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Any keyboard stickers to convert win keyboards to mac?
- Thread starter Gidfd79
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I did some searching and wasn't able to find any. Maybe someone else will have better luck, or perhaps you can use a labelmaker and print your own.
However, is there another problem here? By default, the keys labels are more or less correct: on a Windows keyboard, Windows Ctrl maps to Mac Ctrl, Windows Alt maps to Mac Option/Alt, and the Windows key maps to the Command (formerly co-labeled with open-Apple, so it's kind of like the logos match up) key.
The only problem here is that the positions of the Cmd and Opt keys are swapped when comparing Mac keyboards to Windows keyboards. You can change this in System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard (tab, selected by default) > Modifier Keys. Choose the external keyboard at the top, and change as you see fit--probably just swapping Option and Command. Of course, then you're left with the problem that the labels don't match up, but if you're used to the shortcuts and don't need to look at the keys, this won't be a problem.
By the way, if you're new to Mac, Windows uses Ctrl for a lot of shortcuts that Mac uses Cmd for (Mac reserves Ctrl more or less for command-line usage and now secondary clicks on mice), so the position of something like Cmd+C vs. Ctrl+C might take some getting used to. You can swap these keys if you want (same as above), but I think it's worth getting used to if you'll use Macs on a regular basis at all.
However, is there another problem here? By default, the keys labels are more or less correct: on a Windows keyboard, Windows Ctrl maps to Mac Ctrl, Windows Alt maps to Mac Option/Alt, and the Windows key maps to the Command (formerly co-labeled with open-Apple, so it's kind of like the logos match up) key.
The only problem here is that the positions of the Cmd and Opt keys are swapped when comparing Mac keyboards to Windows keyboards. You can change this in System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard (tab, selected by default) > Modifier Keys. Choose the external keyboard at the top, and change as you see fit--probably just swapping Option and Command. Of course, then you're left with the problem that the labels don't match up, but if you're used to the shortcuts and don't need to look at the keys, this won't be a problem.
By the way, if you're new to Mac, Windows uses Ctrl for a lot of shortcuts that Mac uses Cmd for (Mac reserves Ctrl more or less for command-line usage and now secondary clicks on mice), so the position of something like Cmd+C vs. Ctrl+C might take some getting used to. You can swap these keys if you want (same as above), but I think it's worth getting used to if you'll use Macs on a regular basis at all.
You dont wanna glue anything to your Mac, you gonna regret this. Having said that, I may know of one thing to help you.
There are companies that make a sort of "gel cover" for keyboards. Its not gel, sticky or anything, dont worry about this, its a really soft plastic that covers the keys. This plastics has diferent keys on it in order to change a keyboard alphabet. Let me give you an example:
-I have a russian friend that has a Russian alphabet cover on top of an american keyboard. So the keys shows the cyrillic letters insteat of the latin letters
Therefore its possible for example to get a american cover and place it on top of a Mac keybaord and trasnform it into a Windows keyboard. Hopefully, the companies will have covers for the Mac keybard as well, and if you get one of theses, you can tarnsform your windows keyboard into a mac keyboard.
There are companies that make a sort of "gel cover" for keyboards. Its not gel, sticky or anything, dont worry about this, its a really soft plastic that covers the keys. This plastics has diferent keys on it in order to change a keyboard alphabet. Let me give you an example:
-I have a russian friend that has a Russian alphabet cover on top of an american keyboard. So the keys shows the cyrillic letters insteat of the latin letters
Therefore its possible for example to get a american cover and place it on top of a Mac keybaord and trasnform it into a Windows keyboard. Hopefully, the companies will have covers for the Mac keybard as well, and if you get one of theses, you can tarnsform your windows keyboard into a mac keyboard.
If you re-read the OP, I think it's not the Mac keyboard that the poster is talking about, and it is actually the opposite direction the poster is wondering about. But that might work: if any PC keyboards are popular enough to have covers made for them like some Mac keyboards do, the cover could be used and, if not present, a label placed on top of the key. However, I've also seen sticker sets that do this (for Dvorak or Cyrillic or various other layouts/input methods), but if it's a separate sticker for each key they usually don't include modifier keys since they don't generally change.
Of course, a third option is to get another keyboard if you aren't too attached (and maybe sell the old one to make up some of the cost). Many are labeled for both Windows and Mac. But again, it may be helpful to know this is a label problem or a physical position problem, because as I mentioned in my previous post, there software options available.
Jumping in here as I am looking for a keyboard that will do both and you commented there are some. i did a search and didn't find any.
What I have is all day I toggle between a Windows PC system and a Mac system (work and personal at the same desk).
I have two keyboards right now, but would like to convert to one if there is such a thing. If I do get one keyboard, I am hopping it has the controls for both. Maybe I don't know all the shortcuts, but for example, I can't even figure out how to do a carriage return inside Excel - with the mac board on a PC. And I have never gotten it to work on the Mac with the Mac board.
