Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to speed up your day to day Mac usage. The only downside is you have to learn Mac keyboard shortcuts in order to make the most of them. To help you memorize the.
As long as we’ve had the Mac (or really, the Personal Computer), we’ve had keyboard shortcuts. The Mouse came along and made the GUI way easier to use. But if you want to fly through an app and get things done quickly, there’s nothing quite like a keyboard shortcut.
Our Top 15 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
The Mac is filled with great keyboard shortcuts. Right from selecting and manipulating text to interacting with the UI without touching the mouse. Check out our recommended keyboard shortcuts for macOS below.
The Modifier Keys
If you’ve just moved from a Windows PC, it will take you some time to get used to the new keyboard layout on the Mac. While the QWERTY format is the same, there are some stark differences when it comes to modifier keys.
The equivalent of Control in Mac is the Command key. There is a Control key but it’s used as a tertiary modifier in shortcuts and in specific cases. What you’ll end up using often is the Option key, the equivalent of the Alt key in Windows. Also, there’s no Backspace key on the Mac. The Delete key functions as the Backspace key.
1. Window Management
When you have a window open, press Cmd + M to quickly minimize the window. Click on the app icon from the Dock to open the window again.
To close a window, use the Command + W shortcut. Let’s say you’ve got multiple windows open from the same app. It’s common to end up with 5 Finder windows. The Option + Command + W shortcut will instantly close all windows from the current app.
To flip between all windows in the current application, use the Command + Tilde (~) keyboard shortcut.
2. App Switching Shortcuts
To switch between different tabs, use the Command + Tab shortcut. This will bring up the app switcher. Now, while holding the Command key, press the Tab key again to move to the next app in the list. If you want to move to the previous app, use Command + Shift + Tab.
3. Command-Option-Esc to Force Quit
To quit an app, use the Command + Q shortcut. If an app is stuck, you’ll want to open the Force Quit menu. If your mouse isn’t responding, use the keyboard shortcut Command + Option + Escape to bring up the Force Quit menu.
4. Option Click Menu Bar Icons
Try clicking one of Mac’s menu bar utilities while holding the Option button. This will give you a different drop-down menu. For example, in the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth section, you’ll find new hidden information.
5. Bring up Spotlight
Spotlight search is one of the best things about using a Mac. You can use it to launch apps, open files, look up definitions, start a search and so much more. How to get to Spotlight Search? Just press Command + Space.
When you’re in Spotlight search and you’ve found the file you’re looking for, use the Command + Enter shortcut to open the file in Finder. This will show you the folder where it’s stored.
6. Tab Management in Browsers
When you’re in a browser like Chrome or Safari (or any app that supports tabs), use the Command + T shortcut to quickly create a new tab.
Then you can use keyboard shortcuts to move between all open tabs. For Chrome, use Command + Option + Left/Right arrow. In Safari, you’ll have to use the Control + Tab shortcut to switch to the next tab and Control + Shift + Tab to go to the previous tab. You can also use the Shift + Command + [/] to switch between tabs.
You can use Command + 1-9 to directly jump to any tab between the first and the 9th one. If you’re using pinned tabs, this is a great way to navigate between them.
7. Cut, Copy, Paste
Here are the classic cut, copy and paste shortcuts: Command + X, Command + C, Command + V. To undo something, use the Command + Z shortcut. To Redo something, press the Command + Shift + Z combination.
8. Find Everywhere
No matter in which app you are, just use the Command + F keyboard shortcut to instantly bring up the Search field. This will work when you’re in Finder, Safari, Notes app and more.
9. Screenshot Shortcuts
Mac’s built-in tools for taking screenshots are pretty good. Command + Shift + 3 will take a screenshot of the entire screen and will automatically save the image to the Desktop. Command + Shift + 4 option will turn your cursor into a crosshair. You can then highlight the specific part of the image that you want to screenshot.
10. Finder Shortcuts
When you’re in the Finder, you can use some keyboard shortcuts to change the view and to jump between frequently used folders like Downloads and Documents.
- Command + Option + S: Show or hide sidebar
- Command + I: Get Info
- Command + 1-4: Switch between icon, list, column and cover flow views
- Command + Shift + H: Go to the Home folder
- Command + Shift + L: Go to the Downloads folder
- Command + Shift + O: Go to the Documents folder
Another cool trick. When an item in Finder is highlighted, just press the Spacebar to view a quick preview of the file. This really useful when you’ve got a long list of image files. But it works for most file formats, including text files and PDFs.
11. Text Manipulation Shortcuts
Once you start tying on the Mac keyboard a lot, you won’t want to take your hands off of it. To increase your productivity when you’re typing about, use keyboard shortcuts to move around. This is way faster than using the mouse to do the same.
Here are our favorite text manipulation shortcuts. Pro Tip: this works with the iPad and an external keyboard as well.
