted in orange above. Those are the keys that, when combined with the Option key, give you those accent marks (as you learned above).
You'll also see all kinds of other useful symbols, like currency symbols, math symbols, and so on. So if you ever need a quick reminder about what keys to press when you need to write the Greek letter µ (miu), for example, just reference this chart.
How to Add Accents on Windows with the International Keyboard
If you want to use shortcuts to include accents and special characters without switching to an entirely different keyboard layout, you can enable the international keyboard.
First, press the Windows key, type 'Language', and click on 'Language Settings' to open the language menu:
Then under 'Preferred languages' click on 'English' and 'Options' to open the language options menu:
Under 'Keyboards', click the 'Add a keyboard' button and click on 'United States-International' to add the international keyboard to your system.
Run Mac On Windows Vmware
To enable the international keyboard, move your mouse down to the taskbar and click on 'ENG US', then click on 'ENG INTL':
Alternatively, hold down the Windows key and press Space to cycle through your installed keyboard layouts.
The main difference between the normal US keyboard layout and the international layout is that some keys work as a sort of 'accented character lock'.
For example, to type a single apostrophe (') with the international keyboard enabled, just type ' + Space. For a double quotation mark, just type ' + Space. And backticks work the same way with ` + Space.
With that out of the way, here's how to type some common accents with the Windows 10 international keyboard:
` + letter = grave accent à, è, ì, ò, or ù (like this: Voilà)
^ + letter = circumflex accent â, ê, î, ô, or û (like this: Crêpe)
~ + letter = eñe character ñ, ã, or õ (like this: El Niño)
' + letter = umlaut accent ä, ë, ï, ö, or ü (like this: Über)
Right Alt+ w or Shift + Right Alt + W (for capital A) = å or Å
Right Alt + z or Shift + Right Alt + Z = æ or Æ (ligatured ae)
Right Alt + < or Shift + Right Alt + < (for capital) = ç or Ç
Right Alt + l or Shift + Right Alt + L (for capital) = ø or Ø
Right Alt + ? = ¿
Right Alt + 1 = ¡
But you might have noticed that there's no shortcut to type œ, Œ, or ∞ with the international keyboard.
For that, let's take a quick look at another way to type accents, special characters, and symbols on Windows 10.
How to Add Accents on Windows with the Emoji Panel
The emoji panel makes it easy to scroll through all the available emoji and add one to a message. But you can also use the emoji panel to quickly add an accented or special character, too.
Option Key For Mac On Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Use the shortcut Windows Key + . to open the emoji panel:
To add accents or special characters, press the symbols button at the top:
Then scroll through the menu and click on the accent or character you want:
Option Key For Mac On Windows Keyboard Keys
Also, you can click around the different menus at the bottom for different types of symbols. For example, ∞ is in the 'Math symbols' section:
Option Key For Mac On Windows Keyboard Key
And that should be everything you need to know to type accents and other special characters on both Mac and Windows. Adiós!