How to Use a Windows Keyboard With a Mac

Maybe you visit your family with your MacBook and create a temporary workstation using everything you can find in the house. Maybe you bought a sophisticated mechanical keyboard for your Mac not realizing that it had a Windows provision. Anyway, the first time you try to use a keyboard shortcut, you will feel frustrated.

For example, each time you try reflexively to use a keyboard shortcut that includes the Order Key, you will end up hitting Alt instead. Bad things will happen on your Mac, then you will swear. The fact is that you do not need to relearn a new keyboard or download third -party applications to repair it. The problem can be solved simply by adjusting certain parameters directly in macOS.

Why the Windows keyboards are so frustrating on MacOS

Mac and Windows keyboards are not that Different, except in a key way: the keys to the modifier. Modern Mac keyboards have Globe / FN,, Control,, OptionAnd Order Keys in the lower left corner, in this order; Contemporary Windows keyboards have Ctrl,, FN,, WindowAnd Altgenerally in this order. (There are not many keyboards specially designed for Linux devices, but those that exist tend to use this same order while calling the Windows key something else.)

These keys are “translated” by the Mac, under the name of Apple, Apple’s documents. Ctrl becomes Control,, Window becomes OrderAnd Alt becomes Option.

This translation has a certain type of logic, in the sense that keyboard shortcuts are quite similar between the two systems and a change. The problem is that the layout is wrong. Even if you understand translations, muscle memory will make you go. This is why I recommend turning off the keys in the system settings.

How to solve (mainly) the problem

To change the layout of your specific Windows keyboard, open System settings and head to the Keyboard section. Hit the Keyboard shortcut button to open a panel, then open the Modifying keys Section in the left side panel.

Credit: Justin Pot

Make sure to select your current Windows keyboard in the drop -down section at the top of the window – otherwise you are unleashed all Keyboards, what you don’t want. You can now reallocate the modifier keys. I recommend cartography Option has Order And Order has Option– It will put things to the layout you are used to.

The main problem with this configuration, according to my experience, is that you cannot really remapped FN Key for a Windows keyboard this way, even if you seem to be in this window. On a Mac, this key can be used to do things like launching the Emoji selector and can also be used as a modifier for personalized keyboard shortcuts. You can also use this key to use the alternative function of certain keys, such as using the upper keys as a traditional function keys (F1, F2, etc.) instead of their attributed lens (brightness, game, volume and similar). THE FN The key to the Windows keyboards only allows you to access the alternative function of the keys, and from what I can say, it does it without sending a signal to the computer. This means that you can always count on it to use the upper keys as a traditional function keys on your Mac, for example, but you cannot use it to launch the Emoji selector or for any other keyboard shortcut. If you need to access Mac Globe / FN Key to the latter ends, you can consider relaunching the Caps Lock key instead.

It’s not perfect, but having the Order And Option The keys in the right order will greatly help preserve your mental health. Try it the next time you find yourself using a keyboard centered on Windows with your Mac.