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Use mac style keyboard shortcuts on Windows with AutoHotkey (ahk) script

Use (most) macOS style keyboard shortcuts on Windows

Make Windows PC's shortcut act like macOS (Mac OS X)

With this AutoHotKey script, you can use most macOS style shortcuts (eg, cmd+c, cmd+v, ...) on Windows with a standard PC keyboard.

Note that:

  1. you shouldn't change the modifier keys mapping with keyboard DIP. This script assumes you use a standard PC keyboard layout, and wish to use shortcuts as if it was a mac keyboard layout.
  2. To use cmd + shift + ↑ / ↓ / ← / → (select text between cursor and top / bottom / beginning of line / end of line), You should disable the Between input languages shotcut from Control Panel\Clock, Language, and Region\Language\Advanced settings > Change lanugage bar hot keys due to conflicting.
  3. Some Windows built-in keyboard shortcuts will be overridden. For example: win + ↑ / ↓ / ← / → (snap window to side). Change mac.ahk accordingly if you prefer to keep the default behavior.

Here's some examples of how this script work:

you want to press what you're actually pressing AutoHotKey tells Windows
cmd + c alt + c ctrl + c
cmd + v alt + v ctrl + v
cmd + r alt + r F5
cmd + ↑ alt + ↑ Home
cmd + shift + [ alt + shift + [ ctrl + shift + Tab
... ... ...

To Run Once (until reboot)

  1. Install https://www.autohotkey.com/
  2. Copy and save the content of mac.ahk in a text file, named as mac.ahk
  3. Double click on mac.ahk file

Auto start after Windows startup

Place mac.ahk file (or make a shortcut) at C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

#NoEnv ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir% ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
; Docs:
; https://autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm
; https://autohotkey.com/docs/KeyList.htm
; Ref https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/60675-osx-style-command-keys-in-windows/
; You need to disable "Between input languages" shotcut from Control Panel\Clock, Language, and Region\Language\Advanced settings > Change lanugage bar hot keys
; Universal shotcuts
$!x::Send ^x
$!c::Send ^c
$!v::Send ^v
$!s::Send ^s
$!a::Send ^a
$!z::Send ^z
$!+z::Send ^y
$!w::Send ^w
$!f::Send ^f
$!n::Send ^n
$!q::Send !{f4}
$!r::Send ^{f5}
$!m::Send {LWin Down}{Down}{LWin Up}
$!`::Send {Alt Down}{Shift Down}{Tab}{Shift Up}
; Quick Switch Tab shotcuts
$!1::Send ^1
$!2::Send ^2
$!3::Send ^3
$!4::Send ^4
$!5::Send ^5
$!6::Send ^6
$!7::Send ^7
$!8::Send ^8
$!9::Send ^9
$!0::Send ^0
; Chrome shotcuts
$!t::Send ^t
$!+t::Send ^+t
$!+]::Send {Ctrl Down}{Tab Down}{Tab Up}{Ctrl Up}
$!+[::Send {Ctrl Down}{Shift Down}{Tab Down}{Tab Up}{Shift Up}{Ctrl Up}
$!l::Send ^l
; input methods
; $+,::Send ^,
; $+.::Send ^.
; navigation, selection, delete a word/till end
$!Left::Send {Home}
$!Right::Send {End}
$!Up::Send {Lctrl down}{Home}{Lctrl up}
$!Down::Send {Lctrl down}{End}{Lctrl up}
$#Left::Send {ctrl down}{Left}{ctrl up}
$#Right::Send {ctrl down}{Right}{ctrl up}
$#+Left::Send {ctrl down}{shift down}{Left}{shift up}{ctrl up}
$#+Right::Send {ctrl down}{shift down}{Right}{shift up}{ctrl up}
$!+Left::Send {shift down}{Home}{shift up}
$!+Right::Send {shift down}{End}{shift up}
$!+Up::Send {Ctrl Down}{shift down}{Home}{shift up}{Ctrl Up}
$!+Down::Send {Ctrl Down}{shift down}{End}{shift up}{Ctrl Up}
!BS::Send {LShift down}{Home}{LShift Up}{Del}
#BS::Send {LCtrl down}{BS}{LCtrl up}
$#Space::Send {Ctrl Down}{LWin Down}{Space}{LWin Up}{Ctrl Up}
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