This may seem like a simple or even obvious post. But, I have friends who have recently switched to the Mac and they don’t always know what the icons represent in the menus for keyboard shortcuts. I did some searching and couldn’t really find anybody explaining what the icons represent. I thought that was a bit odd so I wanted to get something out there for those few Mac newbies (or maybe even the veterans that still don’t know).
The icons I’m talking about look like this: Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcut Icons 
Now, I’ll explain each quickly:
Mac OS X Apple-Command Key Icon -This is the Apple or Command key icon. It’s the only key that actually has the icon right on it (at least on newer Mac keyboards). It’s usually referred to as the Command key, or for short, “cmd”.
Mac OS X Alt-Option key Icon- This is the Alt or Option key icon. Most keyboard shortcuts reference it as Option instead of Alt though. The common abbreviation is simply “opt”.
Mac OS X Control Key Icon- This is the Control key icon. This key is used widely on PC and Mac, so most people should know the key. It’s also the key that is used in most shortcuts on Windows computers in place of the Command key on the Mac (Control+C on Windows equals Command+C for copy on the Mac) . It’s common abbreviation is “ctl”.
Mac OS X Shift Key Icon- And finally, the Shift key icon. Second to the Command key, this one is also pretty obvious. It’s rarely ever abbreviated in shortcuts.
UPDATE : The esc key modifier looks like this. 
April 15, 2008
Some keys are far from obvious even for expert users.
Apple don’t seem to have a font character for the Esc key. So when you need to type Esc, the command in the menu shows up something like the symbol for male gone wrong (see the Force Quit option in the Apple menu).
I only noticed this when I wanted to try the Complete option in TextEdit (in the Edit menu) and wondered what on earth that key was supposed to be. It’s the Esc key.
I’ve also found both Mac and PC newbies have problems with the Tab key (left pointing arrow running into a wall) – even people who used to use typewriters don’t know what you’re talking about – which makes hitting Alt/Option-Tab a hassle to explain.
Scott
April 16, 2008
A complete list of all mac os x keyboard shortcuts can be found here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459
April 16, 2008
a complete list of all keyboard symbols can be found here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/cdb_symbs.html
April 16, 2008
Thanks for the links Jeff
April 29, 2008
i want to know about all mathmatical symbols in excel and word.
May 22, 2008
Is there a font that contains the Mac Keyboard Symbols? If so what font? If not is there a combination of keys that will input them into a text editor for writing documentation?
August 19, 2008
A complete list of Apple Keyboard Symbols can be found here as a free downloadable pdf:
http://www.osxkeyboardshortcuts.com/keyboard-symbols.html
And a free copy of Microsoft Office 2008 Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts ebook can be downloaded here:
http://www.osxkeyboardshortcuts.com/downloads.html
August 21, 2008
@Dean -
Very nice site. thanks for the links
October 17, 2009
I’m a recent Mac convert so powering up my new iMac, installing software and working with my photographs was a wee bit challenging but very enjoyable. I wanted to say thank you for describing which symbols are associated with which keyboard key. For some this may seem a small thing but for a person like myself it is a HUGE help and reduces my frustration level in a big way.
Again, thank you,
Blair
December 18, 2009
Obvious? Are you kidding?! I’ve been glued to Macs for almost 30 years, and it took this article to finally, FINALLY show me what some of these crazy symbols mean. I don’t think they are obvious (or intuitive) at all. And BTW the new ‘escape’ symbol looks an AWFUL LOT like ‘power’ to me. Thanks for the info!
January 10, 2010
I finally wrote the symbol equivalents on my keyboard after years of frustration in trying to remember which was control & which was option. Now my newly-Mac brother can have this easy reference. Thanks!
February 2, 2010
Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it!
February 22, 2010
Thanks for the info!
Curtis
March 14, 2010
Thank you very much – I kept seeing the ESC symbol on shortcuts, but had to give up on trying it when I couldn’t find it anywhere on the keyboard.
I really can’t believe a genuine Apple keyboard does not actually show the symbols for ESC or # !!!!
(in case you’re also looking, # hash is ALT-3)
I thought Macs were supposed to be user friendly ?
October 5, 2010
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October 12, 2010
AWESOME! Thank you. How long ago did you post this and it continues to help people?
November 10, 2010
Really appreciate it. Thanks for sharing..
December 12, 2010
Great article, and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
December 18, 2010
New to Apple. I like my iMac and getting used to it. Some symbols meaning were frustrating, thank you for your help. regards
Alberto
December 27, 2010
Hey! Thanks so so so much for this! I’ve grown up with Macs (young person here :L) and I knew all the symbols mentioned except for option and escape. Thanks so much for clearing this up!
February 13, 2011
AH! THANK you for this!
April 6, 2011
Thanks for the resource. I found a seemingly comprehensive list of Mac/Apple symbols on another blog today: http://macbiblioblog.blogspot.com/2005/05/special-key-symbols.html. I hope that is helpful to your users.
April 10, 2011
How do I make a Diamond symbol icon on my keyboard?
April 10, 2011
Any links for some Mac symbol keyboard?
April 10, 2011
Want to make a symbol? Here are some here ♫ alt+1+4 and alt+1+3 ♪
May 31, 2011
Thanks for this… FYI, might want to add the backspace key, as it may not be immediately clear to new mac users what that is also.
June 22, 2011
Great Post! I use an international mac daily. My keyboard has 15 different types of arrows on it strewn across 13 keys- i always forget what things are…I’ll also never understand why alt/option and apple/command need two names! Mac needlessly over-complicates the simplest things.
August 25, 2011
could you please let me know what this symbol stands for?
§
thank you?
September 16, 2011
how do i make a “registered trademark” symbol?
September 20, 2011
The “registered trademark” symbol is ALT + 6.
October 11, 2011
Thank YOU SO MUCH! And why do you say they are obvious????
I hate that Mac has parts on its help sections where they use those symbols and you look down at your keyboard and NONE OF THOSE SYMBOLS except for the ‘command’ symbol is even there!
Im like what the hell?! why would they do this???
So thank you. But its beyond me why these symbols are not on the keyboard, but referred to in every magazine as if they ARE on the keyboard!
November 27, 2011
The phrase I used to find your site, “What the fuck are the keys for the mac symbols”
PS Thanks
November 27, 2011
PS Why don’t they show this to people when they first run OSX? and then give them a way to find it again?
November 27, 2011
And why don’t they put them on the keyboards where they belong?
December 4, 2011
It may have other uses I’m not aware of, but the symbol “§” (Opt+6) means SECTION in the legal field, such as “Municipal Code §253.” Sometimes there are two of them together which makes it plural, such as “Municipal Code §§ 253 and 256.”