Comparison · Updated
Mac vs Windows Keyboard Shortcuts: The Key-by-Key Translation
Which key replaces which when you switch between Mac and Windows: the modifier keys, the everyday system shortcuts side by side, and how the same app's shortcuts change.
By ShortcutPosters Editorial Team · from 10 official sources
Moving between a Mac and a Windows PC is mostly one key moving: the shortcut you press with ⌘ on a Mac usually uses Ctrl on Windows. The exceptions are the operating systems' own shortcuts, which follow each platform's conventions.
The modifier keys
| Mac | Windows | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ⌘ Command | Ctrl | Most app shortcuts: ⌘C becomes Ctrl+C. |
| ⌥ Option | Alt | |
| ⇧ Shift | Shift | |
| ⌃ Control | — | A separate key on the Mac: Windows Ctrl shortcuts map to ⌘, not to ⌃. |
| ⌫ Delete | Backspace | Deletes to the left of the cursor. |
System shortcuts, Mac and Windows
The same everyday actions in macOS and in Windows, each taken from Apple's and Microsoft's own shortcut lists.
| Action | macOS | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Show or hide Spotlight search | ⌘␣ | WinS Open search |
| Switch to next most recently used app | ⌘⇥ | AltTab Switch between open windows |
| Close the front window | ⌘W | AltF4 Close the active window |
| Force quit an app | ⌘⌥⎋ | CtrlShiftEsc Open Task Manager |
| Capture a selected portion of the screen | ⇧⌘4 | WinShiftS Capture a region to the clipboard |
| Take a screenshot of the whole screen | ⇧⌘3 | WinPrtSc Capture full screen to a file |
| Lock screen | ⌃⌘Q | WinL Lock the computer |
| Open Mission Control | ⌃↑ | WinTab Open Task View |
| Minimize the front window to the Dock | ⌘M | WinDOWN Minimize or remove app from screen |
| Show Character Viewer (emoji and symbols) | ⌃⌘␣ | Win. Open the emoji panel |
The same app on both platforms
Inside an app the translation is usually mechanical. Here are Figma's and Photoshop's most-used shortcuts with both keys.
Figma Design
| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Quick actions | ⌘K | CtrlK |
| Move tool | V | V |
| Frame tool | F | F |
| Text tool | T | T |
| Rectangle tool | R | R |
| Bold | ⌘B | CtrlB |
| Select all | ⌘A | CtrlA |
| Group selection | ⌘G | CtrlG |
Adobe Photoshop
| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Move Tool | V | V |
| Brush Tool | B | B |
| Undo | ⌘Z | CtrlZ |
| Free Transform | ⌘T | CtrlT |
| Save | ⌘S | CtrlS |
| Marquee Tool | M | M |
| Crop Tool | C | C |
| Type Tool | T | T |
Pick the edition that matches your keyboard
Every poster here comes in a Mac and a Windows edition: the Mac one prints the ⌘ ⌥ ⇧ ⌃ glyphs, the Windows one spells out Ctrl, Alt and Shift. Choose the one that matches the keyboard in front of you.
FAQ
- What is the Windows equivalent of the Command key?
- Ctrl, for most app shortcuts: ⌘C, ⌘V and ⌘Z become Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V and Ctrl+Z.
- What is the Option key on Windows?
- Alt.
- What replaces Spotlight on Windows?
- Windows search, opened with the Windows key + S.
- How do I force quit an app on Windows?
- Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc and end the task. The Mac equivalent is ⌥⌘Esc, which opens the Force Quit window.