Published Aug 20, 2024, 7:30 AM EDT
Lando has been a freelance Productivity writer at MakeUseOf since 2021. From the early days of Windows Vista, he has cultivated a deep-rooted passion for technology and consistently navigated the evolving tech landscape, embracing everything from Android and iOS devices with impartial curiosity. Lando’s interest isn’t tethered to brand loyalty but driven by a desire to utilize each technology for its unique strengths.
His fascination with productivity software stems from a relentless pursuit of efficiency—finding innovative ways to achieve more in less time. This passion is a personal mantra and extends into his professional expertise, where he blends tech savviness with digital marketing strategies to create impactful content and campaigns.
Since beginning his writing journey in 2018 as part of the digital marketing team at Xanda in London, Lando has become a trusted source of tech advice. He is often approached by peers for insights on the latest tech trends and tools. Committed to staying abreast of new advancements, he continues to enrich his knowledge through continuous learning and active participation in tech discussions.
In addition to pursuing a degree in computer science, Lando enjoys traveling and gaming outside of work, particularly on his favourite console, the PS5.
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1. Enable "Click in Bottom-Right Corner" for Secondary Click
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2. Change the Scroll Direction (Disable Natural Scrolling)
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4. Customize Trackpad Gestures (Multi-Touch Gestures)
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5. Disable "Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop"
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6. Remap the Modifier Keys
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7. Customize System Keyboard Shortcuts
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8. Enable Keyboard Navigation
If you switched from a Windows laptop to a MacBook, you might notice that the keyboard and trackpad feel a bit off. But don't worry because we'll help you customize them to match the Windows setup you're familiar with. Just change these settings in macOS.
1. Enable "Click in Bottom-Right Corner" for Secondary Click
One of the first things you may struggle with is right-clicking on a Mac. On Windows, you are used to clicking the bottom-right corner of the touchpad or tapping it with two fingers to bring up context menus and access more options. However, the same action on a Mac is called a Secondary Click, which you can trigger by holding the Control key while clicking the trackpad with one finger.
Here's how to enable the more familiar Windows right-click in macOS:
- Click the Apple menu in the menu bar and go to System Settings > Trackpad.
- Select the Point & Click tab and look for the Secondary Click menu.
- Select Click in Bottom-Right Corner or Click or Tap with Two Fingers, if you prefer.
By default, Macs have Natural scrolling enabled, meaning that you swipe up on the trackpad to move the content/page down and vice-versa—it's like interacting with an iPhone's touchscreen. While many users consider this more intuitive, it may be unfamiliar, as it works in the opposite direction on several Windows computers.
Here's how to disable Natural scrolling on your Mac to switch to the more familiar Windows-style scrolling:
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Scroll down and select Trackpad in the left sidebar. Then, head to the Scroll & Zoom tab.
- Disable the Natural scrolling toggle.
3. Enable Tap to Click
Another default Mac feature that might feel strange is the need to click down the trackpad with one finger to register a click. It may not feel intuitive, or you may prefer to tap the trackpad like you did on your Windows laptop. Your Mac's trackpad can do that too—here's how:
- Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Select Trackpad in the left sidebar and head to the Point & Click tab.
- Toggle on Tap to click at the bottom.
4. Customize Trackpad Gestures (Multi-Touch Gestures)
One of the defining features of MacBooks is their large trackpad with support for various multi-touch gestures, allowing you to perform various actions with simple trackpad movements using two or more fingers. Thankfully, Windows and macOS have many of the same gestures, although they may be assigned to 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 stretch out with two fingers to zoom on your Mac. To enable this gesture, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Trackpad > Scroll & Zoom, then toggle on the Zoom in or out option.
Show All Open Windows or Mission Control
This trackpad gesture allows you to quickly view all open windows and apps on your Mac. To enable this gesture, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Trackpad. Select the More Gestures tab, click the Mission Control dropdown menu, and select Swipe Up with Three Fingers.
Show the Desktop
While you can show the desktop on Windows by swiping down on the touchpad with three fingers, on macOS, you must spread your thumb and three fingers to reveal the desktop.
To enable this gesture, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Trackpad. Select the More Gestures tab and toggle 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 touchpad. You can replicate this gesture on your Mac by going to Apple menu > System Settings > Trackpad.
Select the More Gestures tab, click the Swipe between full-screen applications menu, and select Swipe Left or Right with Four Fingers.
5. Disable "Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop"
Clicking the desktop wallpaper on your Mac hides active windows and reveals the desktop. Although this can be handy for quickly accessing apps or files on your desktop, it might be annoying if you accidentally click on the wallpaper or unfamiliar if you are a Windows user.
Luckily, you can disable this feature by following these steps:
- Go to Apple menu > System Settings and select Desktop & Dock in the sidebar.
- Scroll down to the Click wallpaper to reveal desktop option in the Desktop & Stage Manager section and select Only in Stage Manager in the dropdown menu.
- Turn off the Stage Manager switch as well.
6. Remap the Modifier Keys
If you are used to Windows keyboards, you will quickly notice that some keys, especially modifier keys, are in different locations on a Mac keyboard and might not do exactly what you're used to. Modifier keys like Control, Option, and Command play a vital role in keyboard shortcuts, so it's essential to map them to match how you expect them to work.
For instance, Windows PCs generally use the Control key for many shortcuts that are assigned to the Command key on MacBooks. Thankfully, macOS provides an easy way to remap modifier keys:
- Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select Modifier Keys in the sidebar.
- For each modifier key you wish to remap, click the pop-up menu and select the desired action when you press the key. For example, select the Control (⌃) key dropdown menu and choose ⌘ Command to have that action performed when you press the Control key.
- Click Done to save the changes.
7. Customize System Keyboard Shortcuts
Your Mac has a set of default keyboard shortcuts for various actions that you can customize or disable, including screenshots, Mission Control, brightness, text shortcuts, and more. Although you may not always perfectly replicate Windows keyboard shortcuts, customizing them as close as possible can make the transition smoother.
Here's how to customize keyboard shortcuts on a Mac:
- Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select the option you want to change. For example, Select Screenshots and double-click the keyboard shortcut next to the action you want to change.
- Enter the new key combination you want to use as a replacement for that shortcut.
- Click Done to save the changes.
8. Enable Keyboard Navigation
Although the Tab key on Windows has various functions depending on the program you're using or where the cursor is, it's generally used to move between elements on a page, such as buttons and form fields. You can use this feature on your Mac, too.
Here's how to enable keyboard navigation on a Mac:
- Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard.
- Turn on the Keyboard navigation toggle.
- You can now press the Tab key to move focus forward and the Shift + Tab key to move focus backward.
It's worth noting that the Alt + Tab Windows feature works differently or is more limited on Macs. However, you can bring this popular Windows feature to macOS by installing a third-party app called AltTab.
While you undoubtedly had several good reasons to switch from Windows to macOS, you were probably not prepared for the inconveniences that came with this change. If learning how to navigate your Mac or memorizing new keyboard shortcuts is causing a headache, these customizations will make your transition easier.