People familiar with the Windows operating system constantly resort to the key combination «Ctrl + Alt + Del»This allows us to execute a very useful command for each user. Through this mechanism, we can, among other things, perform a RAM cleanup.
When a computer starts up, it takes a few minutes to become operational. This is because the operating system needs to perform a memory test. If we needed to force the closure of running programs and prevent the “Reboot” we can use this tool «Ctrl + Alt + Del».
In this article we will show you all the details and shortcuts that exist for the MacOS operating system in their equivalent to the Windows command.
What is the origin of the Ctrl-ALT-Delete command on all computers?
When our computer starts up, it has to go through a memory test, which takes time, and if we were to count all these minutes that we lose on the task, we would realize the problem of us standing in front of our screen doing nothing.
Just as is happening today when engineer David Bradley He and his team were developing the first PC, and through the various trials and errors they performed with the programming, every time he had to restart his computer he lost time because he had to pass the memory test and component analysis.
Realizing that he was wasting a lot of time, he designed an internal code for his team, so that with a combination of 3 keys and using both hands he could skip the process of the different tests at the beginning.
In this way he used «Ctrl + Alt + Del» taking it as a security measure since this function could not be executed accidentally.
Since the first PCs were designed for IBM, that company adopted this tool as its own for the development of these computers. This practice has continued to this day.
Although there is another version, in which Bill Gates was directly asked at Harvard University in 2017 when he was speaking at a seminar, the reason for this combination.
The magnate explained that it was due to the keyboard design, in which the person in charge of the task didn't want to add an extra key for this function. Gates clarified that he would have preferred a single key rather than the combination of these three.
What are the differences between using this command in Windows or MacOS?
There are differences in the control of this command between a Windows operating system and a MacOS.
In the first OS, the tool has all its most important functions summarized in this key combination, while for a Mac computer, the same functions are separated, so The command "Ctrl + Alt + Delete" does not exist in the MacOS operating system.
Below, we detail the functions found in Windows by selecting "Ctrl + Alt + Delete":
- Block: When we need to lock our computer without turning it off, we can use this shortcut.
- Switch user: This function is intended for when there are two or more users who use the PC, needing to have each one separated without training.
- Sign off: We will use this function, unlike the previous point where another user immediately enters, here what we are going to do is exit directly regardless of whether another user will enter or not.
- Change password: We can change the different passwords for login or the operating system.
- Task Manager: This is perhaps the most used part of the command; thanks to this section we can free up space in RAM when it is full or the processor's performance is low, and we can also check the performance of the CPU and memory, among other things.
- Control application history Through the use of its resources, control the startup programs and their state at startup, as well as the resource consumption for each user, and also control the details of the applications that are running.
- It can be analyzed the different adapters that are or are not running at the time of the control, as well as being able to access the details of the CPU, memory and disk performance, defined by the user.
List of all Ctrl+Alt+Delete functions on MacOS computers
As mentioned earlier, on computers with the MacOS operating system, the functions of the command “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” Windows systems are separate.
Next, we'll show you a list of all the functions included in this control on a Mac:
Lock the computer
While macOS doesn't have a built-in lock function, you can turn off the screen. This is ideal when you need to step away for a few minutes and want your Mac locked.
We will have to use this combination:
- "Ctrl + Shift + Media Eject Button"
Open the login window in a user account
In Windows, this function is known as switching users; to perform this action We will need to use the command:
- "Shift + Command + H"
Logout
In a MacOS operating system we have two possibilities: one is to close the user's account, but we will need the user's confirmation. For this we will use:
- "Shift + Command + Q"
When we don't need confirmation, The key combination will be:
- "Option + Shift + Command + Q"
Force closing an application
This combination would be necessary when some of the apps we have installed on our Mac freeze. To do this, we will use this command:
- "Option + Command + Esc"
Closing an app
If we need to close in a normal way In an application, we can use the following keys:
- "Command + Q"
Now, when what we're looking for is to close all applications and To restart the computer, we will use:
- "Control + Command + Media Eject Button"
If what we want is to close all apps and turn off the computer, We will need to use:
- "Control + Option + Command + Power Button"
Empty the trash
While this option is not comparable to the Windows operating system, since it must be used differently than the command «Ctrl + Alt + Del»On Mac, we can relate it to freeing up space in RAM (which is included in the Windows command).
To empty the trash on our Mac we will use the key combination:
- "Shift + Command + Delete"
force restart
When our Mac freezes, we'll need to use this option; to do so, we'll use the following combination: the following keys:
- "Control + Command + Power Button"
Standby and power off
For those situations where we need to perform some of We will use the actions mentioned:
- "Control + Power Button"
Boot from an external drive
To boot directly from a USB drive or any other type of external storage to our computer, we are going to press the key "C" when it's starting up the Mac.
If what we need is for the system to start up through a single user, the command will be:
- "Command + S"
If what we want is to start through a detailed mode:
- "Command + V"
Other commands used
The combinations we present below are not related to or comparable with the Windows command “Ctrl + Alt + Delete”, but it is good to keep them in mind to save time on your Mac.
The following are the most commonly used combinations:
- When we need to underline a text “Command + U”
- To write in bold “Command + B”
- If we need to write in italics “Command + I”
- When we need to place the cursor at the beginning of the document “Fn + Left Arrow”
- To go to the end of the document or character of it “Fn + Right Arrow”
- If we need to locate ourselves at the beginning of a paragraph or a sentence “Control + A”
- If we need to go to the end of the paragraph or sentence “Control + E”
- We can go back one page in a document using “Fn + Up Arrow”
- We turn the page with “Fn + Down Arrow”
