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  • Parallels Desktop for Mac 20 User's Guide
    • Welcome to Parallels Desktop
      • What You Can Do
      • Editions of Parallels Desktop
      • What's New in Parallels Desktop 20
      • What Versions of Windows You Can Install
      • Setting Up Your Mac to Use Windows Applications
      • Other Operating Systems
    • Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
      • System Requirements
      • Installing Parallels Desktop
      • Activating and Registering Parallels Desktop
      • Purchasing Parallels Desktop
      • Upgrading Parallels Desktop
        • Installing Software Updates
      • Changing the Language
    • Install or Import Windows
      • Installing Windows
      • Using Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop
      • Importing from an Earlier Version of Parallels Desktop or Another Virtualization Application
      • Downloading and Installing Windows from Microsoft
      • Getting Windows from IT
    • Use Windows on Your Mac
      • Getting Started
        • Launching Windows
        • Opening a Windows Application
        • Installing Windows Applications
        • Shutdown and Suspend Windows
          • Startup and Shutdown Settings
      • Setting How Windows Works with macOS
        • Merging Windows and macOS
        • Setting Windows to Appear in a Single Window
          • Adjusting Window Mode Settings
          • Monitoring Windows in a Scalable Window
        • Running Windows in Full-Screen Mode
          • Adjusting Full-Screen Settings
        • Setting an Application to Open When You Insert a CD/DVD
        • Sharing Items between macOS and Windows
          • Copying and Pasting between macOS and Windows
          • Sharing Files and Folders
          • Sharing iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive Folders with Windows
          • Sharing Windows OneDrive Folders with macOS
          • Sharing Applications
          • Setting Files to Open in Your Preferred Application
          • Setting Internet Links or Emails to Always Open in macOS or Windows
          • Opening the Current Safari Page in Microsoft Edge
          • Emailing macOS Files from Windows
          • Sharing External Storage Devices and Volumes
          • Sharing Windows External and Network Drives with macOS
          • Using a Disk Image with a Virtual Optical Drive
          • Adding Windows Disks to macOS Finder
      • Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard
        • Setting Your Mouse or Trackpad to Right-Click and Middle-Click
        • Using Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Creating New Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Controlling Windows Input Language In macOS
        • Mouse & Keyboard Settings
      • Connecting External Devices
        • Adjusting Device Settings
      • Connecting Bluetooth Devices
        • Connecting Bluetooth Game Controllers
      • Printing from Windows
        • Sharing a Printer Connected to Your Mac
        • Setting Up a Network Printer
        • Setting Up a USB Printer
      • Using the Built-in or External Webcam
      • Presenting on an External Display or Projector
      • Protecting Your Data
        • Isolating Windows from Mac
        • Working in Windows without Saving Changes
        • Setting Password Requirements
        • Using Apple Touch ID to Log into Windows
        • Encrypting Windows to Protect It from Unauthorized Use
      • Connecting to the Internet or a Network
        • Sharing Network Access Between macOS and Windows
        • Applying Separate Network Settings to Windows
        • Using Host-Only Network Settings
        • Using Wi-Fi with Windows
        • Connecting Windows to a VLAN
      • Optimizing Performance
        • Allocating Specific Amount of Memory to Windows
        • Optimization Settings
        • Pausing Windows When No Applications Are Open
        • Optimizing Virtual Machines for Specific Tasks
        • Scheduling Windows Maintenance
      • Saving Time with Parallels Toolbox
      • Saving a Screenshot from Windows
      • Setting the Appearance of Virtual Machine Dock Icons
      • Allowing Windows Updates While Your Mac is Sleeping
      • Translating Words in Windows
      • Using Apple Writing Tools in Windows
      • Using the Touch Bar in Windows
    • Parallels Desktop Preferences and Virtual Machine Settings
      • Parallels Desktop Preferences
        • General Preferences
        • Shortcuts Preferences
        • Devices Preferences
        • Security Preferences
        • Network Preferences
        • Advanced Preferences
        • Parallels Toolbox
      • Virtual Machine Settings
        • General Settings
        • Options
          • Startup and Shutdown Settings
          • Sharing Settings
          • Application Settings
          • Full Screen Settings
          • Picture in Picture Settings
          • Web & Email Settings
          • Maintenance Settings
          • More Options
        • Hardware Settings
          • CPU & Memory Settings
          • Graphics Settings
          • Mouse & Keyboard Settings
          • Shared Printers Settings
          • Network Settings
          • Sound & Camera Settings
          • USB & Bluetooth Settings
          • Hard Disk Settings
          • CD/DVD Settings
          • Boot Order Settings
          • TPM Chip
          • Printer Settings
          • Serial Port Settings
        • Security Settings
        • Backup Settings
      • Adding and Removing Devices
        • Support for Virtual and Physical Drives
        • Initializing a Newly Added Hard Drive
        • Connecting a Physical Disk to a Virtual Machine as Internal
    • Advanced Topics
      • Working with Virtual Machines
        • Supported Guest Operating Systems
        • About Virtual Machines
          • Set Where Virtual Machines Are Stored
        • Arranging Virtual Machines
        • Making Virtual Machines Distinctive
        • Changing the Virtual Machine Icon
        • Changing the Virtual Machine Name
        • Cloning a Virtual Machine
        • Backing Up a Virtual Machine
        • Creating and Using Virtual Machine Templates
        • Saving Snapshots of a Virtual Machine
        • Changing Virtual Machine Configuration While in Use
        • Scrolling Horizontally with a Mouse
        • Removing a Virtual Machine
        • Donwloading Pre-Configured Virtual Machines
        • Setting Guest OS Type and Version
        • Changing the Number of Virtual CPUs Allocated to a Virtual Machine
        • Using Apple Script with the Guest OS
        • Freeing Up Disk Space
        • Archiving/Unarchiving Virtual Machines
        • Transfering a Virtual Machine to Another Mac
        • Importing and Running x86_64 (Intel) Virtual Machines on Apple Silicon Macs
          • Launching and Running an x86_64 Virtual Machine on an Apple Silicon Mac
          • Creating a New x86_64 (Intel) Virtual Machine on an Apple Silicon Mac
      • Using Other Operating Systems on Your Mac
        • Customizing the Keyboard for a Guest OS
        • Running macOS Virtual Machines
          • Signing into Apple Account on macOS Virtual Machines
          • Connecting USB Devices Directly to Your macOS Virtual Machine
          • Supported Trackpad Gestures
      • Installing and Updating Parallels Tools
        • Parallels Tools Overview
        • Parallels Tools for Windows
        • Parallels Tools for Linux
        • Parallels Tools for Mac
      • Setting File Type Associations
      • Picture in Picture Mode
      • Hiding and Showing Parallels Desktop
      • Removing Parallels Desktop
      • Advanced Settings
      • Shared Network Settings
      • Host-Only Network Settings
      • Creating Custom Host-Only Networks
    • Troubleshooting
    • Parallels Desktop Social Media Pages
    • More Resources
    • Glossary
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On this page
  • Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Enable or Disable macOS System Shortcuts
  • Customize Keyboard Menu

