But if you are mostly a touch-typer and never look at your hands when typing this shouldn’t be an issue.Įssentially you are reversing the Windows PC keyboard Windows and ALT keys (which become the Command and Option/ALT keys when connected to the Mac), which puts them in line with the default Mac and Apple keyboard layout of those buttons. Obviously this isn’t going to change the actual physical keyboard appearance, so you’ll have to get used to the appearance of the keys saying one thing, but doing something else. It should work as you’d expect based on the Mac keyboard layout. If applicable, go ahead and switch those with the same Modifier Key trick outlined above.Ī simple way to confirm the keyboard modifier keys are switched as expected is to issue a keyboard shortcut, like a screen capture ( Command Shift 3) or a Close Window command (Command + W). * NOTE: Some PC keyboards also have the “CNTRL” and “ALT” keys switched too, compared to a standard Mac key layout. ALT key becomes the COMMAND key on Mac OS.WINDOWS key becomes the ALT / OPTION key on Mac OS.Once finished you will have a new digital layout of the Windows PC keyboard keys when used on the Mac: Click “OK” and test out the newly remapped keyboard keys *.Click the dropdown next to “COMMAND Key” and select “Option”.Click the dropdown next to “OPTION Key” and select “Command”.Choose the PC keyboard from the “Select Keyboard” dropdown menu at the top of the Modifier keys screen to insure you are modifying the proper keyboard connected to the Mac.Choose the “Keyboard” tab and then click on the “Modifier Keys” button in the lower right corner of the preference panel.Pull down the  Apple menu and choose “System Preferences”.Connect the Windows PC keyboard to the Mac as usual, either by USB or Bluetooth.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: Using a Windows PC Keyboard on Mac with Remapped Windows & ALT Keys For most Mac users who connect a PC keyboard to their Mac, this will dramatically improve their typing experience when using a PC keyboard. A simple solution to this problem is to remap the Windows and ALT key and the command and option/alt keys on the Windows PC keyboard connected to the Mac, so that the keyboard layouts will mimic expectations based on the standard Apple modifier key layout, rather than what it says on the PC keyboard.

Screenshot on mac with pc keyboard