PastelyArchlyv2.3
Timecard
Get TimecardGet $5
Free toolNo sign-up · Runs in your browser

Mac keyboard symbols

Mac shortcuts use symbols for the modifier keys: ⌘ is Command, ⌥ is Option, ⇧ is Shift and ⌃ is Control. Click any symbol to copy it, translate a shortcut like cmd+shift+4 into ⇧⌘4, and see how to type characters like the Apple logo and the em dash.

Click any symbol to copy it

Pastes anywhere: docs, Slack, Notion, code.

SHORTCUT TRANSLATOR

⇧⌘4

Shift-Command-4

Modifiers are put in Apple's order: Control, Option, Shift, Command.

TYPE SPECIAL CHARACTERS · US KEYBOARD

SHORTCUTS WORTH KNOWING

  • Screenshot of the whole screen
  • Screenshot of a selection
  • Screenshot and screen recording options
  • Spotlight search
  • Switch between open apps
  • Force Quit an app
  • Lock the screen
  • Emoji & Symbols
  • Quit the app
  • Close the window
  • Hide the app
  • Minimize the window
  • Undo
  • Redo
  • Paste and match style
  • Show hidden files in Finder
  • Move a file to the Trash in Finder
  • Open the app's settings

Mac modifier keys

SymbolKeyAlso called
⌘CommandCmd, the Apple key
⌥OptionAlt
⇧Shift
⌃ControlCtrl
🌐︎Globefn

Reading a shortcut

Apple lists modifiers in a fixed order, Control, Option, Shift, Command, then the key. ⌥⌘⎋ means hold Option and Command, then press Escape: that's Force Quit. In writing, Apple spells it Option-Command-Escape.

Typing symbols that aren't on the keyboard

Press Control-Command-Space for the Emoji & Symbols viewer, which has every character including arrows, maths and currency. Or hold a letter key to choose an accent. To see which apps your keyboard time goes to, try Timecard.

Mac Keyboard Symbols
questions

What is the ⌘ symbol on a Mac?

⌘ is the Command key, the main modifier for Mac shortcuts: ⌘C copies and ⌘V pastes. The symbol is a looped square, sometimes called the cloverleaf, and its Unicode name is Place of Interest Sign (U+2318).

What do ⌥, ⇧ and ⌃ mean?

⌥ is Option (Alt on other keyboards), ⇧ is Shift, and ⌃ is Control. In menus, Apple writes them in this order: Control, Option, Shift, Command, so Shift-Command-4 appears as ⇧⌘4.

How do I type the Apple logo?

Press Option-Shift-K on a US keyboard. The logo is a private character that only shows up on Apple devices; on Windows and Android it may appear as a blank box.

How do I type other symbols on a Mac?

Press Control-Command-Space to open the Emoji & Symbols viewer, or use Option combinations: Option-hyphen types an en dash and Option-Shift-hyphen an em dash.

More free tools

Military Time Converter

Convert 24-hour military time to standard time, with a full chart.

Open →

Mac Keyboard Tester

Press every key on a MacBook layout and see which ones work.

Open →

Time Zone Meeting Planner

Find the hour that works in every time zone, and send it to your calendar.

Open →

Unix Timestamp Converter

Epoch time to date and back, the live timestamp, and Discord time codes.

Open →

Typing Speed Test

Test your words per minute and accuracy in 15, 30, 60 or 120 seconds.

Open →

Screen Time Calculator

How many years of your life will you spend on screens?

Open →

Time Card Calculator

Add up a week of hours, breaks, overtime and pay.

Open →

AI Token Counter

Count tokens for GPT, Claude and other models, and see what a prompt costs.

Open →

Hours Between Two Times

Find the hours and minutes between any two times, even past midnight.

Open →