Command Key will only give Math Symbols, not perform regular commands.

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Level 1

12 points

Command Key will only give Math Symbols, not perform regular commands.

someone dumped some heavy papers on my keyboard a couple of days ago and ever since then the Command Key will only display symbols and not perform regular commands. ie. instead of pasting, Command V just gives a square root symbol. Instead of copying, Command C gives a small letter 'c' with a cedilla. In other words, just math symbols. It's very annoying and no aid to productivity. Has anyone got any idea how I can restore the functionality of my Command Key (it doesn't matter what keyboard I attach to my Mac, I get the same problem).

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 21, 2020 1:12 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

steve626

Level 6

13,695 points

Dec 21, 2020 1:50 PM in response to jazztyke

Check System Preferences => Keyboard.

Select Keyboard tab, then Modifier Keys button. Check carefully what each Modifier key is indicated for, for instance Command Key should be for the Command function, not some other function.

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Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

121,998 points

Dec 22, 2020 7:08 AM in response to jazztyke

Have you perhaps installed some other app like Karabiner which remaps Command to Alt/Option? Such remapping is common among former Windows keyboard users, since Apple's Command key is where the Windows Alt key is. Alt/option is what Mac's use to create symbols.

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Answer 3

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

121,998 points

Dec 21, 2020 6:04 PM in response to jazztyke

What do option c and option v do?

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Answer 4

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

121,998 points

Dec 21, 2020 1:40 PM in response to jazztyke

What does Option c and option v give you?

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Answer 5

jazztyke Author

Level 1

12 points

Dec 21, 2020 5:25 PM in response to steve626

Thank you for your comment. In response to your query:

COMMAND C is for copying text

COMMAND V is for pasting text.....and then there are all the other useful Command key functions that I'm unable to access (like italics, bold, underline etc) because my Command key has been hijacked for the purposes of math symbols courtesy of the reassignment of the key by unknown means.

I have checked the Modifier Keys section in Keyboard and the Command key is selected as COMMAND.

I have also accessed the Activity Monitor and removed 'pboard' setting for the clipboard just in case it was something to do with that. Also performed a "killall pboard" in Terminal. I've also reset PRAM and performed numerous reboots. I've also changed keyboards a few times in case that might kickstart proper function. I've also reset everything in keyboard, mouse and Accessibility. Oh, and I've selected and deselected "Mouse Keys" because sometimes that can cause a problem similar to this.

Right now I've tried just about everything I can think of.

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Command Key will only give Math Symbols, not perform regular commands.

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