Command+Q survivors: your first week of Omarchy after macOS

If you arrive from macOS, Omarchy will feel both familiar and distinct. The Command key is still under your thumb on Apple hardware — Linux simply refers to it as the Super key — but there is no Dock, windows tile automatically rather than floating in overlapping piles, and closing a window actually quits the process. This guide walks through your first week of muscle-memory adaptation based on the official Coming From Mac or Windows guide, the Quattro hotkey matrix, and recent keybinding additions.

Omarchy does not attempt to mimic macOS. Official design philosophy: Arch Linux + Hyprland + Quickshell, terminal-centric workflows, and plain text configuration files you can version-control. Give it the two-week adaptation period recommended in the manual.

Day 0 — The Mental Model

Three fundamental principles to internalize:

1. Super is the center: Muscle memory around the Command key transfers to Super (the Windows key on PC keyboards; the Command key on Mac hardware).
2. Nothing lives on the desktop: There are no desktop icons or launcher Docks. The persistent UI is the top bar.
3. Windows position themselves: Open one application — it occupies full screen. Open a second — the screen splits evenly. You no longer hunt for buried windows because apps do not overlap by default.

When you genuinely require a floating window (e.g., color pickers, small calculators), Super + T toggles the active window between tiling and floating mode.

The Shortcut That Confused Mac Users — And The Fix

Historically, Omarchy's documented close shortcut was Super + W. Super + Q was unbound, meaning Mac users pressing their reflexive close combination received silence.

PR #7767 bound Super + Q to the same window close dispatcher. The default documented shortcut remains Super + W, but Super + Q now acts as a first-class alias. (Super + Ctrl + Q for the calculator remains untouched.)

In week one: Super + W and Super + Q both close and quit the active application.

Day 1 — The Cheat Sheet to Remember

Official recommendation: the only hotkey you must memorize initially is:

Super + K

Pressing Super + K opens the interactive bindings cheat sheet. Everything else can be re-discovered on demand.

Key Day-1 shortcuts to build initial fluency:

Day 2 — Workspaces Instead of Window Stacks

Virtual workspaces replace overlapping window clutter:

• Super + 1..4 — Instantly switch to workspace 1, 2, 3, or 4.
• Super + Shift + 1..4 — Move the currently focused window to that workspace.

Workspaces switch with zero transition lag. Moving window focus is done via Super + Arrow keys; swapping window positions uses Super + Shift + Arrow keys.

Day 3 — Where macOS System Settings Went

There is no monolithic System Preferences application. Configuration translations:

System updates are handled through Update > Omarchy in the main menu, which automatically takes a Btrfs snapshot before applying packages.

Trackpad and Input Configuration

From the official Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad chapter:

• Natural scrolling, tap-to-click, and scroll speed are configured in ~/.config/hypr/input.lua.
• Three-finger workspace gestures can be customized with hl.gesture({...}) blocks.
• Caps Lock is assigned as the compose key by default for quick emoji and special symbol input.

Day 4 — Running on Apple Hardware

• Intel Macs (~2009–2020): Officially well-supported. The Command key functions directly as the Super key.
• Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3): Under active community and upstream development via Asahi Linux kernels.
• Review Mac Support for hardware specifics such as Touch Bar controls and built-in audio drivers on T1/T2 models.

Days 5–7 — Mastering the Workflow

1. Dedicate workspace 1 to Terminal + Browser in a vertical split.
2. Place communication tools on workspace 2 and reference materials on workspace 3.
3. Use Super + S or grave key for scratchpad terminal drawers when running quick one-off commands.
4. When you need extra screen space on compact 13-inch displays, press Super + Shift + Backspace to toggle window gaps off.

First-Week Success Checklist

• Super + K displays the bindings cheat sheet.
• Super + Space launches applications and setup menus.
• Window close works seamlessly with Super + Q and Super + W.
• Multi-tasking feels organized across Super + 1..4 workspaces.
• System snapshot rollback tested via the boot menu.