Tool to decode/encode messages created with the Option-key ⌥ available on Mac/Apple computers allowing to write special characters (symbols) as a cipher.
Option-Key Cipher - dCode
Tag(s) : Symbol Substitution
dCode is free and its tools are a valuable help in games, maths, geocaching, puzzles and problems to solve every day!
A suggestion ? a feedback ? a bug ? an idea ? Write to dCode!
Option-Key Cipher
Mac Option-Key Decoder
Mac Option-Key Encoder
Answers to Questions (FAQ)
What is Option-Key Cipher? (Definition)
On Mac/Apple hardware, the keyboard has a special key called Option (⌥ symbol) which serves as a modifier to the other keys, in order to enter certain special characters not found on the keyboard. This key combination can then be diverted to write a message by pressing the option key in order to write a coded message.
The key is sometimes called Alt by mistake.
How to encrypt using Option Key cipher?
For Apple/Macintosh keyboard owners, pressing the Option key before entering the plain letter encodes the encrypted letter.
For other Windows/Linux/Android users, then here is the correspondence table:
| Character | Option + Character | Character | Option + Character | Character | Option + Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | å | F | Ï | ! | ⁄ |
| b | ∫ | G | ˝ | @ | € |
| c | ç | H | Ó | # | ‹ |
| d | ∂ | I | ˆ | $ | › |
| e | ´ | J | Ô | % | fi |
| f | ƒ | K | | ^ | fl |
| g | © | L | Ò | & | ‡ |
| h | ˙ | M | Â | * | ° |
| i | ˆ | N | ˜ | ( | · |
| j | ∆ | O | Ø | ) | ‚ |
| k | ˚ | P | ∏ | , | ≤ |
| l | ¬ | Q | Œ | . | ≥ |
| m | µ | R | ‰ | ; | … |
| n | ˜ | S | Í | : | Ú |
| o | ø | T | ˇ | / | ÷ |
| p | π | U | ¨ | < | ¯ |
| q | œ | V | ◊ | > | ˘ |
| r | ® | W | „ | ? | ¿ |
| s | ß | X | ˛ | - | – |
| t | † | Y | Á | _ | — |
| u | ¨ | Z | ¸ | = | ≠ |
| v | √ | 1 | ¡ | [ | “ |
| w | ∑ | 2 | ™ | ] | ‘ |
| x | ≈ | 3 | £ | { | ” |
| y | ¥ | 4 | ¢ | } | ’ |
| z | Ω | 5 | ∞ | \ | « |
| A | Å | 6 | § | | | » |
| B | ı | 7 | ¶ | ' | æ |
| C | Ç | 8 | • | " | Æ |
| D | Î | 9 | ª | + | ± |
| E | ´ | 0 | º | ~ | ` |
Example: Option is coded Øπ†ˆø˜
Note that e and E, as well as i and I, n and N and u and U encode the same characters.
How to decrypt Option Key cipher?
The decryption of the Option key passes by a substitution of each special symbol by the key corresponding to it.
Example: Âåç is translated Mac
It is not possible to automatically predict whether ´, ˆ, ˜ and ¨ encode an uppercase or a lowercase letter.
How to recognize a Option-Key ciphertext? (Identification)
The message consists mainly of the symbols Åıçî´ï˝óˆôòâ˜ø∏œ‰íˇ¨◊„˛á¸ and å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥ω
All references to Mac, MacOS, Macintosh, Apple (Steve Jobs) and its products iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc. are clues.
Source code
dCode retains ownership of the "Option-Key Cipher" source code. Except explicit open source licence (indicated Creative Commons / free), the "Option-Key Cipher" algorithm, the applet or snippet (converter, solver, encryption / decryption, encoding / decoding, ciphering / deciphering, breaker, translator), or the "Option-Key Cipher" functions (calculate, convert, solve, decrypt / encrypt, decipher / cipher, decode / encode, translate) written in any informatic language (Python, Java, PHP, C#, Javascript, Matlab, etc.) and all data download, script, or API access for "Option-Key Cipher" are not public, same for offline use on PC, mobile, tablet, iPhone or Android app!
Reminder : dCode is free to use.
Cite dCode
The copy-paste of the page "Option-Key Cipher" or any of its results, is allowed (even for commercial purposes) as long as you credit dCode!
Exporting results as a .csv or .txt file is free by clicking on the export icon
Cite as source (bibliography):
Option-Key Cipher on dCode.fr [online website], retrieved on 2024-12-19,
