possible to get windows keyboard to function with os x?

mike1127 · 18 Jul 2016, 02:41

I recently purchased a Macbook Pro. So far I am using Windows 10 rather than OS X, with my Rosewill keyboard (which I guess is a Windows keyboard -- I don't remember selecting Windows or Mac when I bought it). I am new to OS X but eventually want to make the switch. I tried booting up OS X and getting familiar with a few apps using the MBP keyboard. Then I plugged in my Rosewill and I'm having trouble. For instance I need the Command key for a particular app, and I can't get either the Ctrl or Alt keys on my Rosewill to function as Command -- unless I don't understand how the app is working.

So I was wondering if there is a general guide to getting a Windows keyboard to function as a Mac keyboard. I wonder if there is some basic information I need to know.

Thanks,
Mike

Rimrul · 18 Jul 2016, 07:23

The windows key is the command key. That's basically all you need to know. Some legends might be off (on german macs @ is command+L while it's AltGr+Q on Windows).

Stabilized · 18 Jul 2016, 11:10

By default command is the windows key, but you can change it in the system preferences. For me, I change it to alt so that it better reflects the layout of a Mac keyboard.
Also Mac has an alternative character layer that Rimrul is talking about, this is different from the AltGr layer found on ISO boards. You access it by using a combination of option+key and option+shift+key (wiki page), and you can use ctrl+cmd+space to open a character/emoji selector.

Thumper · 18 Jul 2016, 11:28

Is it possible to use the "Windows" keylayout on OSX?

Stabilized · 18 Jul 2016, 11:42

Sorry, not sure what you mean!

Thumper · 18 Jul 2016, 12:12

Like the @ on q and so on

I'M about to buy a macbook but have no motivation to learn a whole new layout

face · 18 Jul 2016, 12:24

It would be far easier if you would learn this "new layout". It's really just a few keys. You could work with karabiner, but why bother with this... just remember that cmd+q is NOT @, but closes the window. That's the ony unfortunate keymapping between windows and OS X.

Stabilized · 18 Jul 2016, 12:26

Oh you mean the normal AltGr layer? I don't actually think you can without fiddling around with third party scripts or software unfortunately

But I am by no means an expert, I use ANSI anyway so I have never had to solve that problem. You might be better off looking at forums and asking someone with more experience!

Edit: like face said, Karabiner is a great software tool for remapping keyboard keys, there is also the sister program called Seil which might also help.

mike1127 · 18 Jul 2016, 12:29

I don't know if it's as simple as using the Windows layout on OS X, where the apps have their own conventions for key layout. Maybe there is some simple mapping. Maybe if you just change the positions of the Alt and Windows keys, and keep using the same apps in OS X, it will work out. But Mac keyboard have four modifiers: shift, control, option, and command. Windows only have three. shift, control, alt. So I don't see how there can be any simple mapping that makes all your apps work the same on each OS.

I do not look forward to having to switch on a daily basis between Windows and OS X so I'm trying to get all my work going on OS X. I will learn all those shortcuts, get used to them, and run with it.

Stabilized · 18 Jul 2016, 12:35

mike1127 wrote: I don't know if it's as simple as using the Windows layout on OS X, where the apps have their own conventions for key layout. Maybe there is some simple mapping. Maybe if you just change the positions of the Alt and Windows keys, and keep using the same apps in OS X, it will work out. But Mac keyboard have four modifiers: shift, control, option, and command. Windows only have three. shift, control, alt. So I don't see how there can be any simple mapping that makes all your apps work the same on each OS.

I don't know the particulars of your situation, but in my case I swap between a macbook and a PC all the time and find no problems adjusting. I find that Mac has more keyboard bound functions than Windows anyway, and the ones that are the same you just replace Ctrl with Cmd and you are good to go. In terms of app specific, that is completely up to the software designers, I know that with Adobe apps they are the same, but with Word they are totally different.

mike1127 wrote: I do not look forward to having to switch on a daily basis between Windows and OS X so I'm trying to get all my work going on OS X. I will learn all those shortcuts, get used to them, and run with it.

Probably the best idea!

face · 18 Jul 2016, 12:36

Windows has the win-key as a fourth modifier, but it isn't used as extensively as on a mac.

Yes, just get used to the shortcuts. It's not much... what's ctrl+c or ctrl+v in Windows is cmd+c/v/x in OS X. In a browser the same applies to ctrl+w/t/l/k.

I switch on a regular basis and it is no problem at all.

mike1127 · 19 Jul 2016, 00:55

I use software with a LOT of keyboard shortcuts, so it may not be that easy to keep two different sets in mind while switching often between the two OS's. Well, I am not sure yet how different they are. I use emacs and a music typesetting program called Sibelius, plus a lot of custom key macros. On Windows I created my key macros with Autohotkey. I need to find something similar on OS X. Still trying to figure out what my options are.

Rimrul · 19 Jul 2016, 07:00

The things that throw me off on a mac are things like '@', '/', '|', '\', all kinds of brackets, the swapped right Command/AltGr and the default behaviour of the F row.