Jul 02, 2019 MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016) MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018) MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) If you have a MacBook with this problem, head to Apple’s website to learn more about the keyboard service process. The location of backslash (and any letter, symbol etc.) depends on the active keyboard layout. In order to find where is located a desired char, activate the keyboard viewer (in sys prefs/keyboard), open it (it is where the keyboard layouts are), and beging to press keys, including option and shift, in order to find its location. Apple MacBook Pro: Hands-on with the new and improved Magic Keyboard version. Sure, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro adds 10th-gen Intel CPUs and doubles the storage, but the really big thing is that.
This is the ultimate guide for working with MacBook keyboards, including accessing special functions, characters, accents, and using keyboard shortcuts in Mac OS system. Click on the list below to jump to an appropriate section.
MacBook Keyboard Diagram / Map
MacBook keyboard has few distinctive sections: Function keys (in light blue), which provides access to various functions in MacBook itself or Mac OS system. By combining them with the FN key, you'll get access to F1 - F12 keys, which can be associated with particular application features (useful in Photoshop for example).
The second section is the modifier keys (in light yellow). Shift allows to type uppercase letters and other additional characters. Command and Alt/Option are used in keyboard shortcuts, as well as the Control key, which is used almost exclusively by Mac OS X and Apple programs.
Return and left Shift has two variants, one used in the US and Eastern Asia (horizontal Return and long Shift), and second, used in Europe, Middle East and Africa (vertical Return and short left Shift). On the diagram, this is shown by dashed lines. Of course, MacBook keyboards have lots of localizations, the most common - US English - is shown above. If you're unsure about the localization you have, go and check it with this guide.
MacBook Air 11' has slightly different keyboard, with smaller top and bottom row keys to accommodate smaller laptop size. Newest MacBooks Pro with TouchBar don't have upper F keys row, instead, they have a touchscreen which changes displayed options based on context.
MacBook Keyboard Symbols Chart
Symbol | Meaning | Notes |
Screen brightness down | ||
Screen brightness up | ||
Launches Mission Control | Icon available on MacBooks Unibody | |
Launches Mission Control | Icon available on MacBooks pre-unibody | |
Launches Dashboard | Icon available on MacBooks Unibody | |
Launches Dashboard | Icon available on MacBooks pre-unibody | |
Keyboard backlight down | ||
Keyboard backlight up | ||
Rewind | ||
Play / Pause | ||
Fast Forward | ||
Sound: mute | ||
Sound: volume down | ||
Sound: volume up | ||
Eject | Available on MacBooks with CD/DVD drive | |
Power | Available on MacBooks without CD/DVD drive | |
Command | On MacBooks 1st generation this is replaced by Apple logo | |
Alt / Option | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Tab | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Backspace | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Shift | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Caps Lock | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Return | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts | |
Enter | Available on European/ISO keyboard layouts, accessed with FN key | |
Delete | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing | |
Clear | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing | |
Home | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing. Can be substituted by CMD + up arrow shortcut. | |
End | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing. Can be substituted by CMD + down arrow shortcut. | |
Page Up | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing | |
Page Down | Not on MacBooks, but worth knowing | |
Arrows | Used to move things or pointer |
MacBook Keyboard Special Characters and Accents Map
If you want to type special characters or accents, change your keyboard language to US International PC (thanks, Steve!) and use the map below to get them. You can also check out our solution to the two languages on one keyboard problem.
Where is the Print Screen Button?
Unlike PC keyboard, there is no Print Screen key on MacBook keyboard. This functionality is accessed by keyboard shortcuts and - on Mac - you have greater flexibility:
- Command + Shift + 3 - captures entire screen;
- Command + Shift + 4 - captures selected region. Your cursor turns to crosshair and by clicking and dragging you can specify which area you want to capture;
- Command + Shift + 4 + Space - captures selected window. First press the shortcut from above, then - when you have crosshair - hit Space. The cursor will turn to the camera and the active window will have a blue overlay. Click on it to get it captured.
In some apps, like Photoshop, you need to add Control into the mix, to paste the screenshot into the app.
