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Notes to self

MX Mechanical — quick reference

Two useful things worth keeping: what those weird keyboard symbols mean, and how to talk to Claude on this PC with the Shure MV7.

The weird key symbols

The MX Mechanical works with both Windows and Mac, so its bottom keys are stamped with both names at once. The odd shapes are just the Mac labels — here's what they do on your Windows PC.

⊞
Windows logo — the Start key

Opens the Start menu. Also the "Windows key" in shortcuts like Win + H.

⌥
The little "switch" (a line over a slanted line) — Mac calls it Option

On Windows this is just your Alt key. This is the odd one to the left of Start.

⌘
The "cloverleaf / pretzel" — Mac calls it Command

Mac's name only. On Windows, treat it as Alt. This is the one to the right of Start.

The whole trick in one line: ignore the Mac symbols. On Windows, ⊞ = Start, and both ⌥ and ⌘ just behave like Alt.

Talking to Claude with the Shure MV7

The mic plugs in over USB — no drivers. Windows already sees it as "Microphone (3- Shure MV7)."

  1. Pick the mic once. Right-click the speaker icon (bottom-right of the screen) → Sound settings → under Input, click Microphone (3- Shure MV7). Say a few words; the blue bar should jump.
  2. Click into the box where you type to Claude (cursor blinking there).
  3. Press Windows key + H together — a small voice bar pops up.
  4. Just talk. Your words appear as text.
  5. Press Enter to send it to Claude — same as if you'd typed it.
  6. To pause, press Win + H again, or say "stop listening."
Nice-to-have: plug headphones into the jack on the bottom of the MV7 to hear yourself clearly. The free Shure MOTIV app can fine-tune the volume, but you don't need it to start.
Saved for Paul · ofchours.com · a personal reference page.