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Option-Key Cipher

Tool to decode/encode messages created with the Option-key ⌥ available on Mac/Apple computers allowing to write special characters (symbols) as a cipher.

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Option-Key Cipher -

Tag(s) : Symbol Substitution

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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:

CharacterOption + CharacterCharacterOption + CharacterCharacterOption + Character
aåFÏ!
bG˝@
cçHÓ#
dIˆ$
e´JÔ%
fƒK^
g©LÒ&
h˙MÂ*°
iˆN˜(·
jOØ)
k˚P,
l¬QŒ.
mµR;
n˜SÍ:Ú
oøTˇ/÷
pπU¨<¯
qœV>˘
r®W?¿
sßX˛-
tYÁ_
u¨Z¸=
v1¡[
w2]
x3£{
y¥4¢}
zΩ5\«
AÅ6§|»
Bı7'æ
CÇ8"Æ
DÎ9ª+±
E´0º~`

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˝óˆôòâ˜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!
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Cite as source (bibliography):
Option-Key Cipher on dCode.fr [online website], retrieved on 2024-12-04, https://www.dcode.fr/mac-option-key-cipher

Need Help ?

Please, check our dCode Discord community for help requests!
NB: for encrypted messages, test our automatic cipher identifier!

Questions / Comments

Feedback and suggestions are welcome so that dCode offers the best 'Option-Key Cipher' tool for free! Thank you!


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