Search results
Mar 27, 2012 · The above list is the standard keyboard symbols for most keyboard shortcuts, below is a more complete list of some of the symbols that appear elsewhere in menus and the keys they map to. Thanks to Lri for posting these secondary symbols in the comments. Full Keyboard Symbol List: ⌘ is command. ⌥ is option. ⌃ is control. ⇧ is shift. ⇪ ...
To connect your Magic Keyboard to your iMac, see Connect accessories to your iMac. Turn the keyboard on or off. Slide the on/off switch on the back edge of the keyboard to turn it on (so green is visible) or off. If your keyboard isn’t recognized by your iMac, connect it to your iMac with the included USB-C Charge Cable to pair it, then ...
- What the Arrow, Squiggly, and Other Symbols Mean
- What Aren't These Stupid Symbols on my Keyboard?
- The Best Tech Newsletter Around
You might know that "⌘" corresponds to the Command key, since it actually appears on the keyboard key. But what's the difference between "⌃" and "⇧," both basically up arrows? And what the heck is "⌥" supposed to be?
If you're trying to learn Mac keyboard shortcuts, this is a problem, so here's a quick reference. To start, here are the main modifier keys, which you're likely to see most often:
•⌘ means Command
•⌥ means Option (also called "Alt")
•⌃ means Control
•⇧ means Shift
You may be wondering: why does Apple use these symbols in the operating system, and not on the physical keyboard? The answer: they used to put these symbols on keyboards everywhere, and still do in many parts of the world. For example, here's the keyboard of my coworker Harry Guinness, who lives in Ireland:
As you can see, the "⌥" and "⇧" symbols are on the keyboard, replacing the words "Option" and "Shift" entirely. Other countries use these symbols to varying extents. Why this isn't more standardized, we can't say, but it would be nice if Apple put symbols used by the operating system on their physical keyboards everywhere. The current situation isn't exactly user-friendly.
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.
Share Share Share Share Share
Copy
Email
Share
Share Share Share Share Share
- Justin Pot
- Former News Editor
On your Mac, click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose Show Keyboard Viewer. If you don’t see the Input menu, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) Go to Text Input, click Edit, then turn on “Show Input menu in menu bar.”. Open Keyboard settings for me.
Jun 26, 2024 · Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys: Command (or Cmd) ⌘. Shift ⇧. Option (or Alt) ⌥. Control (or Ctrl) ⌃. Caps Lock ⇪. Fn. On keyboards made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Ctrl key or Windows logo key instead of Command. Some keys on some Apple keyboards have ...
Oct 7, 2020 · It can be labeled as "command" or "cmd", depending on the keyboard region. Before the symbol (⌘) was introduced, the command icon was the Apple logo. The Option key is typically used for typing special and accented characters such as (©)=Option+G and (µ)=Option+M. The Option key can confuse users as different keyboards have different ...
People also ask
Do Mac keyboards have symbols?
Does iMac have a keyboard?
How do you use a keyboard shortcut on a Mac?
How do I get a keyboard viewer on my Mac?
How intuitive are Mac keyboard shortcuts?
How do I connect my keyboard to my iMac?
Jan 9, 2019 · Below table is the list of symbols and keyboard keys in Mac along with its meaning. The list contains the following type of items: Cloud or dotted cloud icon next to file or folder indicates items waiting to upload to iCloud. It is also the symbol for iCloud Drive. Cloud with cross line next to a file indicates the item is ineligible for ...
