diff --git a/include/ghostty.h b/include/ghostty.h
index d2e59b09f..dbfd86175 100644
--- a/include/ghostty.h
+++ b/include/ghostty.h
@@ -399,6 +399,14 @@ typedef enum {
   GHOSTTY_FULLSCREEN_NON_NATIVE_VISIBLE_MENU,
 } ghostty_action_fullscreen_e;
 
+// apprt.action.OptionAsAlt
+typedef enum {
+  GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_OFF,
+  GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_ON,
+  GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_LEFT,
+  GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_RIGHT,
+} ghostty_action_option_as_alt_e;
+
 // apprt.action.SecureInput
 typedef enum {
   GHOSTTY_SECURE_INPUT_ON,
@@ -579,6 +587,7 @@ typedef enum {
   GHOSTTY_ACTION_COLOR_CHANGE,
   GHOSTTY_ACTION_RELOAD_CONFIG,
   GHOSTTY_ACTION_CONFIG_CHANGE,
+  GHOSTTY_ACTION_TOGGLE_MACOS_USE_OPT_AS_ALT,
 } ghostty_action_tag_e;
 
 typedef union {
@@ -722,6 +731,7 @@ void ghostty_surface_split_resize(ghostty_surface_t,
                                   ghostty_action_resize_split_direction_e,
                                   uint16_t);
 void ghostty_surface_split_equalize(ghostty_surface_t);
+ghostty_action_option_as_alt_e ghostty_surface_uses_opt_as_alt(ghostty_surface_t);
 bool ghostty_surface_binding_action(ghostty_surface_t, const char*, uintptr_t);
 void ghostty_surface_complete_clipboard_request(ghostty_surface_t,
                                                 const char*,
diff --git a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
index ed257d9ec..b8525b150 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject,
     @IBOutlet private var menuCopy: NSMenuItem?
     @IBOutlet private var menuPaste: NSMenuItem?
     @IBOutlet private var menuSelectAll: NSMenuItem?
+    @IBOutlet private var menuUseOptionAsMetaKey: NSMenuItem?
 
     @IBOutlet private var menuToggleVisibility: NSMenuItem?
     @IBOutlet private var menuToggleFullScreen: NSMenuItem?
@@ -328,6 +329,18 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject,
         return dockMenu
     }
 
