Adapt Mac Shortcuts for Windows Switchers

Stamp: 12 August 2008 | 4 Comments | Back to Previous Page

Change Modifier Keys

Maybe you've noticed, in most of the shortcuts CTRL key in Windows has the same function as the Command key in Mac. Basically, by swapping the action performed by Command and Control of your Mac, you can get most of your new Mac shortcuts suitable for Windows switchers.

To change the action of modifier keys, there are only several steps need to be done:

Click on the Apple on menubar
Go inside System Preferences...
Choose Keyboard & Mouse and go under Keyboard section
Find the button labelled Modifier Keys... and hit it
Select Control key to act as Command key and Command key to act as Control key
Confirm by punching the OK button
Now, you've done most part of your Mac to Windows transforming process

If you've already satisfied with the current result, you can just step out of the process. But I'd encourage you to read further as it's quite challenging to make your Mac machine acts as your old Windows (for switchers).

Match Commonly Used Shortcuts as in Windows Platform

Again, you need to go to System Preferences Pane under Keyboard Shortcuts sections. You will see a small + button on the bottom left-hand corner of the pane. Click on it and you will be able to assign new shortcut.

These are several shortcuts that can be transformed into Windows-like shortcuts:

Default	Application	Menu Title	Shortcut	Function
Opt-Cmd-F	Finder	Find by Name...	Shift-F3	Search by filename
Cmd-F	Finder	Find...	F3	Search for a file
F11	Dock, Exposé, and Dashboard	Desktop	Cmd-D	Display the desktop
None	Finder	Show Path Bar (Hide Path Bar)	F4	Display the address bar
Cmd-W	All Applications	New Finder Window	Ctrl-F4	Close the active window in applications

I've long forgotten most of Windows shortcuts. Shortcuts above are told by my friend who just switched to Mac and funny enough, he still carries the behaviour of a Windows user.

And for the Rest..

Maybe, you want to add the list using the comment form provided below?

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4 Comments

Johan

(I am NOT a Mac-user - yet! Only used it in a few hours.) I really think that this is a really bad tip... The hand will thank you for using the Cmd more than the Control. It's way better to turn you hand out, than in. And as a advanced Windows user, I user Ctrl + F (Cmd + F) and Ctrl + W (Cmd + W) a lot more, than the other shortcuts. Use a Mac like a Mac - not like a PC.

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Wendy

Mac shortcuts are of course way better, but it cannot be helped if some Windows users are already getting used to their old Windows shortcuts. Last time, I need several weeks to getting a hold of new Mac shortcuts. :-)

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MacPhobia

This is the first thing i did in my Mac

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encro

This can be done so much better using keybindings: Create a New Folder called KeyBindings in your Home > Library folder (~/Library/KeyBindings) and then copy into the KyBindings folder the "Windows Bindings.dict" file from here: http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/KeyBindings/Windows%20Bindings.dict Rename the "Window Bindings.dict' file to DefaultKeyBinding.dict and log out and back in. You should then be able to use either the Mac or Windows equivalents for most things. ctrl-c or cmd-v, home and end keys etc in text strings. Keyboard Shortcuts can be used to further enhance from here. You can read all about KeyBindings on the Main Page: http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/cocoa-text.html

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