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### 9.9 What if I don’t have a `Meta` key?

On many keyboards, the `Alt` key acts as `Meta`, so try it.

Instead of typing `M-a`, you can type `ESC a`. In fact, Emacs converts `M-a` internally into `ESC a` anyway (depending on the value of `meta-prefix-char`). Note that you press `Meta` and `a` together, but with `ESC`, you press `ESC`, release it, and then press `a`.