If you know of any of the dual keyboards can you send me a link or a name.
Also love the idea of the cover for the Windows board if that exists..I might look for that too.
So we would take those stickers and put it on the Windows keyboard?
Now is there a translation somewhere so I know where to put the stickers. Like where on the Windows keyboard is there a Command key.'
I did find this yesterday so I could probably summize that on windows PC - the Command key button would be the CTRL? something like that.
Thanks guys.
On a normal Windows keyboard, the Windows key = Option key and Alt key = Command key.
Everything else is pretty much the same.
If you would like to alter the functionality of the keys, you can do so as follows:
1. Launch System Preferences
2. Choose Keyboard
3. Click the Modifier Keys... button
4. Make your changes as you please
Everything else is pretty much the same.
If you would like to alter the functionality of the keys, you can do so as follows:
1. Launch System Preferences
2. Choose Keyboard
3. Click the Modifier Keys... button
4. Make your changes as you please
99% of keyboards work on both Windows and Mac actually...but pluging/unplugin sucks, you may want to have 2 diferent mahcines with 2 diferent keyboards.
Or you can bootcamp in a Mac
Or you can bootcamp in a Mac
Literally just about any PC keyboard will work with a Mac. You don't need labels on the key for that to happen. What I was saying is just that some manufacturers label their keys with both the Windows and Mac labels. Logitech, I think, used to make some, but I can't find them now (they seem to market products as Windows and Mac separately now for the most part).
Actually, the default behavior is that Windows Alt = Mac Option/Alt, and Windows key = Command key. The behavior you described above, however, is what you can change it to in System Preferences, and it's what I think most people would actually want to do since it then matches the standard key positions on Mac keyboards (despite the resulting mismatched labels).
But, yes, just about everything else is the same, except PC Num Lock = Mac "Clear," and I'm not sure what Insert will do, which Mac keyboards seem to lack (replaced with Help or now Function, but the latter won't matter on a non-special keyboard--not that the former has been used much lately, either).
Not exactly sure if this is relevant, but: Enter and Return are separate keys on Macs (and on ones without separate keys, it's usually Fn+Return that does Enter), but it's applications that distinguish them are rare.
Alternatively, if you're just talking about how to break a line within a cell in Excel, the Mac equivalent of the Windows Alt+Enter shortcut is Ctrl+Opt+Return.
Sounds like it's activating Mission Control. Check System Preferences > Mission Control and see if you have any keyboard shortcuts assigned to it, and be sure you aren't accidentally pressing any other keys (or that you don't have Ctrl or Opt remapped to something else with third-party software like KeyRemap4Macbook--because I'm pretty sure you can't open Mission Control with just modifier keys).
OMG tha tworked .there was the option key in the mission control short cut..so I just changed it.
I didn't dd that but it must have been there.
(sorry to the OP that posted this thread..I dint' mean to take it over for my excel issue - I was actually deciding on keyboards --- and still am!)
nice thread this one turned out to be, useful. I am going to check out the link posted too. Strange to see so limited options out there. Let's face it, most manufacturers don't do mac keyboards, or you have an old one around, it's a nice niche. Had it been the i-devices we d have had this 5 years ago of course. Shows the difference in the sheer bulk of accessories.
Thats a very specific number. I am willing to bet that you made that number up.
Hello from the future! I'm trying to solve this very same problem, >6yrs after the OP. Anyone find a good solution?
I've got a Windows keyboard hooked up to my macbook, remapped the keys to swap the functions of the Windows key and the Alt key so they match the physical position of the Option and Command keys (respectively) on my macbook, but I still use my macbook's keyboard often enough (and glance down at my hands for certain more complex key combos often enough) that it messes with my brain a bit to back and forth.
What I really want is just a little sticker pack with ⌘ (Command), ⌥ (Option), and, somewhat less necessarily, ^ (Control) stickers to I can stick them on my Windows keyboard to cover the current symbols.
Anyone ever find anything?
I've got a Windows keyboard hooked up to my macbook, remapped the keys to swap the functions of the Windows key and the Alt key so they match the physical position of the Option and Command keys (respectively) on my macbook, but I still use my macbook's keyboard often enough (and glance down at my hands for certain more complex key combos often enough) that it messes with my brain a bit to back and forth.
What I really want is just a little sticker pack with ⌘ (Command), ⌥ (Option), and, somewhat less necessarily, ^ (Control) stickers to I can stick them on my Windows keyboard to cover the current symbols.
Anyone ever find anything?
Try https://www.4keyboard.com/ .
I am about to try these: https://www.4keyboard.com/non-trans...#/22-key_size-14x14/32-background_color-black
9+ years on after the OP I tried to look for the same thing. Couldn't find stickers but people with mechanical keyboards can just replace the key caps. I found this "mac kit" which should work on most normal sized keyboards - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08C54QCHK
For now, I bodged up some stickers with post-it notes and clear tape. Behold -
For now, I bodged up some stickers with post-it notes and clear tape. Behold -
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