How to use an Apple keyboard with your Windows PC

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I bought an Apple Wireless Keyboard for my custom-built silent PC. I prefer it to most PC keyboards because it is quieter and it has a good key feel.

But some of the keys didn’t map very well. For example, pressing the @ key got me a backslash.

So, here’s the trick to it. Remap the keys using Microsoft’s Keyboard Layout Creator. It’s pretty easy. Start with your default keyboard layout (File\Load Existing Keyboard) and then change the keys that need changing and export the layout as an installable DLL and Setup package.

It took me an hour to find the tool and ten minutes to build the layout!

About Matthew Stibbe

Matthew Stibbe is CEO of Articulate and Turbine. Before that, he ran a computer games company for ten years, worked as a freelance journalist. He has a commercial pilots licence and a degree in modern history.
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3 Responses to How to use an Apple keyboard with your Windows PC

  1. Tai facebook November 29, 2012 at 8:20 am #

    Thanks your sharing! I’ll try!

    Reply
  2. eidam March 11, 2013 at 10:31 pm #

    i wasn’t really satisfied with Apple’s keyboard. i much prefer the feel of Thinkpads’ keyboards, although i don’t know if you can get one without the laptop .)

    Reply
    • Matthew Stibbe March 12, 2013 at 3:55 pm #

      I really like the Thinkpad keyboards too – I just tried one a few weeks ago. So I bought a Lenovo desktop keyboard last week in the hopes that it would be the same. But no, it’s a really cheap plasticky keyboard and very disappointing.

      Reply

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