If you switch from a Windows laptop to a MacBook, you may notice that the keyboard and trackpad are slightly misaligned. But don't worry because the following article will help you customize them to fit the Windows setup you are familiar with. Just change these settings in macOS!
1. Turn on “Click in Bottom-Right Corner” for Secondary Click
One of the first things you might get stuck on is right-clicking on your Mac. On Windows, you typically click the bottom-right corner of the trackpad or tap it with two fingers to bring up the context menu and access more options. However, the same action on Mac is called Secondary Click, which you can trigger by holding down a key Control while clicking the trackpad with one finger.
Here's how to enable the more familiar Windows right-click in macOS:
- Click menu Apple on the menu bar and go to System Settings > Trackpad.
- Select tabs Point & Click and find the menu Secondary Click.
- Select Click in Bottom-Right Corner or Click or Tap with Two Fingers if you like.
2. Change scrolling direction (turn off Natural Scrolling)
By default, Macs enable Natural Scrolling, which means you swipe up on the trackpad to move content/pages down and vice versa – just like interacting with an iPhone's touchscreen. Although many users find this feature more intuitive, it may be unfamiliar because it works in the opposite direction on some Windows computers.
Here's how to turn off Natural Scrolling on your Mac to switch to more familiar Windows-style scrolling:
- Click menu Apple and choose System Settings.
- Scroll down and select Trackpad in the left sidebar. Then go to tab Scroll & Zoom.
- Turn off the toggle button Natural Scrolling.
3. Turn on Tap to Click
Another default Mac feature that might strike you as strange is the need to click down on the trackpad with one finger to record the click. This feature may not be intuitive, or you may prefer to touch the trackpad like on a Windows laptop. Your Mac's trackpad can do that too – here's how:
- Open the menu Apple and choose System Settings.
- Select Trackpad in the left sidebar and go to tabs Point & Click.
- Turn on Tap to Click at the end.
4. Customize trackpad gestures (multi-touch gestures)
One of the standout features of the MacBook is its large trackpad that supports a variety of multi-touch gestures, allowing you to perform a variety of actions with simple movements on the trackpad using two or more fingers. Luckily, Windows and macOS have many of the same gestures, although they may be assigned different actions by default.
Here are some useful trackpad gestures you can customize or enable on your Mac to improve your workflow:
Zoom in or out
Similar to Windows, you can pinch in or spread out with two fingers to zoom in on your Mac. To enable this gesture, go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Trackpad > Scroll & Zoomthen turn on the option Zoom in or out.
Show all open windows or Mission Control
This trackpad gesture lets you quickly see all the open windows and apps on your Mac. To enable this gesture, go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Trackpad. Select tabs More Gesturesclick the drop-down menu Mission Control and choose Swipe Up with Three Fingers.
Show desktop
While you can display the desktop on Windows by swiping down the trackpad with three fingers, on macOS you have to spread your thumb and three fingers apart to display the desktop.
To enable this gesture, go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Trackpad. Select tabs More Gestures and turn on Show Desktop.
Switch desktops or swipe between full-screen apps
On Windows, you can switch between virtual desktops by swiping left or right with four fingers on the trackpad. You can replicate this gesture on your Mac by going to the menu Apple > System Settings > Trackpad.
Select tabs More Gesturesclick menu Swipe between full-screen applications and choose Swipe Left or Right with Four Fingers.
5. Turn off “Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop”
Clicking the desktop wallpaper on a Mac hides active windows and shows the desktop. Although this feature can be useful for quickly accessing applications or files on the desktop, it can be annoying if you accidentally click on the wallpaper or are not used to it if you are a Windows user.
Luckily, you can disable this feature by following these steps:
- Go to the menu Apple > System Settings and choose Desktop & Dock in the sidebar.
- Scroll down to options Click wallpaper to reveal desktop in section Desktop & Stage Manager and choose Only in Stage Manager in the drop-down menu.
- Turn off the switch Stage Manager.
6. Remap Modifier keys
If you're used to a Windows keyboard, you'll quickly notice that some keys, especially the Modifier keys, are in different locations on your Mac keyboard and may not do exactly what you're used to. . Modifier keys like Control, Option and Command play important roles in keyboard shortcuts, so it's essential to map them to match how you expect them to behave.
For example, Windows PCs often use the Control key for many of the keyboard shortcuts assigned to the Command key on MacBooks. Thankfully, macOS provides an easy way to remap Modifier keys:
- Go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select Modifier Keys in the sidebar.
- For each modifier key you want to remap, click the pop-up menu and select the desired action when you press the key. For example, select the drop-down menu Control (⌃) key and choose ⌘ Command to perform that action when you press a key Control.
- Click Done to save the changes.
7. Customize system shortcuts
Your Mac has a set of default keyboard shortcuts for various actions that you can customize or turn off, including screenshots, Mission Control, brightness, text shortcuts, etc. Even though you It's not always possible to perfectly replicate Windows keyboard shortcuts, but customizing them as closely as possible can help make the transition smoother.
Here's how to customize keyboard shortcuts on your Mac:
- Go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select the option you want to change. For example, select Screenshots and double-click the shortcut next to the action you want to change.
- Enter the new key combination you want to use to replace that shortcut.
- Click Done to save changes.
8. Turn on Keyboard Navigation
Although the Tab key on Windows has different functions depending on the program you are using or the cursor position, it is typically used to move between elements on a page, such as buttons. and form fields. You can also use this feature on your Mac.
Here's how to enable Keyboard Navigation on your Mac:
- Go to the menu Apple > System Settings > Keyboard.
- Turn on the toggle Keyboard Navigation.
- Now, you can press the key Tab to move the focus forward and key Shift + Tab to move the focus back.
It's worth noting that the Alt + Tab feature on Windows works differently or is more limited on Mac. However, you can bring this popular Windows feature to macOS by installing a third-party app called AltTab.
While you certainly have some good reasons to switch from Windows to macOS, you're probably not prepared for the inconveniences that come with this change. If learning how to navigate your Mac or remembering new keyboard shortcuts is a headache, these customizations will make the transition easier.