+    func setToggleUseOptAsAltMenuState(value: ghostty_action_option_as_alt_e) {
+        let menu_state = switch value {
+        case GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_OFF:
+            NSControl.StateValue.off
+        case GHOSTTY_OPTION_AS_ALT_ON:
+            NSControl.StateValue.on
+        default:
+            NSControl.StateValue.mixed
+        };
+        menuUseOptionAsMetaKey?.state = menu_state;
+    }
+
     /// Sync all of our menu item keyboard shortcuts with the Ghostty configuration.
     private func syncMenuShortcuts(_ config: Ghostty.Config) {
         guard ghostty.readiness == .ready else { return }
@@ -364,6 +377,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject,
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "increase_font_size:1", menuItem: self.menuIncreaseFontSize)
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "decrease_font_size:1", menuItem: self.menuDecreaseFontSize)
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "reset_font_size", menuItem: self.menuResetFontSize)
+        syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "toggle_macos_option_as_alt", menuItem: self.menuUseOptionAsMetaKey)
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "toggle_quick_terminal", menuItem: self.menuQuickTerminal)
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "toggle_visibility", menuItem: self.menuToggleVisibility)
         syncMenuShortcut(config, action: "inspector:toggle", menuItem: self.menuTerminalInspector)
diff --git a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/MainMenu.xib b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/MainMenu.xib
index 7a8e0d894..c0332dbc7 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/App/macOS/MainMenu.xib
+++ b/macos/Sources/App/macOS/MainMenu.xib
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<document type="com.apple.InterfaceBuilder3.Cocoa.XIB" version="3.0" toolsVersion="23094" targetRuntime="MacOSX.Cocoa" propertyAccessControl="none" useAutolayout="YES" customObjectInstantitationMethod="direct">
+<document type="com.apple.InterfaceBuilder3.Cocoa.XIB" version="3.0" toolsVersion="23504" targetRuntime="MacOSX.Cocoa" propertyAccessControl="none" useAutolayout="YES" customObjectInstantitationMethod="direct">
     <dependencies>
         <deployment identifier="macosx"/>
-        <plugIn identifier="com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin" version="23094"/>
+        <plugIn identifier="com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin" version="23504"/>
     </dependencies>
     <objects>
         <customObject id="-2" userLabel="File's Owner" customClass="NSApplication">
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
                 <outlet property="menuTerminalInspector" destination="QwP-M5-fvh" id="wJi-Dh-S9f"/>
                 <outlet property="menuToggleFullScreen" destination="8kY-Pi-KaY" id="yQg-6V-OO6"/>
                 <outlet property="menuToggleVisibility" destination="DOX-wA-ilh" id="iBj-Bc-2bq"/>
+                <outlet property="menuUseOptionAsMetaKey" destination="7fW-nh-YqK" id="b7F-MJ-i0U"/>
                 <outlet property="menuZoomSplit" destination="oPd-mn-IEH" id="wTu-jK-egI"/>
             </connections>
         </customObject>
@@ -192,6 +193,15 @@
                                 </connections>
                             </menuItem>
                             <menuItem isSeparatorItem="YES" id="VYS-RG-uZD"/>
+                            <menuItem title="Use Option as Meta Key" state="on" id="7fW-nh-YqK">
+                                <string key="keyEquivalent" base64-UTF8="YES">
+CQ
+</string>
+                                <connections>
+                                    <action selector="toggleUseOptionAsMetaKey:" target="-1" id="9CI-7C-odU"/>
+                                </connections>
+                            </menuItem>
+                            <menuItem isSeparatorItem="YES" id="D4E-a6-qFl"/>
                         </items>
                     </menu>
                 </menuItem>
diff --git a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
index 68c243004..ecd80c826 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/BaseTerminalController.swift
@@ -255,6 +255,10 @@ class BaseTerminalController: NSWindowController,
 
     func focusedSurfaceDidChange(to: Ghostty.SurfaceView?) {
         focusedSurface = to
+
+        if let appDelegate = NSApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate, let focusedSurface {
+            appDelegate.setToggleUseOptAsAltMenuState(value:focusedSurface.usesOptAsAlt!)
+        }
     }
 
     func titleDidChange(to: String) {
@@ -473,6 +477,10 @@ class BaseTerminalController: NSWindowController,
         // Becoming/losing key means we have to notify our surface(s) that we have focus
         // so things like cursors blink, pty events are sent, etc.
         self.syncFocusToSurfaceTree()
+
+        if let appDelegate = NSApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate, let focusedSurface {
+            appDelegate.setToggleUseOptAsAltMenuState(value:focusedSurface.usesOptAsAlt!)
+        }
     }
 
     func windowDidResignKey(_ notification: Notification) {
@@ -601,6 +609,11 @@ class BaseTerminalController: NSWindowController,
         ghostty.resetTerminal(surface: surface)
     }
 
+    @IBAction func toggleUseOptionAsMetaKey(_ sender: Any) {
+        guard let surface = focusedSurface?.surface else { return }
+        ghostty.toggleUseOptionAsMetaKey(surface: surface)
+    }
+
     private struct DerivedConfig {
         let macosTitlebarProxyIcon: Ghostty.MacOSTitlebarProxyIcon
         let windowStepResize: Bool
diff --git a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Ghostty.App.swift b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Ghostty.App.swift
index 9056e692a..1e2929cb9 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Ghostty.App.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Ghostty.App.swift
@@ -255,6 +255,13 @@ extension Ghostty {
             }
         }
 
