View source for Option key

{{short description|Modifier key present on Apple keyboards}}
{{infobox symbol
|mark=⌥
|unicode= {{unichar|2325|option key|html=}}
}}
[[File:Third-party option key.JPG|thumb|right|The Option key may be labeled ''Alt'',  ''Option'', ⌥, or any combination thereof.]]

The '''Option key''', '''{{char|⌥}}''', is a [[modifier key]] present on [[Apple keyboard]]s. It is located between the [[Control key]] and the [[Command key]] on a typical Mac keyboard. There are two Option keys on modern (as of 2020) Mac desktop and notebook keyboards, one on each side of the space bar. (As of 2005, some laptops had only one, in order to make room for the [[arrow keys]].)

[[Apple Inc.|Apple]] commonly uses the symbol {{unichar|2325|option key}}<ref>[https://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2325/index.htm Unicode Character "OPTION KEY" at Fileformat.info]</ref> to represent the Option key. From 1980 to 1984, on the [[Apple II]], this key was known as the '''closed apple key''' or the '''solid apple key''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arrants |first=Stephen |date=October 1983 |title=Apple Writer II |url=https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n10/101_Apple_Writer_II.php |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=[[Creative Computing (magazine)|Creative Computing]] |page=101 |via=atarimagazines.com |quote=An arrow key used with the Solid-Apple key moves the cursor by word or 12 lines up or down.}}</ref> and had a black line drawing of a filled-in {{abbr|apple|}} on it.

Since the 1990s, "Alt" has sometimes appeared on the key as well, for use as an [[Alt key]] with non-Mac software, such as Unix and Windows programs; as of 2017, the newest Apple keyboards such as the [[Magic Keyboard (Mac)|Magic Keyboard]] no longer include the "Alt" label. The Option key in a Mac operating system functions differently from the Alt key under other [[Unix-like]] systems or [[Microsoft Windows]]. It is not used to access menus or hotkeys but is instead used as a modifier for other command codes, as well as to provide easier access to various [[Diacritic|accents]] and symbols. In this regard, it is akin to the [[AltGr key]], found on some IBM-compatible PC keyboards.

== Uses ==

=== Alternative keyboard input ===

The use of the Option key is similar to that of the [[AltGr key]] on European keyboards of IBM-compatible PCs, in the sense that it can be used to type additional [[character (computing)|characters]], [[symbol]]s and [[diacritical mark]]s.  The options available differ depending on the keyboard input locale that the user has selected. For example, in the U.S. English keyboard input, {{key press|Option|a}} produces the "[[å]]" character, and {{key press|Option|4}} produces the [[cent sign]] "¢".

The Option key can also provide access to [[dead key]] functionality. For example, holding down {{key press|Option}} while pressing {{key press|`}} will create a highlighted [[grave accent]] which will be added to the next letter if possible – so if an {{key press|e}} is then pressed, the resultant character is ''è''. If an {{key press|r}} is pressed instead, the two characters are not compatible so the result is ''`r''.

The highlighted orange keys show the accents available from the combination of the {{key press|Option}} key and the keyboard characters {{key press|e}} {{key press|`}} {{key press|i}} {{key press|n}} {{key press|u}}. The accent then can be applied to associated letters both lower and uppercase. The additional characters a Mac will produce are a combination of both the {{key press|Option}} key and the {{key press|Shift}} key pressed down together. With this combination pressed the keyboard will now produce a different set or an uppercase version of the previous set in some cases.

Notice that holding the shift key as well as the option key while pressing a letter key may create "capital" versions of what results when the same letter key is pressed while the option key but not the shift key is held. For example:
* {{key press|Option|a}} results in å. {{key press|Option|Shift|a}} results in Å.
* {{key press|Option|c}} results in ç. {{key press|Option|Shift|c}} results in Ç.
* {{key press|Option|o}} results in ø. {{key press|Option|Shift|o}} results in Ø.
* {{key press|Option|'}} results in æ. {{key press|Option|Shift|'}} results in Æ.

The Option key is often used in conjunction with special keys like [[tab key|{{key press|tab}}]], [[delete key|{{key press|delete}}]], and [[return key|{{key press|return}}]] to provide alternate functions. For example, {{key press|Option|Return}} typically produces a [[Soft return|line break]] that is not interpreted as a [[paragraph break]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

