Having problems typing “Control-Alt-Delete” (also sometimes abbreviated as “Ctrl+Alt+Del”) in your Windows virtual machine on your Mac®? Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to directly open the Task Manager. In the Applications tab, click on the program that's not responding (the status will say 'Not Responding') and then click the End Task button. This may be an option I turned on in Parallels' options). However, it has a preference for being the ⊞ Win key. Therefore, in Parallels using Command+C and Ctrl+C will both copy, and Command+V and Ctrl+V will both paste. Alternatively, using Command+D will show the desktop in Parallels, the way that pressing ⊞ Win+D does on a regular Windows PC.
Having problems typing “Control-Alt-Delete” (also sometimes abbreviated as “Ctrl+Alt+Del”) in your Windows virtual machine on your Mac®? This article has everything you need to know about entering this important Windows shortcut.
See also: How to press Alt Key on Mac and other Windows shortcuts
Since I have already admitted one character flaw on this blog (font addiction), I might as well fess up about another: key combos. Unlike fonts—which I can’t get enough of—key combos are something that I just don’t use much at all. While they are speedy, they’re cumbersome, often require two hands, and for me, are hard to remember. I would much rather use a button on the Ribbon or choose a menu item than use a key combo.
Unlike PCs, however, macOS doesn't use the typical Ctrl-Alt-Delete key combination to Force Quit frozen programs. If an application hangs up on you on your new Mac, just follow these simple steps: 1. And a Delete key is almost essential, especially for people typing a lot or programmars. (For Ctrl+Alt+Del, try Ctrl+Shift+Esc.) Fortunately there is a solution! Windows in Parallels Desktop virtual machine is asking to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to log on. However it doesn't work when I press these buttons. On most Mac keyboards the Delete key works as Backspace in Windows.
So I’m rather fortunate that an extremely common key combo used in Windows, “Control-Alt-Delete,” has a menu alternative in Parallels Desktop® for Mac.
Sidebar: Why is “Control-Alt-Delete” so important in Windows?
“Control-Alt-Delete” is the ultimate non-hackable Windows control. (At least Microsoft hopes so and put in a great deal engineering work to make this true.) “Control-Alt-Delete” is used to get the log-on screen so that you can be sure you’re not being spoofed and your password is not being stolen. “Control-Alt-Delete” is also used to kill off an application that has hung or is otherwise running amok. There is no direct analog to “Control-Alt-Delete” on the Mac.
If you use a virtual machine in the Window view, just click on the reveal triangle in the window’s title bar to show the very useful status icons. (See Figure 1.)
(Figure 1.)
Then whenever you need “Control-Alt-Delete” in a Windows VM, click on the little keyboard status icon to see the many menu item equivalents of key combos. Since it’s so commonly used in Windows, “Control-Alt-Delete” is at the top of the menu. (See Figure 2.) No finger gymnastics needed.
(Figure 2.)
You don’t use Window View? If you use Coherence View, then just use the || menu in the Mac menu bar, as shown in Figure 3.
(Figure 3.)
You don’t use Window or Coherence view? If you use Full Screen view, then do the same thing as in Coherence after first moving your mouse cursor to the top edge of the screen in order to make the Mac menu bar appear, as shown in Figure 4.
(Figure 4.)
Use Picture-in-Picture view? Access to the keyboard menu is just the same as in Coherence.
Of course, if you are a finger gymnast, you can always enter “Control-Alt-Delete” with the same three-finger salute as PC users.
I hope this helps Mac users when they need to type “Control-Alt-Delete.”
Try Parallels Desktop for free for 14 days!
Active6 months ago
OS X has key commands set to CTRLUp, CTRLDown, CTRLLeft, and CTRLRight. Parallels can't seem to take control of these key commands when in a Windows application either in the desktop mode or in Coherence.
Without disabling these keys globally for OS X, is there a way to get them functioning how they would in Windows while in the Windows VM?
One solution I found is to set
send system shortcuts
to Always
; although, this means when I ALTTAB while in a Windows app, it'll use the Windows task switcher, not the Mac one.The way I'm using this machine, the preferred behavior is to use the Mac commands while in Windows except for a few. It'd be great if I could have most of the commands work in Parallels except for a few such as CTRLRight.
Sawtaytoes
SawtaytoesSawtaytoes
![Ctrl alt delete for remote computer Ctrl alt delete for remote computer](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126461457/289489534.png)
1 Answer
Apple Ctrl Alt Delete
In OS X go to
System preferences
Keyboard
Shortcuts
. There go to Mission Control
and unselect the following:- Move left a space
- Move right a space
23111 gold badge33 silver badges1010 bronze badges