You can send the Ctrl+Alt+Del command to a remote Windows computer to view the options for locking the computer, launching the task manager, signing off the current user profile etc. On a remote Mac, sending the Ctrl+Alt+Del command will open the Force Quit Applications window. To give the command, f rom the application menu, go to Actions - Ctrl+Alt+Del. Select Virtual Machine Send Ctrl-Alt-Del. If you are using an external PC keyboard, press Ctrl+Alt+Del. On a full-sized Mac keyboard, press Fwd Del+Ctrl+Option. The Forward Delete key is below the Help key. On a Mac laptop keyboard, press Fn+Ctrl+Option+Delete.
If you’ve used Windows you know that Ctrl + Alt + Delete—now “Ctrl + Shift + Delete“—is what you do when things aren’t going as expected. Like when you go to launch a program and you get a never-ending loading bar. Or when you’re browsing a webpage and the entire browser locks up. Or when nothing works right because you’re using a Windows PC and not a Mac.
But truth be told, even our shiny iMacs and our unibody MacBooks experience some not-so-smooth sailing. On a Windows PC you press three magic buttons to access the Task Manager. Here you can view running applications and processes and end them. But where are the three magic buttons on a Mac?How to Ctrl Alt Delete on Mac
Turns out they are there—three magic buttons just like Windows. Command + Option (Alt) + Esc.
Pressing these three buttons simultaneously opens the “Force Quit Applications” window. Here you’ll see all your running applications and a button that says “Force Quit.”
Simply select the application(s) you want to go nuclear on and click “Force Quit.” Your Mac will take care of the rest.
Pro Tip: You can close multiple apps at once. To select a range of apps hold shift and click the starting and ending apps in the list. To select individual apps, hold command and select the apps you want to close. Then just click “Force Quit.”Task Manager for Mac
Of course Windows also lets you view running processes in the Task Manager. What about Mac? Because Mac is Unix-based you could fire up the Terminal app. Or you could save yourself some work and open the Activity Monitor app.
Activity Monitor is a fantastic tool. You can view which processes are taking up the most memory, the most processing power, and even the most energy. You can also view disk and network statistics. The bottom of the window even provides a visual representation of the numbers.
If you ever hear your fan running faster than normal—or notice lag within your apps—Activity Monitor can help you identify which apps are hogging resources; and, even shut them down as needed. Just remember to be careful when closing processes and applications. Especially if you’re not sure what they do.
Click the headings to sort processes. When you want to end a process, you can use the force quit icon in the top-left of the window (it looks like a stop sign with an “x” in it). Just select the process you want to end and click that force quit icon.
Of course there’s always more than one way to bake a cake. In addition to Activity Monitor and the Force Quit Applications menu, you can also click and hold a non-responsive app in the dock and choose “Force Quit” from the contextual menu.Ctrl-Alt Delete: An Origin Story
Many people think Ctrl-Alt-Delete started with Windows. Truth is it didn’t. Bill Gates adopted the shortcut from IBM. Early IBM computers utilized the keyboard shortcut to soft reboot devices. That being said, Gates has said it was a mistake and that he would’ve preferred a single button. Of course the rest of us probably just dream of a day where we don’t have to use it all.
Happy Easter
While pressing Ctrl + Alt (Option) + Delete on a Mac doesn’t do anything, you can use it in the macOS server login screen. Performing the command will present you with an Easter egg which reads “This is not DOS” before restarting the computer.Other “Windows Shortcuts” on Mac
Here are a few other commands you might want to use that translate a little differently on macOS.Formatting: Bold, Italic, Underline (Ctrl + B, I, or U)
Make a statement. Whether you’re using Pages or writing a quick email. Generally copying and pasting is pretty straight forward.
Command + B for bold, Command + I for italic, or Command + U for underline.In-Browser Zoom (Ctrl + “-“ or “+”)
In Web browsers and some other applications you can zoom by holding Command and pressing either the plus (+) key to zoom in or the minus (-) key to zoom out.
In many apps—if you have a trackpad or Magic Mouse—you can use pinch-to-zoom to adjust the zoom. Usually Command + 0 will reset the zoom level.Undo (Ctrl + Z)
Sometimes you just need to take back your last move. Many applications on Mac allow you to undo a command by pressing Command + Z.
You may even be able to “redo” your last move by pressing Command + Shift + Z.Copy, Cut, and Paste (Ctrl + C, X, or V)
Copying and pasting is a way of life for most people. It’s not so different on Mac. Just substitute the Command key where you see Ctrl.Find (Ctrl + F) and Print (Ctrl + P)
Pretty much substituting any Ctrl with Command will work for most shortcuts. Command + F will let you search for words in many apps and browsers. And Command + P lets you print the current page if applicable.Final Thoughts
You’re sure to be more efficient if you can keep your Mac running smoothly and if you use shortcuts to improve your productivity.
Keep in mind, Command + Alt + Esc shouldn’t be used as a magic fix for all of your macOS problems. If you’re constantly having issues with your Mac, you may want to take a deeper look under the hood or speak with an Apple Certified Technician.
