How to Use Windows Keyboard Shortcuts on Mac
Coming from Windows, the hardest habit to break on a Mac is the keyboard. Here's exactly how Windows keyboard shortcuts map to macOS, a printable cheat sheet, and how to keep using the Ctrl-based shortcuts you already know.
Why Mac shortcuts feel wrong at first
On Windows, almost every shortcut uses the Ctrl key. On macOS, those same shortcuts live on the Command (⌘) key instead — so Ctrl+C becomes Cmd+C, Ctrl+V becomes Cmd+V, and so on. The commands are identical; they're just on a different key. There's also no dedicated Windows key on a Mac — the Command key is the closest stand-in. Once you know the mapping, most of your Windows keyboard shortcuts translate directly to macOS.
Windows-to-Mac shortcut cheat sheet
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl + C | ⌘ Cmd + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | ⌘ Cmd + V |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | ⌘ Cmd + X |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | ⌘ Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | ⌘ Cmd + Shift + Z |
| Select all | Ctrl + A | ⌘ Cmd + A |
| Save | Ctrl + S | ⌘ Cmd + S |
| Find | Ctrl + F | ⌘ Cmd + F |
| New window | Ctrl + N | ⌘ Cmd + N |
| Close window | Ctrl + W | ⌘ Cmd + W |
| New tab | Ctrl + T | ⌘ Cmd + T |
| Switch open apps | Alt + Tab | ⌘ Cmd + Tab (apps only) |
| Address / search bar | Ctrl + L | ⌘ Cmd + L |
| Take a screenshot | PrtScn | ⌘ Cmd + Shift + 3 / 4 |
| Force-quit (Task Manager) | Ctrl + Alt + Del | ⌥⌘ Opt + Cmd + Esc |
| Delete forward | Delete | Fn + Delete |
| Lock the screen | Win + L | ⌃⌘ Ctrl + Cmd + Q |
Tip: the pattern is almost always "swap Ctrl for ⌘ Command." The exceptions above are the ones worth memorizing.
What about the Windows key on a Mac?
A Mac keyboard has no Windows key. For most purposes the Command (⌘) key fills its role. If you rely on Windows-key shortcuts — opening a Start-style launcher, or clipboard history with Win+V — Winstrix can map those behaviors onto your Mac so the Windows key workflow comes with you.
Option 1: remap the keys yourself
You can swap the Control and Command keys in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Modifier Keys. That makes Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, and friends work with your left pinky again — but it's a blunt, global swap: it breaks Mac-native combos that genuinely use Command, doesn't fix Alt+Tab or window management, and there's no clipboard history. It helps, but it only goes so far.
Option 2: keep your Windows shortcuts with Winstrix
Winstrix remaps Windows keyboard shortcuts to their macOS equivalents system-wide, so the Ctrl-based shortcuts you've used for years just work — while your Mac-native shortcuts keep working too. It also brings a true Windows-style Alt+Tab, Win+V clipboard history, window snapping, and a full Windows experience on your Mac, with per-app exceptions when you want them.
Bring your Windows muscle memory to your Mac
Winstrix makes your Windows keyboard shortcuts work on macOS — no per-app fiddling, no broken Mac combos. Try it free for 14 days.
Universal (Apple Silicon + Intel) · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · $24.99 one-time, no subscription
Frequently asked questions
Why don't my Windows keyboard shortcuts work on a Mac? +
Because macOS uses the Command (⌘) key for the shortcuts Windows assigns to Control. Ctrl+C on Windows is Cmd+C on Mac, Ctrl+V is Cmd+V, and so on. The commands exist — they're just on a different key, which is why your muscle memory feels off at first.
Where is the Windows key on a Mac keyboard? +
There isn't one. The closest equivalent is the Command (⌘) key next to the space bar, which handles most Windows-key shortcuts' jobs. Winstrix can also map Windows-key behaviors like opening a Start-style launcher and clipboard history (Win+V).
Can I just use Ctrl for shortcuts on my Mac? +
You can swap Ctrl and Command in System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Modifier Keys, but it's all-or-nothing and breaks Mac-native combos. Winstrix remaps Windows shortcuts intelligently, keeps macOS shortcuts working, and adds per-app exceptions.