Mac equivalents of Windows keys
Match the keyboard on the screen with the physical keyboard to make sure that the layout matches. To check the uppercase characters, click the shift key on the keyboard or on the screen, and match the characters printed on the keyboard. Click Start, type osk in the Run box, and then press ENTER. This trick works the same with all Windows and PC keyboard with the standard CTRL / Windows / ALT key layout, and all versions of Mac OS: Connect the Windows PC keyboard to the Mac as usual, either by USB or Bluetooth Pull down the Apple menu and choose 'System Preferences'. The Keyboard System Preferences pane has two tabs— Keyboard and Keyboard Shortcuts. On the Keyboard tab, you can adjust your settings in the following ways: Drag the Key Repeat Rate slider to set how fast a key repeats when you hold it down. Use Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator to find key combinations for the unique characters used by the language and region your Apple keyboard is designed to support: Download, install, and open the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator. Choose File Load Existing Keyboard. Select the keyboard you want to see. To remap the Windows keyboard, you need to open System Preferences and go to Keyboard. Select the ‘Modifier keys' button at the bottom right. In the panel that opens, you need to modify two keys; the Control key and the Command key. Open the dropdown for the Command key and set it to act as the Control key.
Many of the keys that you'd see on a PC have equivalent keys on an Apple keyboard.
Windows Keyboard To Mac
Windows logo: Press Command (⌘).
Backspace or Delete: Press Delete.
Enter or ⏎: Press Return.
Alt (left): Press Option (⌥).
Alt GR (right): Press Option + Control.
Applications: This key isn't available on Apple keyboards.
Mac Keyboard Adjust For Windows
Use the On-Screen Keyboard for other functions
Many of the keys that you'd see on a PC have equivalent keys on an Apple keyboard.
Windows Keyboard To Mac
Windows logo: Press Command (⌘).
Backspace or Delete: Press Delete.
Enter or ⏎: Press Return.
Alt (left): Press Option (⌥).
Alt GR (right): Press Option + Control.
Applications: This key isn't available on Apple keyboards.
Mac Keyboard Adjust For Windows
Use the On-Screen Keyboard for other functions
If your Apple keyboard doesn't include the following keys, you can recreate them in Windows using the On-Screen Keyboard.
Use the Snipping Tool to print screen
To recreate the Print Screen and Print Active Window function in Windows, use the Snipping Tool.
If your keyboard isn't working as expected in Windows
If your Apple keyboard works as expected in macOS but not in Windows, try these solutions:
- Install the latest Apple software updates for Windows.
- Install the latest Windows support software.
- If you're using Microsoft Windows 10 N, install the latest Media Feature Pack.
Mac Keyboard For Windows 10
Learn more
- Microsoft provides a keyboard mapping article that describes using a Windows keyboard with macOS.
- Use Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator to find key combinations for the unique characters used by the language and region your Apple keyboard is designed to support:
- Download, install, and open the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator.
- Choose File > Load Existing Keyboard.
- Select the keyboard you want to see.
- Find the country or region name in the keyboard list that's followed by '(Apple)'.
- Follow the instructions provided with the app. You can print images of the keyboard, including what keys look like when holding modifiers like Shift, Option, or Fn.