You can use Activity Monitor to help you see which apps are hogging resources and shut them down; and, if they’re apps that shouldn’t be there you may want to try removing them from your device.
As always, be careful you don’t remove system apps or other integral programs. Another way to avoid performance issues is to steer clear of malicious apps that disguise themselves as antivirus software.
Happy Ctrl + Alt + Delete-ing! Let us know in the comments—or on social media—what your favorite macOS shortcuts are.
To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. For example, to use Command-C (copy), press and hold the Command key, then the C key, then release both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys:
On keyboards made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows logo key instead of Command.
Some keys on some Apple keyboards have special symbols and functions, such as for display brightness , keyboard brightness , Mission Control, and more. If these functions aren't available on your keyboard, you might be able to reproduce some of them by creating your own keyboard shortcuts. To use these keys as F1, F2, F3, or other standard function keys, combine them with the Fn key.Cut, copy, paste, and other common shortcuts
*Command-X: Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
*Command-C: Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder.
*Command-V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder.
*Command-Z: Undo the previous command. You can then press Shift-Command-Z to Redo, reversing the undo command. In some apps, you can undo and redo multiple commands.
*Command-A: Select All items.
*Command-F: Find items in a document or open a Find window.
*Command-G: Find Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find the previous occurrence, press Shift-Command-G.
*Command-H: Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Option-Command-H.
*Command-M: Minimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the front app, press Option-Command-M.
*Command-O: Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
*Command-P: Print the current document.
*Command-S: Save the current document.
*Command-T: Open a new tab.
*Command-W: Close the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Option-Command-W.
*Option-Command-Esc: Force quit an app.
*Command–Space bar: Show or hide the Spotlight search field. To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window, press Command–Option–Space bar. (If you use multiple input sources to type in different languages, these shortcuts change input sources instead of showing Spotlight. Learn how to change a conflicting keyboard shortcut.)
*Control–Command–Space bar: Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols.
*Control-Command-F: Use the app in full screen, if supported by the app.
*Space bar: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.
*Command-Tab: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps.
*Shift-Command-5: In macOS Mojave or later, take a screenshot or make a screen recording. Or use Shift-Command-3 or Shift-Command-4 for screenshots. Learn more about screenshots.
*Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder in the Finder.
*Command-Comma (,): Open preferences for the front app.Sleep, log out, and shut down shortcuts
You might need to press and hold some of these shortcuts for slightly longer than other shortcuts. This helps you to avoid using them unintentionally.
*Power button: Press to turn on your Mac or wake it from sleep. Press and hold for 1.5 seconds to put your Mac to sleep.* Continue holding to force your Mac to turn off.
*Option–Command–Power button* or Option–Command–Media Eject : Put your Mac to sleep.
*Control–Shift–Power button* or Control–Shift–Media Eject : Put your displays to sleep.
*Control–Power button* or Control–Media Eject : Display a dialog asking whether you want to restart, sleep, or shut down.
*Control–Command–Power button:* Force your Mac to restart, without prompting to save any open and unsaved documents.
*Control–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
*Control–Option–Command–Power button* or Control–Option–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
*Control-Command-Q: Immediately lock your screen.
*Shift-Command-Q: Log out of your macOS user account. You will be asked to confirm. To log out immediately without confirming, press Option-Shift-Command-Q.
* Does not apply to the Touch ID sensor.Finder and system shortcuts
*Command-D: Duplicate the selected files.
*Command-E: Eject the selected disk or volume.
*Command-F: Start a Spotlight search in the Finder window.
*Command-I: Show the Get Info window for a selected file.
*Command-R: (1) When an alias is selected in the Finder: show the original file for the selected alias. (2) In some apps, such as Calendar or Safari, refresh or reload the page. (3) In Software Update preferences, check for software updates again.
*Shift-Command-C: Open the Computer window.
*Shift-Command-D: Open the desktop folder.
*Shift-Command-F: Open the Recents window, showing all of the files you viewed or changed recently.
*Shift-Command-G: Open a Go to Folder window.
*Shift-Command-H: Open the Home folder of the current macOS user account.
*Shift-Command-I: Open iCloud Drive.
*Shift-Command-K: Open the Network window.
*Option-Command-L: Open the Downloads folder.
*Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder.
*Shift-Command-O: Open the Documents folder.
*Shift-Command-P: Show or hide the Preview pane in Finder windows.
*Shift-Command-R: Open the AirDrop window.
*Shift-Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar in Finder windows.
*Control-Shift-Command-T: Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)
*Shift-Command-U: Open the Utilities folder.
*Option-Command-D: Show or hide the Dock.
*Control-Command-T: Add the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later).
*Option-Command-P: Hide or show the path bar in Finder windows.
*Option-Command-S: Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows.
*Command–Slash (/): Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows.
*Command-J: Show View Options.
*Command-K: Open the Connect to Server window.
*Control-Command-A: Make an alias of the selected item.
*Command-N: Open a new Finder window.
*Option-Command-N: Create a new Smart Folder.
*Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
*Option-Command-T: Show or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
*Option-Command-V: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location.
*Command-Y: Use Quick Look to preview the selected files.
*Option-Command-Y: View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files.
