Map Macbooks Ctrl, Option and Command to Windows keys

[JonatanS]

Hi!

I posted a this a while ago, but since my thread was overlooked and not answered, I'm gonna try to rephrase the question and see if it makes more sense.

I've recently installed Parallels and overall I'm pretty pleased with the result.

However. The only thing I'm missing is being able to use the Ctrl, Win, Alt and AltGr key as I would on a normal Windows laptop.
That would mean the following mapping:
- Ctrl = Ctrl
- Left Option = Win
- Left Command = Alt
- Right Command = AltGr
- Right Option = Print Screen

Is this possible? What stops me from being able to do this right now is that it's seems like you can't bind left and right option/command to different Windows key in the "Parallels Desktop Preferences -> Shortcuts -> Windows 10" menu. But since the default binding actually binds left Command to Alt, and right Command to AltGr, it's seems to be possible somewhere.

Please note that a "no, this is not possible" is also a valid answer if that's the case.

 

[Maria@Parallels]

Hi @JonatanS, I've tested the following steps (for changing left command to Alt in my VM) and it works, so please try and check these steps on your VM:

1. Open VM configuration (Actions -> Configure..)
2. Go to Hardware tab -> choose mouse and keyboard -> open shortcut preferences
3. click on '+' on the bottom of window and add your personal shortcuts. (Into 'From' box choose for.example left command and into 'to' -> choose alt) -> click "OK" and check

 

[JonatanS]

Hi Maria! Thank you for your answer.

I do not find any "left command" alternative in the "from" box. See the attached image. I only have to option to bind both Option keys or both Command keys.
If I press the left Option, the shortcut is still bound to both.

(Shift+Command is selected in the picture because I used the print screen command to capture the image.)

Best regards,
Jonatan

 

[Maria@Parallels]

@JonatanS
it was my mistake, you cannot setup different shortcuts to left and right command. (so that's why it doesn't work)
But you can make different shortcuts for the right and left "alt"

 

[JonatanS]

@JonatanS
it was my mistake, you cannot setup different shortcuts to left and right command. (so that's why it doesn't work)
But you can make different shortcuts for the right and left "alt"

Binding left ALT is exactly what I want to do (I guess ALT and OPTION is the same key?)! How do I do that? I can't find any left ALT alternative among the bindings, and if I press left ALT when I selected which key to bind, both ALT keys gets bound.

Best regards,
Jonatan

 

[Maria@Parallels]

Binding left ALT is exactly what I want to do (I guess ALT and OPTION is the same key?)! How do I do that? I can't find any left ALT alternative among the bindings, and if I press left ALT when I selected which key to bind, both ALT keys gets bound.

Best regards,
Jonatan

It was my mistake, sorry. I meant that on Windows side both alts have different value. But on the Mac side alts/options are identical and we cannot give different shortcuts to the left and right alts.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[JonatanS]

Binding left ALT is exactly what I want to do (I guess ALT and OPTION is the same key?)! How do I do that? I can't find any left ALT alternative among the bindings, and if I press left ALT when I selected which key to bind, both ALT keys gets bound.

Best regards,
Jonatan

It was my mistake, sorry. I meant that on Windows side both alts have different value. But on the Mac side alts/options are identical and we cannot give different shortcuts to the left and right alts.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

Argh, I see. No worries!

But why is it that left OPTION and right OPTION has different bindings by default then? Left OPTION is bound to Windows ALT while right OPTION is bound to ALT GR? So somehow Parallels is able to differ between the MacBook left and right OPTION.

Thanks,
Jonatan

 

[Maria@Parallels]

On real Windows PC right and left options have different value. And this feature has been transferred to Windows VM. (retest it once again and available to add special characters with right option)
But we cannot add different shortcuts to the same Mac button.