Mac OS X includes a number of special keys that you can use during the boot process. These keys really come in handy when you need to force your operating system to do something that it normally wouldn’t, such as boot from a CD instead of the hard drive.

• To boot from a CD or DVD: Restart your Mac while pressing the C key. This is a great way to free your startup volume when you want to test it or optimize it using a commercial utility.

• To eject a recalcitrant disc that doesn’t show up on the Desktop: Restart Mac OS X and hold down the mouse button, or if you have a late-model Mac, press the Media Eject key as soon as you hear that magnificent startup chord.

• To force your Mac to boot in Mac OS X: Hold down the X key while restarting or booting the Mac.

• To display a system boot menu: Hold down the Option key while restarting or booting the Mac, and you can choose which operating system you want to use.

• To prevent start-up applications from running during login: Hold down the Shift key while you click the Login button on the Login screen. If you don’t see the Login screen during startup, just hold down Shift while Mac OS X boots until the Finder menu appears.

By adding the Touch Bar to the latest MacBook Pro, Apple has added a way for Mac users to access all manner of tools without having to click a mouse or trackpad. Everything sits at the top of the keyboard, mere inches from where your fingers already rest. The Touch Bar is specially designed for use with Mac-based programs. But, many of us like to use both Windows and macOS on one computer and the Windows operating system relies on the function keys, which are now folded into the Touch Bar. So, what does the Touch Bar mean for Windows users on the Mac?

What the Touch Bar does when using Boot Camp with Windows

• Dec 07, 2015 Windows PC to Mac Keyboard Shortcuts (MacMost Now 719) - Duration: 5:56. Macmostvideo 34,551 views.
• Mar 24, 2020 You can use an Apple keyboard or a keyboard designed for Microsoft Windows with your Mac. Some keys might work differently between macOS and Windows. Use your Apple Keyboard in Windows with Boot Camp You can use an Apple keyboard or a keyboard designed for Microsoft Windows with your Mac.
• Apr 26, 2010  Every Mac has a variety of optional boot functions that can be used to intervene during the Mac OS X system startup. These are typically in the form of a single keys held down, or a press of keystrokes and hotkeys, used to issue a command and thereby adjust the booting behavior of Mac OS X.
• Oct 31, 2016  Apple's built-in utility, Boot Camp, lets you install Windows onto your Mac using a partitioned drive. When you boot up Windows via Boot Camp, the Touch Bar will display the function keys F1 - F12 and an escape key. As soon as you log into Windows, the default setting will be the function keys. It is not clear yet whether there will be further.
• If you’re using a portable Mac with an external keyboard, make sure you press and hold the Option key on the built-in keyboard. Restart using Boot Camp Control Panel: Click in the right side of the taskbar, click the Boot Camp icon, then choose Restart in macOS.

May 19, 2017 Boot Camp – Capture Screenshots in Windows With an Apple Keyboard Mark Greentree - May 19, 2017 If you ever need to take a screenshot in Windows whilst using Boot Camp on your Mac – and with the Apple supplied keyboard, you may find it difficult to perform this action. Aug 05, 2011  The hidden costs of running Windows on a Mac. Thinking of running Windows on a Mac? You can choose Boot Camp or a virtual machine, but are hidden costs in.

Apple's built-in utility, Boot Camp, lets you install Windows onto your Mac using a partitioned drive. When you boot up Windows via Boot Camp, the Touch Bar will display the function keys F1 - F12 and an escape key. As soon as you log into Windows, the default setting will be the function keys. It is not clear yet whether there will be further customization for the Touch Bar when you use Book Camp to log into Windows.

What the Touch Bar does when using Parallels with Windows

While Boot Camp lets you install the Windows operating system on a partitioned drive, Parallels is a third-party app that allows you to use Windows while still in macOS. Developers are able to add Touch Bar support to apps, so it is highly likely that Parallels will add a row of function keys to the Touch Bar. The company hasn't made any official announcement yet about what it will add to the Touch Bar.

What if my third-party app doesn't support the Touch Bar, but I need the function keys?

Have no fear. Apple didn't forget about the function keys, even if its own operating system doesn't really make much use of them. If you want to use F1 - F12, and the app you are using doesn't have Touch Bar support, simply press the fn key on your keyboard and the Touch Bar will display those trusty function keys for you.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions or concerns about losing the physical row of function keys on the Mac when you are booting up Windows? Put them in the comments and I'll help you out.

Apple Mac Boot Camp Hot Keys West

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