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  1. Parallels Desktop for Mac 20 User's Guide
  2. Use Windows on Your Mac
  3. Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

PreviousUsing Keyboard ShortcutsNextCreating New Keyboard Shortcuts

Last updated 1 year ago

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By default, Parallels Desktop maps common macOS keyboard shortcut key combinations to the equivalent Windows key combinations. That way if you're used to, for example, pressing Command-C to copy text in macOS, you don't have to switch to the Windows equivalent, Control-C.

You can also use and customize keyboard shortcuts for switching between Coherence, Full Screen, and Window view modes, and for showing and hiding Parallels Desktop.

Customize Keyboard Shortcuts

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Preferences.

    • Right-click the Parallels Desktop icon in the Dock and choose Preferences.

  2. Click Shortcuts

  3. Select Windows from the Virtual Machines list in the sidebar. Or if you're using another operating system with Parallels Desktop and you want to customize keyboard shortcuts for it, select it in the sidebar. When you're using a Windows application, pressing a key combination in the From column above triggers the key combination in the To column.

  4. If the lock icon is locked, click it and enter an administrator password.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • To edit an existing key combination, double-click the key combination or select it and click the Edit button. Click modifier keys to select or deselect them. If you wish, change the character in the text field.

    • To delete a key combination, select it and click the Remove button.

    • To add a new key combination, click the Add button.

Note: 1. Some key combinations can't be edited or deleted. 2. There are Mac shortcuts that do not have similar shortcuts in Windows. For example, you can use the F11 key or Fn-F11 combination to see your macOS desktop with Expose, but in Windows, there are no keys or key combinations that enable you to perform the same action because there is no Expose in Windows.

Enable or Disable macOS System Shortcuts

In macOS, the function keys on your keyboard (F1, F2, F3, and so on) control functions like activating Dashboard and Mission Control, adjusting screen brightness, and controlling the volume. By default, when a Windows application is active, the function keys and other Mac system shortcut key combinations (such as pressing Cmd + Tab to switch between open applications) continue to activate macOS functions.

To set whether function keys and macOS system shortcut key combinations activate functions in macOS or Windows:

  1. Click macOS system shortcuts in the sidebar.

  2. Select one of the following from the Send macOS system shortcuts menu:

    • Always: When Windows or Windows applications are active, function keys and other system shortcuts always trigger functions in Windows.

    • Never: Function keys and other system shortcuts always trigger functions in macOS.

    • Auto: If you're working with Windows, system shortcuts that don't function in Windows (for example, Control-Up Arrow button to display Mission Control) trigger functions in macOS. If you're using macOS as a guest OS and a guest OS or its application is active, system shortcuts that are typical only to macOS trigger functions in the guest version of macOS.

Customize Keyboard Menu

In Window mode, you can enter key combinations by choosing Devices > Keyboard and then choosing a key combination. To customize available key combinations, do the following:

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Preferences.

    • If the Parallels Desktop menu bar is visible at the top of the screen, choose Parallels Desktop > Preferences.

  2. Click Shortcuts > Keyboard Menu.

  3. If the lock icon is locked, click it and enter an administrator password.

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To add a new key combination, click the Add (+) button.

    • To remove a key combination from the Keyboard menu, select it and click the Remove (-) button.

    • To edit an existing key combination, double-click the key combination or select it and click the Edit button. Click modifier keys to select or deselect them. If you wish, change the character in the text field.

If you're using multiple operating systems with Parallels Desktop, you can .

create keyboard profiles for each OS