*Command-1: View the items in the Finder window as icons.
*Command-2: View the items in a Finder window as a list.
*Command-3: View the items in a Finder window in columns.
*Command-4: View the items in a Finder window in a gallery.
*Command–Left Bracket ([): Go to the previous folder.
*Command–Right Bracket (]): Go to the next folder.
*Command–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder.
*Command–Control–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window.
*Command–Down Arrow: Open the selected item.
*Right Arrow: Open the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
*Left Arrow: Close the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
*Command-Delete: Move the selected item to the Trash.
*Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash.
*Option-Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash without confirmation dialog.
*Command–Brightness Down: Turn video mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display.
*Option–Brightness Up: Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.
*Control–Brightness Up or Control–Brightness Down: Change the brightness of your external display, if supported by your display.
*Option–Shift–Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Brightness Down: Adjust the display brightness in smaller steps. Add the Control key to this shortcut to make the adjustment on your external display, if supported by your display.
*Option–Mission Control: Open Mission Control preferences.
*Command–Mission Control: Show the desktop.
*Control–Down Arrow: Show all windows of the front app.
*Option–Volume Up: Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.
*Option–Shift–Volume Up or Option–Shift–Volume Down: Adjust the sound volume in smaller steps.
*Option–Keyboard Brightness Up: Open Keyboard preferences. This works with either Keyboard Brightness key.
*Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Down: Adjust the keyboard brightness in smaller steps.
*Option key while double-clicking: Open the item in a separate window, then close the original window.
*Command key while double-clicking: Open a folder in a separate tab or window.
*Command key while dragging to another volume: Move the dragged item to the other volume, instead of copying it.
*Option key while dragging: Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
*Option-Command while dragging: Make an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
*Option-click a disclosure triangle: Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
*Command-click a window title: See the folders that contain the current folder.
*Learn how to use Command or Shift to select multiple items in the Finder.
*Click the Go menu in the Finder menu bar to see shortcuts for opening many commonly used folders, such as Applications, Documents, Downloads, Utilities, and iCloud Drive.Document shortcuts
The behavior of these shortcuts may vary with the app you're using.
*Command-B: Boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off.
*Command-I: Italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off.
*Command-K: Add a web link.
*Command-U: Underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off.
*Command-T: Show or hide the Fonts window.
*Command-D: Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog.
*Control-Command-D: Show or hide the definition of the selected word.
*Shift-Command-Colon (:): Display the Spelling and Grammar window.
*Command-Semicolon (;): Find misspelled words in the document.
*Option-Delete: Delete the word to the left of the insertion point.
*Control-H: Delete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete.
*Control-D: Delete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-Delete.
*Fn-Delete: Forward delete on keyboards that don't have a Forward Delete key. Or use Control-D.
*Control-K: Delete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or paragraph.
*Fn–Up Arrow: Page Up: Scroll up one page.
*Fn–Down Arrow: Page Down: Scroll down one page.
*Fn–Left Arrow: Home: Scroll to the beginning of a document.
*Fn–Right Arrow: End: Scroll to the end of a document.
*Command–Up Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the document.
*Command–Down Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the document.
*Command–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.
*Command–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the current line.
*Option–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
*Option–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the next word.
*Shift–Command–Up Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document.
*Shift–Command–Down Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the document.
*Shift–Command–Left Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line.
*Shift–Command–Right Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the current line.
*Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line above.
*Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line below.
*Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the left.
*Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the right.
*Option–Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again.
*Option–Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again.
*Option–Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again.
*Option–Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again.
*Control-A: Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph.
*Control-E: Move to the end of a line or paragraph.
*Control-F: Move one character forward.
*Control-B: Move one character backward.
*Control-L: Center the cursor or selection in the visible area.
*Control-P: Move up one line.
*Control-N: Move down one line.
*Control-O: Insert a new line after the insertion point.
*Control-T: Swap the character behind the insertion point with the character in front of the insertion point.
*Command–Left Curly Bracket ({): Left align.
*Command–Right Curly Bracket (}): Right align.
*Shift–Command–Vertical bar (|): Center align.
*Option-Command-F: Go to the search field.
*Option-Command-T: Show or hide a toolbar in the app.
*Option-Command-C: Copy Style: Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard.
*Option-Command-V: Paste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item.
*Option-Shift-Command-V: Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content.
*Option-Command-I: Show or hide the inspector window.
*Shift-Command-P: Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings.
*Shift-Command-S: Display the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document.
*Shift–Command–Minus sign (-): Decrease the size of the selected item.
*Shift–Command–Plus sign (+): Increase the size of the selected item. Command–Equal sign (=) performs the same function.
*Shift–Command–Question mark (?): Open the Help menu.Other shortcuts
For more shortcuts, check the shortcut abbreviations shown in the menus of your apps. Every app can have its own shortcuts, and shortcuts that work in one app might not work in another. Control Alt Delete For Mac Remote To Pc To Change Password
*Apple Music shortcuts: Choose Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the menu bar in the Music app.
*Other shortcuts: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts.Control Alt Delete For MacLearn more
*Create your own shortcuts and resolve conflicts between shortcuts
*Change the behavior of the function keys or modifier keys
