What is the work-around for the escape key on the Smart Keyboard?

On Logitec's Keyboard (Logi CREATE Backlit Keyboard w Smart Connector) with the Nordic layout, the "shortcut" for [Esc] would be [Cmd]+[PERIOD]. This is essential when you have spelling suggestions in messages or other options that interrupt your work flow. Much quicker than trying to find that minuscule [x] on the screen and tapping it 🙂

I believe [Cmd]+[Start Button] would be more appropriate to emulate [Esc] as much as possible, but there is no key re-mapping software from Logitech that I know of.

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Nice tip about Cmd-. in a Safari Search bar. I use search a lot (Cmd-f, Cmd-g) and this is a very pleasant little time saver. Thanks for suggesting this!

The question was about an Escape key substitute. I have the same question, but I will disclose my purpose in the hope that someone has a related answer...

Flipboard. In order to go "back" in Flipboard (i.e. menu back, not page back), you need to press the escape key. If you hold down the CMD key (on an Apple Smart Keyboard connected to an iPad) to get a list of shortcuts, it will unhelpfully tell you to use the escape key to go back.

For what purposes? In any app, or even the home screen, hold down the "Command" key to see a list of keyboard shortcuts that work specifically with that app.

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities!

Ryan

iPad Pro & Smart Keyboard, iOS 9.2

At first it didn't even occur to me how big of a problem it would be until I actually ran into it myself using Excel. I used to believe that the undo option seemed to work ok, but like you said, felt that it's an extra step - until I noticed that you have the undo arrow on the screen (the shortcut bar that shows up when typing) that basically does the same thing (at least from a typing perspective).

I do kinda wish there was a fn key instead of the emoji key so that I could do forward deletes though.

But considering the alternative keyboards, I can deal with those 2 things for the lighter overall package and the speed/ease at which I can remove the cover. The iPad Pro is heavy enough to begin with, so I want to keep it as light as possible.

Logged in to my iMac via Parallels Access and editing a file with vi in Terminal. The lack of an Esc key makes this impossible... and it's not an app that's supported by the Smart Keyboard, apparently, as holding the command key doesn't bring up any shortcut options.

Point is... why does the screen keyboard have an Esc key, if it's so redundant?

sfpope wrote:

What is the work-around for the escape key on the Smart Keyboard?

Try control + [ to emulate the Esc key. This works for me whenever I am in a Vim session while remotely connected to a *nix server.

You're a life saver 🙂 I've been trying to make my new iPad Pro usable.. I'm using Cathode as Terminal ( Apple.. Where is Terminal on iPad ?! ) vi without esc?? omg that is the definition of frustration.. Now I can use this thing.

As for the iPad Pro... Well, yes, I bought it because the Pencil is so cool in the hands of those cool California people in the videos.. But really, haven't used it. Of course the kids use it whenever they can wrestle the iPad out of my hands..

The Pencil is actually very useful in several applications, including a mistyped word and being able to touch it, to get a list of replacement words or retype, without getting the every frustration of missing it just slightly and spending 10 minutes trying to highlight the word. However, there are a lot of places it has no value.

YES, TY, this seems to be the solution to crApple's lack of vision, or their ignorant pride that limits their perspective to Apple OS and it's applications ONLY. I do hope that someone at Apple will reach out to people in the tech world that service or develop apps/software in the corporate worlds so that they can intelligently design the macOS Sierra to be a bridge of the worlds between Linux, DOS (Windows) and OSX, and make products that people can use in all OSes.

I'm looking, because I'm trying to do stuff in vi (UNIX) editor through a terminal, and now I can't escape to save...

I use an iPad Pro as my routine primary device for work. Lots to love, but I have a single issue that many share the frustration on this thread.

My use case is to use hypervisors and citrix receiver to access some parts of my work. This use case requires the use of an esc key input.

We all know that the smart keyboard does not have an esc key. Also in these types of app, the hot key Ctrl + ] does not work as it does in other apps.

The ask is simple. Is there a way that I can "reprogramme" my smart keyboard so that the "§" key sends and esc key function.

Many Thanks.

This is the correct solution, command period was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

Command period will escape out of a search box in Safari, this works very well.