Alt is used in non-Mac software, such as non-macOS Unix and Windows programs, but in macOS it is always referred as the Option key. The Option key's behaviour in macOS differs slightly from that of the Windows Alt key (it is used as a modifier rather than to access pull-down menus, for example).
Alt key on Mac is indeed exist. And it’s called Option key.
Windows vs Mac—there are so many differences. A lot of our customers have used a PC before and then decide they want to switch to Mac for better performance, nicer design, or for better security. However, they were afraid they would have a hard time getting used to the macOS keyboard. We hear questions like, “How can I close a Window? The Mac keyboard doesn’t have the Alt + F4 shortcut.” We always give them two answers:
1. With Parallels Desktop for Mac you have the choice to use the same keyboard shortcuts you had on your PC.
2. If you want to use the Mac keyboard you will experience that the alt key is very different, as we explain in this blog post.
Where is the Alt key on a Mac keyboard?
The PC-keyboard equivalent of Alt on a Mac is called the Option key, and you’ll find the Option Key on your Mac if you go two keys to the left of the spacebar. However, the option key on a Mac keyboard is used in a different way than the alt key on a Windows PC. In terms of functionality, the alt key in Windows is often more comparable with the Command key than with the Option key on a Mac. You might be also familiar with the Ctrl and Alt keys from your PC. On your Mac keyboard, you have Command (⌘ cmd), Control (ctrl), and Option (⌥ alt) keys.
How do Windows shortcuts change on a Mac?
Check out some equivalents of popular Windows alt shortcuts on a Mac, which might be especially helpful for those users who are new to Mac:
When running Windows on a Mac with Parallels Desktop, is it possible to use Windows shortcuts on a Mac?
If you run Windows on your Mac with Parallels Desktop for Mac, you can configure your keyboard shortcuts the way you want to work, with either macOS or Windows shortcuts. Click here for more information on how to set the different shortcuts.
Alt Codes Mac E
You can find even more useful Mac shortcuts in the infographic here.
Missing your Start Menu and familiar Windows look and feel? You can use Parallels Desktop and have Windows 10 along with your favorite Windows apps on your new Mac. Click here for a free trial.
Both PC and Mac users sooner or later confront this problem: How do I get ö, Ä, é, or ß out of my English-language keyboard? While Mac users don't have the problem to the same degree, they too can be left wondering which 'option' key combination will produce a « or a » (the special German quotation marks). If you want to display German or other special characters on a Web page using HTML, then you have yet another problem—which we also solve for you in this section.
The chart below will clarify the special German character codes for both Macs and PCs. But first a few comments on how to use the codes: Format usb disk on mac for windows.
Apple/Mac OS X
The Mac 'option' key allows users to easily type most foreign letters and symbols on a standard English-language Apple keyboard. But how do you know which 'option +' combination will produce which letter? After you get past the easy ones (option + u + a = ä), how do you discover the others? In Mac OS X you can use the Character Palette. To view the Character Palette you click on the 'Edit' menu (in an application or in the Finder) and select 'Special Characters.' The Character Palette will appear. It not only shows the codes and letters, but also how they appear in various font styles. In Mac OS X there's also an 'Input Menu' (under System Preferences > International) that allows you to select various foreign-language keyboards, including standard German and Swiss German. The 'International' control panel also allows you to set your language options.
Apple/ Mac OS 9
Instead of the Character Palette, the older Mac OS 9 has 'Key Caps.' That feature lets you see which keys produce which foreign symbols. To view Key Caps, click on the multicolored Apple symbol at the top left, scroll down to 'Key Caps' and click. When the Key Caps window is visible, press the 'option/alt' key to see the special characters it produces. Pressing the 'shift' key and 'option' simultaneously will reveal yet another set of letters and symbols.
Windows - Most Versions
On a Windows PC, the 'Alt+' option offers a way to type special characters on the fly. But you need to know the keystroke combination that will get you each special character. Once you know the 'Alt+0123' combination, you can use it to type an ß, an ä, or any other special symbol. League for mac. (See our Alt-code chart for German below.) In the related feature, Can Your PC Speak German?, I explain in detail how to find the combination for each letter, but the chart below will save you the trouble. In the same feature, I explain how to select various languages/keyboards in Windows.
Character Codes for German
These codes work with most fonts. Some fonts may vary. For the PC codes, always use the numeric (extended) keypad on the right of your keyboard and not the row of numbers at the top. (On a laptop you may have to use 'num lock' and the special number keys.)
Alt Codes For Macs
For this German character, type:
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