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By , IT support technician

What to Do When You're Assigned a Mac at a Windows Company ​

Applies to: macOS, Microsoft 365
Article Type: Informational
Last Updated: 2026-07-21

Summary ​

Congratulations on your new job! You opened your welcome box and found a sleek silver MacBook... only to realize that every single other person at the company is using a Dell running Windows. Working on an "island" can be frustrating, especially when IT sends out instructions that only apply to Windows. Here is what you need to know to survive.

Prerequisites ​

  • A company-issued Mac.

Instructions ​

1. Master the Keyboard Differences ​

The hardest part of switching to a Mac is the muscle memory of the keyboard. You no longer use the Control (Ctrl) key for basic shortcuts. You use the Command (⌘) key.

  • Copy: Command + C (not Ctrl+C)
  • Paste: Command + V (not Ctrl+V)
  • Undo: Command + Z (not Ctrl+Z)
  • Search: Command + Spacebar (This opens Spotlight, which is Mac's version of the Windows Start menu search. It is incredibly powerful).

2. Download the Desktop Apps (Don't rely on the web versions) ​

Because you are on a Mac, your IT department might tell you to "just use the web versions" of Outlook and Word. Do not do this. The desktop apps for Mac are excellent.

  1. Open the App Store (the blue icon with an 'A' in your dock).
  2. Search for Microsoft 365.
  3. Download Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
  4. Sign in with your company email address.

Note: Download from the App Store or from Microsoft's own site, never from a sponsored search result. Fake installers served through search ads are now the most common way malware reaches a Mac — see Understanding the Macs Don't Get Viruses Myth.

3. Fixing the Mouse Scroll Direction ​

If you plug a standard mouse into a Mac, the scroll wheel will operate backwards (scrolling down pushes the page up). Apple calls this "Natural Scrolling," mimicking a smartphone touch screen.

To fix it:

  1. Click the Apple logo in the top left corner > System Settings.
  2. Scroll down to Mouse.
  3. Turn off the toggle for Natural scrolling. Your mouse wheel will now act exactly like a Windows computer.

4. How to Open "Windows Only" Files ​

Coworkers will occasionally send you files that your Mac refuses to open.

  • .exe files: These are Windows executable programs. Your Mac cannot open them. If IT tells you to "run this .exe file," you have to remind them you are on a Mac and ask for the macOS installer (a .dmg or .pkg file).
  • .zip files: Your Mac can open these. Double-click the .zip file, and macOS will automatically extract a normal folder right next to it.
  • Network Drives (The Z: Drive): If your coworker says, "I put the file on the Z: Drive," you cannot open File Explorer and find it. You must map the drive manually. See your IT department for the specific smb:// server address to connect to your company's network share.

5. Managing Your Screen (Where did my window go?) ​

Windows users are used to maximizing a window so it fills the screen, leaving the taskbar visible at the bottom.

If you click the Green button in the top left corner of a Mac window, it will enter "Full Screen Mode," which completely hides your top menu bar and bottom dock. This is very confusing for beginners.

The Fix: Instead of clicking the green button, hold down the Option key on your keyboard and click the green button. The window will maximize to fill the screen while keeping your dock visible, exactly like Windows.

Troubleshooting ​

INFO

If you need to force quit an app because it froze, you cannot press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Instead, press Command + Option + Escape to open the Force Quit menu.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
I can't find the 'Delete' keyMac keyboard layoutMacs only have a "Backspace" key (labeled Delete). To delete text in front of your cursor like a Windows Delete key, hold Fn and press Delete.