CTRL instead of OPT for word-at-a-time (switching from Windows)

[Airy]

@Nige_S

From which it's "just" a case of putting in all the other required combos...

Glad it worked out. I wouldn't have realized it was a system conflict. But I knew that the keys worked for me as hotkeys.

Typically when I get a new copy of macOS I intentionally disable all the system shortcuts that I know I will never use, specifically so that I'm free to use those shortcuts.

P.S. In this macro, I had a trick to let me paste the %Trigger% value into the search box, and that was I had this action inside my macro which I removed before uploading:

This action allowed me to paste the "string" for each hotkey into the box after using the key once. But I deleted this action before uploading the macro.

[KBMUser]

If you’re run into issues with this approach, let me know. I’m using an alternative solution. It doesn’t involve keyboard Maestro. It’s something to do with Mac key bindings configurations. It’s still not perfect, but it works pretty well.

[csmu]

I disable most if not all of the Mission Control short cuts.

I worked a lot on Windows devices so I missed using the function Keys as function Keys and, tabbing around a dialog.

I also prefer to use the keyboard rather than a mouce/track pad.

This is how to make function keys work the same as on Windows. Note functio in the search bar.

You can also change the mappings for the Modifier Keys.

You can set macOS to tab around all elements in a dialog.

Chat GPT Request - I'd forgotten where to set it.

Where do you set how tab and shift tab moves around the dialogs in macOS?

Chat GPT Response - Edited

Excellent question — macOS actually has a system-wide setting that controls whether the Tab and Shift-Tab keys move keyboard focus between all controls (buttons, checkboxes, pop-ups, etc.) or just text fields and lists .

Here’s where to find and change it

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macOS Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia (System Settings)

1. Open  → System Settings
2. Go to Keyboard
3. Scroll down and click Keyboard Shortcuts…
4. In the sidebar, choose Keyboard (at the bottom of the list)
5. Enable: “Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls”

On my device, macOS 14.5,, it's "Change the way Tab moves focus"

That’s the one that makes Tab and Shift-Tab move between all dialog controls (not just text boxes).

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Shortcut Toggle

You can toggle this feature directly with the keyboard:

Press: Control + F7

(or fn + Control + F7 on laptops with function keys shared)

If it doesn’t work, check System Settings → Keyboard → “Use F1, F2, etc. as standard function keys” and adjust accordingly.

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Older macOS (pre-Ventura)

On macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, etc.:

1. Open System Preferences
2. Choose Keyboard → Shortcuts
3. At the bottom, check “Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls”

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Behavior Summary

Tab Navigation Mode	Behavior
Disabled (default)	Tab only moves between text fields and lists.
Enabled	Tab and Shift-Tab move between all interactive items in dialogs (buttons, pop-ups, checkboxes, etc.).

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Tip for Developers / FileMaker users

If you’re using apps like FileMaker Pro, Xcode, or custom dialogs — this global macOS setting directly affects whether Tab navigation works across those controls, too. It’s not per-app; it’s system-wide.

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TL;DR:

System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Keyboard → “Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls”

Then press Tab / Shift-Tab to navigate all items in dialogs and sheets.

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Back to me

Once that's setup you can interact with Save Dialogs and the like without a mouse.

Note that don't save is highlighted. Pressing the space bar closes the file without saving. Pressing tab and spacebar, or pressing escape, closes the dialog. Pressing shift tab and spacebar will open up the save dialog.

There is also a way of moving files from one location to another like the Windows copy and paste for files.
Copy the files from the source, go to the destination, hold down the option, command V to move.

You can make macOS very keyboard friendly.

Cheers!

Keith

[zczc]

Ok, I have this right arrow working. Of course, I have the system hotkey for changing spaces off to make room for it. Of course, it is left to me to do the left, which is fine. (I will try to export and just have chatgpt rewrite it for this, and then import). But, two questions:

Why is this necessary: ⌥⇧⌘→ ⇒ simulates ⌃⇧⌘→ ? Is it that this would pre-empt anything that might be done by adding the cmd key, and so to we must include it in the mix? Or is there something specific done by cmd in combo with alt or ctr that you want to make sure is also reversed?

Second, I’d like Ctrl-arrows to work with backspace and delete as well. I apologize if this is obvious to those who know KM, but can you give a hint of how to add this functionality? Is there some code or something for backspace and delete that can just sub in where you have modifiers like ⌥?

THANKS ALL!!

[Nige_S]

@zczc

Why is this necessary: ⌥⇧⌘→ ⇒ simulates ⌃⇧⌘→ ?

I don't know if it is necessary! But it seems safer to include it in case it does do something.

@zczc

(I will try to export and just have chatgpt rewrite it for this, and then import)

Don't -- it'll be far quicker to do it yourself. You can either duplicate the macro then change every occurrence of right-arrow for left-arrow (including the triggers) or expand this macro by adding more triggers and cases with appropriate actions.

Note: In the Editor you can ⌥-drag an action to duplicate it.

@zczc

Second, I’d like Ctrl-arrows to work with backspace and delete as well.

Do you mean you want to make ⌥⌦ and ⌥⌫ work with the ⌃ key instead, as with the arrow keys? Just do the same as with this macro, swapping out the keystrokes to suit (including in the triggers).

[zczc]

Thanks so much for all this. I think if I were better at it, it would have been quicker without chatgpt, but in practice, for me, that was easier. And I needed to iterate a few times. Some corrections were required to my understanding of the problem, so some functionality would have required a better explanation from me for anyone to acheive. But here is what I have now, which seems to do all I was hoping. Impossible without your help!

coswap.kmmacros (10.2 KB)

[zczc]

Even my filename still misunderstands the problem. Since line movement in mac is with cmd, what I wanted was to map ctrl (used with arrows or delete or backspace) to opt, and opt to cmd!

[Airy]

I'm glad you were able to adapt the macro above to your needs.

[KBMUser]

Btw if you miss windows switching of the programs with alt tab, there is an app called alt-tab that brings exactly the functionality that you need.

[S.Hart]

This idea may or may not help, depending on your use of stock F-Key actions.

I have F1 - F11 (with shift and option for a few actions) assigned to Keyboard Maestro macros:

General: cut, copy, paste, paste and match style, (+ Shift) screenshot, (+ Shift) paste time, (+ Option) paste date

Dreamweaver: two new-table-row actions I use a lot

Copy current selection and search in Google Earth.

Em Dash

Check Mail

I don’t have to remember any of this because I print out a guide, on heavy paper that sort of matches my aluminum keyboard and stick that just above the F keys with little slices of double-stick tape. It takes some experimentation to get the alignment right, but it’s not rocket science.