MacBook Keyboard Tricks
There's a lot you can do in Mac OS by using the keyboard only. Here's a list of highly useful and not-so-useful keyboard shortcuts:
Shortcut | Action |
Command + W | Quickly closes the active window in Safari or any other browser. Works also with many applications, like Pages, Numbers, Photoshop. Great way to quickly close something when your boss is coming around :) |
Command + H | Hides the active application. Useful for hiding something quickly ;) |
Option + Shift + F11/F12 | Makes tiny changes in volume level instead of standard jumps. |
Control + Option + Command + 8 | Reverses colors on the screen. |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | When watching YouTube video, this will advance you to 10%, 20%, 30%.. of movie completion. |
Option + Delete | Deletes whole word in text editors |
Control + Command + V | Pastes copied text without formatting. Useful when copying something from Pages and pasting into eg. Wordpress :) |
Control + Command + Option + Eject/Shutdown | Shuts down the MacBook without the need to provide username and password. |
Command + Shift + A | Opens the Applications folder in Finder. |
Command + Shift + U | Opens the Utilities folder in Finder. |
Command + Shift + D | Opens the Desktop folder in Finder. |
Command + Shift + I | When in Safari, this shortcut copies the URL, opens Mail app and creates a new email with the copied URL pasted as a link in a message. |
Command + Option + M | Minimizes all open windows, showing Desktop. |
Command + Option + Shift + Esc | Hold for 3 seconds to force quit any app. |
Command + Tab | Cycle through opened apps from left to right. |
Command + Shift + Tab | Cycle through opened apps from right to left. |
Command + ` | Cycles through active app windows. |
Command + Q | Quit active app. |
Command + T | Opens a new tab in Finder. Opens a new tab in a web browser. |
Command + N | Creates new Finder window. |
Command + Shift + N | Creates new folder in Finder. |
Command + Space | Launches Spotlight. |
Command + Option + Space | Switches to next keyboard language (if you have more than one). |
Command + Control + Space | In some websites and apps this will give you the emoji keyboard. |
Command + Delete | Sends selected files/folders to trash. |
Fn + Delete | Deletes text from left to right. |
F10 + Shutdown | Hold while launching MacBook to get a silent start. |
Command + up arrow/down arrow | Jump to the beginning or end of a page. This is equivalent to PC's Home and End keys. |
Command + up arrow + L | Highlights the address bar in a web browser. |
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Apple Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, and Magic Trackpad 2 work wirelessly with your Mac via Bluetooth when they're paired and turned on.
If your devices came with a new iMac, they're already paired with the computer. Just turn them on when you first turn on your Mac. To make sure that your device is turned on, check its power switch. If green is visible, the device is on.
If you bought your devices separately — or if they've become unpaired from your Mac — follow the steps below to pair them.
How to set up current Apple wireless devices
Follow these steps to set up your Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, or Magic Trackpad 2:
- Connect a Lightning to USB Cable1 or a USB-C to Lightning Cable to the Lightning port on the device2 and connect the other end of the cable to your Mac.
- Make sure that the device's power switch is in the ON position. (Green is visible under the switch when the device is on.)
- Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth to open the Bluetooth preferences window. When the device pairs with your Mac, it appears in the list of devices.
- Check the Bluetooth preferences window to see your device's charge level. When the device is charged, unplug it for wireless use.
1. If your Bluetooth device came with an iMac, a Lightning to USB cable was also included in the box.
2. Magic Mouse 2 can't be used while connected to the cable.
2. Magic Mouse 2 can't be used while connected to the cable.
How to set up earlier Apple wireless devices
If you're not sure which device you have, you can learn how to identify your Apple wireless mouse, keyboard, or trackpad.
Apple approved malware removal. Then use a wired mouse or trackpad — or the built-in trackpad if you're using a Mac notebook — and follow these steps to set up your earlier Apple wireless devices (such as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad):
Apple Mac Pro Keyboard 12.9
- Turn on your device.
- Wait until your device's LED starts blinking, which means that it's in Discoverable Mode. (If the LED is on but not blinking, your device is already paired with another host. To unpair it, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth. Hover the pointer over the device you want to remove, then click the button that appears next to the device's name. Turn the device off, then start again at step 1.)
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth.
- Wait while your Mac searches for your device. When your device appears in Bluetooth preferences, click Pair1.
1. Apple Wireless Keyboard requires the passcode that appears on your Mac. Enter the 8-digit passcode on the keyboard, then press Return. Earlier models of Apple Wireless Mouse or Apple Magic Trackpad will connect automatically or show a dialog. If you see a dialog, click Pair or press Return.