| Function |
On Windows |
On Mac |
| Abort an application |
Ctrl-Alt-Del and select application and click “End Task” |
Option-Command-Esc then select and click “Force Quit” |
| Applets |
Bottom right of Taskbar |
Top right of menu bar |
| Applications: Accessing running applications |
Alt-tab;
Click on program”™s name in the Taskbar |
Alt-tab;
F9;
Click on the application”™s icon in the Dock. Running applications are indicated by a black triangle below the application”™s Dock icon. |
| Applications: Finding and launching |
Start Menu |
Dock;
Applications folder |
| Basic troubleshooting of application crashes. (After performing each of these, test if the problem is solved.) |
Restart application;
Reboot;
Scandisk;
Defrag;
Reinstall troublesome program |
Restart application;
Reboot;
Delete troublesome application”™s preference file (found in Library/Preferences folder of your User folder and often named something like com.vendorsname.applicationnme.plist.);
Repair disk permissions using the Disk Utility in the Applications/Utilities folder (requires administrator access) |
| Close a window |
Close button (top right of window) |
Close button (top left of window). Note: If the Close button displays a grey dot in the middle of it, the document in the window is unsaved. |
| Context menus |
Right mouse click |
Control-left mouse click on single button mice, otherwise, also right mouse click |
| Copy |
Control-C |
Command-C |
| Cut |
Control-X |
Command-X |
| Drive names |
C:, D:, E: etc |
OS X uses the name given to the disk (the label in Windows) to reference disks. eg “iMac Hard Disk” |
| Ejecting CDs and DVDs |
Push eject button on disk drive;
Right click on disk and select “Eject” |
In a Finder window, click eject symbol to right of disk
Drag and drop the disk”™s icon on to the Trash icon (it will turn into an Eject icon);
Push the Eject key (â ) on the keyboard.
Note: a disk in use will not be able to be ejected. |
| File navigation and management |
Windows Explorer;
My Computer |
Finder |
| Files: Location of personal files |
My Documents |
Documents |
| Help |
F1 |
Command-? |
| Installing programs |
Run install program (if not automatically run) |
Some applications have an installer (usually indicated by a pkg or mpkg suffix). Double click to install. Others you simply drag and drop to the Applications folder. |
| Maximize a window |
Maximize button (top right of window) |
Zoom button (green button in top left of window). Note: Zoom is not functionally equivalent of Maximize, but is the closest thing to it on Macs. Zoom only enlarges the window enough to display the full width of the document within it. |
| Menu bar: Accessing by keystroke |
Alt key |
Control-F2 |
| Menu bar: Location of an application”™s menu bar |
Top of its window |
Top of screen |
| Minimize a window |
Minimize button (top right of window) |
Minimize button (orange button in top left of window). |
| Monitoring system performance |
Task Manager |
Activity Monitor (found in the Applications/Utilities folder |
| Move cursor one word right |
Control-Right arrow (cursor) key |
Option-Right arrow (cursor) key |
| Move cursor one word left |
Control-Left arrow (cursor) key |
Option-Left arrow (cursor) key |
| Move cursor to beginning of the line |
Home key |
Control-Left arrow (cursor) key |
| Move cursor to end of the line |
End key |
Control-Right arrow (cursor) key |
| Paste |
Control-V |
Command-V |
| Properties: Getting information about an item |
Properties menu item. Usually in context menu |
Get Info. Usually in either context menu or File menu |
| Options and settings: Location in menus |
Usually under the Tools menu item |
Usually under the application”™s named menu item |
| Removing media |
Right click on device and select “Eject”;
Open “Safely Remove Hardware” from Task Bar and Stop device to remove |
In a Finder window, click eject symbol to right of the device;
Drag and drop the device”™s icon onto the Trash icon (it will turn into an Eject icon);
Note: a device in use will not be able to be ejected. |
| Resize a window |
Click and drag any edge |
Click and drag bottom right corner |
| Run an applications |
Locate via the Start menu |
If not already in the Dock, applications are stored in the Applications folder and its sub-folders and can be run directly from there. They can be kept permanently in the Dock by right clicking on their Dock icon and selecting “Keep in Dock”. |
| Screen brightness |
Usually on the monitor |
F14 to decrease;
F15 to increase |
| Screen capture |
PrtScn to capture full screen to clipboard;
Alt-PrtScrn to capture current window to clipboard |
Command-Shift-3 to capture full screen to a file;
Control-Command-Shift-3 to copy the full screen to the Clipboard;
Command-Shift-4 to capture selected area of the screen to a file. Press spacebar to automatically select the window under the cursor;
Control-Command-Shift-4 to copy the selected area to the Clipboard. |
| Select All |
Control-A |
Command-A |
| Separator used in path names |
Backslash (\) |
Forward slash (/) |
| Show Desktop |
Click Show Desktop shortcut in Taskbar |
F11 |
| System information |
System in Control Panel |
“About this Mac” in the Apple menu (top left corner of the screen) |
| Tabbed browsing |
Available in Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox |
In Safari, is off by default. Enable in Safari”™s preferences |
| Undo |
Control-Z |
Command-Z |