How to switch the Command (⌘) and the Option (⌥) keys on macOS

If you are working on Mac devices but you are using a keyboard with a Windows layout, you might have encountered this problem: You press the key combination Alt key + C to copy something, but it triggers Option + C, resulting in a confusing character appearing on your screen instead of the expected copy action. This can be a frustrating experience, especially for those who frequently switch between Mac and Windows environments.

Fortunately, macOS offers a simple solution to this issue. You can easily switch the functionalities of the Command and Option keys to align with the macOS keyboard layout. This tweak ensures a more seamless and intuitive experience, especially for users accustomed to macOS keyboard shortcuts.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this change:

  1. Open System Preferences: Click on the Apple logo at the top left corner of your screen and select ‘System Preferences’ from the dropdown menu.

  2. Access Keyboard Settings: In the System Preferences window, click on the ‘Keyboard’ icon. This will open the keyboard settings window.

  3. Modify Modifier Keys: Look for the ‘Modifier Keys’ button at the bottom right corner of the Keyboard tab and click on it. This opens a new dialog box where you can customize the functionalities of various modifier keys.

  4. Switch Command and Option Keys: In the dialog box, you will see a dropdown of keyboards and list of modifier keys such as Caps Lock, Control, Option, and Command. Beside each key, there’s a dropdown menu allowing you to assign a new action to that key. To mimic the Windows layout, you’ll want to:

    • Select the keyboard to which you want to switch the keys
    • Set the ‘Option Key’ to ‘⌘ Command’
    • Set the ‘Command Key’ to ‘⌥ Option’

  5. Confirm and Close: After making these changes, click ‘OK’ to confirm. Close the System Preferences window. And that’s it! You’ve successfully remapped your keyboard keys. Now, when you press the Alt key (which will now act as the Command key in macOS), along with C, it will execute the Copy command, as you’re accustomed to in the macOS environment.

Remember, these changes are local to the Mac device and specific keyboard you’ve configured. If you use multiple Macs and / or keyboards, you’ll need to repeat these steps on each device. Also, be aware that any shortcuts that rely on the Option key will now be triggered by the Alt key. It might take a bit of time to get used to it, but soon it’ll become second nature, effortlessly bridging the gap between Windows and macOS keyboard layouts.