+        func toggleUseOptionAsMetaKey(surface: ghostty_surface_t) {
+            let action = "toggle_macos_option_as_alt"
+            if (!ghostty_surface_binding_action(surface, action, UInt(action.count))) {
+                logger.warning("action failed action=\(action)")
+            }
+        }
+
         func toggleTerminalInspector(surface: ghostty_surface_t) {
             let action = "inspector:toggle"
             if (!ghostty_surface_binding_action(surface, action, UInt(action.count))) {
@@ -523,6 +530,9 @@ extension Ghostty {
             case GHOSTTY_ACTION_RENDERER_HEALTH:
                 rendererHealth(app, target: target, v: action.action.renderer_health)
 
+            case GHOSTTY_ACTION_TOGGLE_MACOS_USE_OPT_AS_ALT:
+                toggleMacOSUseOptAsAlt(app, target: target)
+
             case GHOSTTY_ACTION_TOGGLE_QUICK_TERMINAL:
                 toggleQuickTerminal(app, target: target)
 
@@ -892,6 +902,26 @@ extension Ghostty {
             }
         }
 
+        private static func toggleMacOSUseOptAsAlt(
+            _ app: ghostty_app_t,
+            target: ghostty_target_s) {
+            switch (target.tag) {
+            case GHOSTTY_TARGET_APP:
+                Ghostty.logger.warning("macos toggle use opt as alt does nothing with an app target")
+                return
+
+            case GHOSTTY_TARGET_SURFACE:
+                guard let surface = target.target.surface else { return }
+                guard let surfaceView = self.surfaceView(from: surface) else { return }
+
+                guard let appDelegate = NSApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate else { return }
+                appDelegate.setToggleUseOptAsAltMenuState(value:surfaceView.usesOptAsAlt!)
+
+            default:
+                assertionFailure()
+            }
+        }
+
         private static func toggleSecureInput(
             _ app: ghostty_app_t,
             target: ghostty_target_s,
diff --git a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift
index 7e861a229..c0da6b84d 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift
+++ b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/SurfaceView_AppKit.swift
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ extension Ghostty {
             return ghostty_surface_inspector(surface)
         }
 
+        var usesOptAsAlt: ghostty_action_option_as_alt_e? {
+            guard let surface = self.surface else { return nil }
+            return ghostty_surface_uses_opt_as_alt(surface)
+        }
+
         // True if the inspector should be visible
         @Published var inspectorVisible: Bool = false {
             didSet {
diff --git a/src/Surface.zig b/src/Surface.zig
index 78a842673..8a390df28 100644
--- a/src/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/Surface.zig
@@ -3725,6 +3725,15 @@ fn showMouse(self: *Surface) void {
     };
 }
 
+pub fn usesOptionAsAlt(self: *Surface) apprt.action.OptionAsAlt {
+    return switch (self.config.macos_option_as_alt) {
+        .false => .off,
+        .true => .on,
+        .left => .left,
+        .right => .right,
+    };
+}
+
 /// Perform a binding action. A binding is a keybinding. This function
 /// must be called from the GUI thread.
 ///
@@ -4056,6 +4065,20 @@ pub fn performBindingAction(self: *Surface, action: input.Binding.Action) !bool
             {},
         ),
 
+        .toggle_macos_option_as_alt => {
+            self.config.macos_option_as_alt = switch (self.config.macos_option_as_alt) {
+                  .false => .true,
+                  .true => .false,
+                  .left => .right,
+                  .right => .left,
+              };
+            try self.rt_app.performAction(
+              .{ .surface = self },
+              .toggle_macos_option_as_alt,
+              {},
+            );
+        },
+
         .toggle_fullscreen => try self.rt_app.performAction(
             .{ .surface = self },
             .toggle_fullscreen,
diff --git a/src/apprt/action.zig b/src/apprt/action.zig
index 527535ffa..67bc4c5b2 100644
--- a/src/apprt/action.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/action.zig
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ pub const Action = union(Key) {
     /// for changes.
     config_change: ConfigChange,
 
