How do you map a Mac keyboard to PC layout?

5

2

Say I have a Mac keyboard and want to use it on a PC. Some of the keys aren't quite right. How do I map them correctly?

cletus

Posted 2009-07-15T08:34:45.483

Reputation: 882

Answers

3

The main problems with using an Apple keyboard on a PC are as follows:

  • Media & Volume keys are nonfunctional
  • Command key where Alt key should be, but acts like Windows key
  • Option key where Windows key should be, but acts like Alt key
  • Right Control key acts like Right Alt key
  • Fn key where Insert key should be (wired keyboard only)
  • Clear key where NumLock key should be (wired keyboard only)

You can use scancode mapping to map the F7-F12 scancodes to the Windows media keyboard equivalents, turn F13-F15 into the PrintScreen, Scroll Lock, and Pause keys, and make the Ctrl and Alt keys work properly. After that you hit a wall with scancode mapping.

Instead, install uawks. Its a little program that uses AutoHotKey scripts to map your Mac keyboard keys to the PC equivalents. You can always tweak the scripts to get the exact behavior you want.

Curtis Tasker

Posted 2009-07-15T08:34:45.483

Reputation: 651

4

I use the following to swap the alt and command/Windows keys. Paste into a .reg file, then run it to import into your registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,37,e0,64,00,5b,e0,38,00,\
  38,00,5b,e0,5c,e0,38,e0,38,e0,5c,e0,47,e0,63,e0,0d,00,59,00,00,00,00,00

Stephen Jennings

Posted 2009-07-15T08:34:45.483

Reputation: 21 788

How do you remove this after its been added? – Marc – 2013-07-15T23:19:18.217

@Marc At least on the Windows 7 machine I'm on now, the "Scancode Map" value doesn't exist by default, so simply deleting it will probably do it. Though, I suggest you export the key first just in case something goes wrong (right-click "Keyboard Layout" and choose "Export"). – Stephen Jennings – 2013-07-16T00:16:45.867

I did that right after I typed this, simply deleting the key sorted me out! Thanks Stephen. – Marc – 2013-07-16T04:16:21.030