=== Alternative buttons and menu items ===
The key is also used to provide for alternative menu items and buttons when pressed down. Examples:
* [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]], [[Macintosh Finder|Finder]]  – the Option key causes the "Close Window" menu item to switch to "Close All Windows" when pressed down. Consequently, clicking a window's close box with the option key depressed invokes "close all" as well. This functionality is a de facto Macintosh standard and available in numerous other programs.
* [[Dock (macOS)|Dock]]  – the Option key causes the "Hide" and "Quit" menu items in the [[context menu]] of a Dock icon to switch to "Hide Others" and "Force Quit".
* [[iTunes]] – the ''Create Playlist'' button switches to a ''Create Smart Playlist'' button. Holding Option and clicking the green Window Zoom (+) button at the top-left forces the iTunes window into fullscreen view, rather than switching between the user-set window size and the iTunes Mini Player.
* [[iPhoto]] – the rotate image button toggles between a "rotate right" and a "rotate left".
* [[Menu extra|Menu bar items]] – the Sound icon will show Audio Device input / output settings instead of the volume control slider, the battery item will show the condition of the battery, the [[MobileMe]] sync item will show the last sync date/time of individual synced items and will offer additional menu items such as Sync Diagnostics, and the Wireless icon will show extended wireless network information and, in [[Mac OS X Lion]], offer an item for launching a Wi-Fi diagnostic application (when AirPort is connected).

The iPhoto example is an example of a control whose behavior is governed by a preference, which is temporarily inverted by holding down the Option key. The preference in this case is which way to rotate the image: If the user changes the default rotation direction in the Preferences to clockwise, holding down Option will make the button rotate counterclockwise instead, and vice versa. It is common for such controls — that is, those whose behavior is governed by a preference — to be invertible in this way

=== Common keyboard navigations ===
In [[text area]]s, the Option key can be used for quick keyboard navigation.

* '''{{key press|chain second=/|Option|Left|Right}}''' – navigate to the previous/next word.
** Windows equivalent: {{key press|chain second=/|Ctrl|Left|Right}}
* '''{{key press|chain second=/|Option|Up|Down}}''' –  navigate to the head/end of current paragraph.
** [[Terminal (macOS)|Terminal]] equivalent: {{key press|chain second=/|Shift|Home|End}}
** Windows equivalent: Home/End
* '''{{key press|chain second=/|Option|Page up|Page down}}''' –  navigate [[caret]] up/down a page. Without the Option key, the {{key press|chain=/|Page up|Page down}} keys let the page view scroll up/down a page without moving the caret.
** Windows equivalent: {{key press|chain=/|Page up|Page down}}

===Alternative mouse actions===
When keeping the Option key pressed when using the mouse, the mouse action can change behaviour

* option-mouse clicking an application other than the current one, automatically '''hides''' the current application and switches to the clicked application.
* When dragging an item (file in the Finder, or layer in [[Adobe Photoshop]], for instance), keeping Option pressed will '''Duplicate''' it instead of moving it.

=== File downloads ===
In browsers such as Safari and [[SeaMonkey]], the option key can be used to download a file. Pressing down the option key when hitting return in the address bar causes the URL-specified file to be downloaded. Also, pressing the option key when clicking a [[hyperlink]] causes the link target to be downloaded. Besides the option key methods, other ways of downloading includes right-clicking (or ctrl (^) clicking, in Macs) a hyperlink to bring up a [[context menu]], then selecting the appropriate download command, or pasting a URL directly into Safari's Downloads window.

===Miscellaneous===
Some applications make unique uses out of the option key:

* [[Terminal (macOS)|Terminal]] (including at least version 1.4.6 – no longer true as of 2.0.1, {{key press|chain second=/|Cmd|Left|Right}} works.) –  {{key press|chain second=/|Option|Left|Right}} arrows navigates between open Terminal windows in a loop. Usually, programs use {{key press|Cmd|`}} and {{key press|Cmd|Shift|`}}, which are also supported for Terminal.
* [[Scroll bar]]s (including at least OS X 10.3.x) – Option-clicking a scroll bar arrow can cause the view to jump to the next page instead of moving by a few lines. Option-clicking in the scroll bar can cause the view to jump to that position instead of jumping to the next page. This behavior can be reversed in System Preferences: Appearance.
* Startup Disk – Holding the Option Key at boot time activates a boot manager built into the firmware, where the user may choose from which drive/partition to boot the computer from, including [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]] and [[Mac OS X]] partitions or drives on [[PowerPC]]-based Macs, and [[Mac OS X]] and [[Microsoft Windows]] partitions or drives on [[Apple–Intel architecture|Intel-based Macs]] (running [[Mac OS X v10.4|Mac OS X 10.4.6]] and later with [[Boot Camp (software)|Boot Camp]] from [[Apple Inc.]] installed). This has been replaced by a general boot menu, activated by holding the power button on [[Apple_silicon|Apple Silicon-based Macs]]. The built-in bootloader can also boot other operating systems such as [[Linux]]; however, these are labeled as "Windows" in the bootloader.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Mac OS}}
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{{keyboard keys}}

[[Category:Computer keys]]
[[Category:Macintosh platform]]