Windows vs Mac Keyboard Shortcuts - Side-by-Side Comparison

Switching between Windows and macOS — or using both daily — means learning each platform's documented bindings, not automatically translating Ctrl to Cmd. Use the side-by-side actions as references and check platform-specific evidence; an unknown mapping remains unknown.

Action
Windows 11
macOS Sonoma
Copy
Ctrl+C
⌘+C
Cut
Ctrl+X
⌘+X
Paste
Ctrl+V
⌘+V
Undo
Ctrl+Z
⌘+Z
Redo
Ctrl+Y
⌘+Shift+Z
Select All
Ctrl+A
⌘+A
Find
Ctrl+F
⌘+F
Find & Replace
Ctrl+H
⌘+H
Save
Ctrl+S
⌘+S
Print
Ctrl+P
⌘+P
New Window / Tab
Ctrl+N
⌘+N
Close Window / Tab
Ctrl+W
⌘+W
Quit App
Alt+F4
⌘+Q
Bold Text
Ctrl+B
⌘+B
Italic Text
Ctrl+I
⌘+I
Underline Text
Ctrl+U
⌘+U

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mac equivalent of Ctrl on Windows?+
Common text-editing actions have documented bindings such as Ctrl+C on Windows and Command+C on macOS. That is not a general conversion rule: Mac commands may use Command, Control, Option or another combination. Use the reviewed binding for the specific action and application; unknown equivalents remain unknown.
How do I take a screenshot on Mac vs Windows?+
On Windows, press Win+Shift+S to open the Snipping Tool for a region screenshot. On Mac, press ⌘+Shift+4 to do the same. For a full-screen capture: Windows uses PrtScr, Mac uses ⌘+Shift+3. Mac saves to the Desktop by default; Windows saves to the clipboard.
What is the Mac equivalent of Windows' Alt+F4?+
On Mac, press ⌘+Q to quit the active application. ⌘+W closes the current window or tab but keeps the app running. There is no universal 'close everything' shortcut on Mac — quit each app separately.
How do I switch windows on Mac like Alt+Tab on Windows?+
Press ⌘+Tab on Mac to switch between apps. To switch between multiple windows of the same app, press ⌘+` (backtick). Mac's version shows app icons, not window thumbnails like Windows — use Mission Control (Ctrl+↑) to see all open windows across all apps.

See Also

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