+    /// macOS only: Toggle if option always acts as alt.
+    toggle_macos_option_as_alt,
+
     /// Sync with: ghostty_action_tag_e
     pub const Key = enum(c_int) {
         new_window,
@@ -254,6 +257,7 @@ pub const Action = union(Key) {
         color_change,
         reload_config,
         config_change,
+        toggle_macos_option_as_alt,
     };
 
     /// Sync with: ghostty_action_u
@@ -375,6 +379,14 @@ pub const Fullscreen = enum(c_int) {
     macos_non_native_visible_menu,
 };
 
+/// ghostty.h API wrapper for config.OptionAsAlt.
+pub const OptionAsAlt = enum(c_int) {
+    off,
+    on,
+    left,
+    right,
+};
+
 pub const SecureInput = enum(c_int) {
     on,
     off,
diff --git a/src/apprt/embedded.zig b/src/apprt/embedded.zig
index 6a4411a85..5fbb1aa12 100644
--- a/src/apprt/embedded.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/embedded.zig
@@ -162,7 +162,11 @@ pub const App = struct {
         const translate_mods = translate_mods: {
             var translate_mods = mods;
             if (comptime builtin.target.isDarwin()) {
-                const strip = switch (self.config.@"macos-option-as-alt") {
+                const option_as_alt = switch (target) {
+                    .app => self.config.@"macos-option-as-alt",
+                    .surface => |surface| surface.core_surface.config.macos_option_as_alt,
+                };
+                const strip = switch (option_as_alt) {
                     .false => false,
                     .true => mods.alt,
                     .left => mods.sides.alt == .left,
@@ -1725,6 +1729,10 @@ pub const CAPI = struct {
         };
     }
 
+    export fn ghostty_surface_uses_opt_as_alt(ptr: *Surface) c_int {
+        return @intCast(@intFromEnum(ptr.core_surface.usesOptionAsAlt()));
+    }
+
     /// Invoke an action on the surface.
     export fn ghostty_surface_binding_action(
         ptr: *Surface,
diff --git a/src/config/Config.zig b/src/config/Config.zig
index 7fda17289..42bbf2044 100644
--- a/src/config/Config.zig
+++ b/src/config/Config.zig
@@ -2207,6 +2207,11 @@ pub fn default(alloc_gpa: Allocator) Allocator.Error!Config {
             .{ .key = .{ .translated = .a }, .mods = .{ .super = true } },
             .{ .select_all = {} },
         );
+        try result.keybind.set.put(
+            alloc,
+            .{ .key = .{ .translated = .o }, .mods = .{ .super = true, .alt = true } },
+            .{ .toggle_macos_option_as_alt = {} },
+        );
 
         // Viewport scrolling
         try result.keybind.set.put(
diff --git a/src/input/Binding.zig b/src/input/Binding.zig
index a467bfc2b..189d3d13b 100644
--- a/src/input/Binding.zig
+++ b/src/input/Binding.zig
@@ -358,6 +358,19 @@ pub const Action = union(enum) {
     /// Toggle fullscreen mode of window.
     toggle_fullscreen: void,
 
+    /// Toggle if option acts as alt.
+    /// 
+    /// Since this is a binary toggle and macos-option-as-alt is not a binary configuration,
+    /// the behavior of the action is as follows:
+    ///
+    /// 1. false is mapped to true
+    /// 2. true is mapped to false
+    /// 3. left is mapped to right
+    /// 4. right is mapped to left
+    ///
+    //  The UI shows the last two as indeterminate states.
+    toggle_macos_option_as_alt: void,
+
     /// Toggle window decorations on and off. This only works on Linux.
     toggle_window_decorations: void,
 
@@ -665,6 +678,7 @@ pub const Action = union(enum) {
             .last_tab,
             .goto_tab,
             .move_tab,
+            .toggle_macos_option_as_alt,
             .toggle_tab_overview,
             .new_split,
             .goto_split,