- Command + Left: Go to the end of the line
- Command + Right: Go to the beginning of the current line
- Command + Up: Go to the top of the page
- Command + Down: Go to the bottom of the page
- Option + Left/Right: Move cursor one character at a time
- Option + Shift + Left/Right: Select previous/next word
- Shift + Left/Right: Begin text selection on the Left/Right of the cursor, one character at a time
- Shift + Command + Left/Right: Select the entire line, Left/Right of the cursor
- Shift + Command + Up/Down: Select all text in the document (above or below from the cursor)
12. Use Text Replacement to Speed Up Typing
As we’re talking about keyboard shortcuts a productivity, you should know about Mac’s built-in Text Replacement feature. It’s Apple’s brand name for text expansion. This is where you enter a shortcut (a couple of letters) and it automatically expands to a long string of text. For example, “@email” and expand to your email address. This is a great way to quickly expand snippets of text you used often during your day.
Go to System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Text and click the + button. Then enter the shortcut in the Replace field and the phrase in the With field.
Read more: How to Use Text Replacement on Mac to Type Faster
13. Mail Shortcuts
If you use the default Mail app, use the following keyboard shortcuts to fly through the app.
- Command + N: New message
- Command + Shift + F: Forward message
- Command + R: Reply
- Command + 1: Go to Inbox
- Command + E: Search using the selected text
- Command + Shift + U: Mark as read/unread
- Command + Shift + J: Mark as junk mail
14. Trash
Use the Command + Delete keyboard shortcut to send any selected file to the Trash. When you’re in the Trash folder, use the Command + Shift + Delete shortcut to instantly empty the Trash.
Every time you delete a file, the Mac doesn’t instantly delete it. In fact, it’s sitting in the Trash folder and is still taking up space on your Mac. If you don’t want to keep emptying the Trash every couple of days, you can use a keyboard shortcut to permanently delete files. Be careful, recovering files deleted this way is not as simple as placing them back from the Trash folder.
After selecting the file, use the Option + Command + Delete keyboard shortcut. From the popup menu, confirm and the item will be deleted permanently.
15. Miscellaneous
The following keyboard screenshots don’t really fit into any category but are really useful for specific actions.
- Command + Option + A: You might know that the Command + A shortcut selects all files. But the Command + Option + A shortcuts quickly deselects everything.
- Command + D: This shortcut works like the Delete key on Windows. It will delete the character in front of the cursor ( the Delete key on the Mac does the opposite).
- Command + ; (Semicolon): The Mac has a great spell check tool built-in that works with most text-based apps. Use this shortcut to bring up the tool. Hit the Semicolon button again to switch to the next misspelled word.
- Command + Shift + V: This shortcut works in browsers and it lets you paste text and match the current styling.
Your Favorite Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
What are some of your favorite keyboard shortcuts and apps to use on the Mac? Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments below.
Using keyboard shortcuts instead of reaching for your mouse or trackpad and hunting through menus is a great way to save time and get work done efficiently.
Even though for complex task you could use a keyboard assistant like Lacona (which will semantically understand any operation you need to perform) for complex tasks, knowing essential shortcuts will speed up every repetitive action related to the basic Mac functionality.
Learning shortcuts takes time and practice; it’s only by using them repeatedly that you develop a habit. But then you start really saving time and boosting productivity to the point where you won’t know how you’ve lived without them.
Top time-saving Mac keyboard shortcuts everyone should know
To help you, we’ve collected the best keyboard shortcuts for the Mac — those that will save you the most time every day. Remember: learn them and practice them.
We’ve avoided the obvious shortcuts, the ones that all casual Mac users will know, like copy, paste, and cut. Before we start with a list, let’s take a look at all the modifier keys:
Cmd = Command key (the one either side of the spacebar and looks like this: ⌘)
Ctrl = Control key, usually labelled “ctrl”
Alt = old-time Mac users would call this “option” and looks like this: ⌥
Shift = ⇧
Tab = ⇥
Now, let’s dive right in.
Navigate quickly to a folder in Finder
When you’re in Finder, there are a number of shortcuts you can use to go directly to a folder.
- Cmd-Shift-D goes to Desktop
- Cmd-Shift-H to your user folder
- Cmd-Shift-A to Applications
- Cmd-Shift-I to iCloud Drive
- Cmd-Shift-U to Utilities
Change the Finder view
In a Finder window, use the following shortcuts to change the view for all the items in a folder:
- Cmd-1 to display Icons
- Cmd-2 for List
- Cmd-3 for Columns
- Cmd-4 for Cover Flow
Navigate folders in the Finder
Going through folders in the Finder is especially easy with:
- Cmd-[ to move left
- Cmd-] to move right
Add a selected item to a Finder window sidebar.
Select the item you’d like to add and press Cmd-Option-S.
View a Quick Look slideshow of selected files
First Shift- or Cmd-click the files you want to preview and then press Cmd-Option-Y to see the slideshow.
Find anything
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Use Cmd-F to search for something. In most applications, including word processors and web browsers, it’s used to search for bits of text on the page you’re on. Cmd-F in Finder opens a new Finder search window, with the cursor already in the search box.
Invoke Spotlight from anywhere
Press Cmd-Space from anywhere to pull up the Spotlight search bar.
Quickly open Accessibility options
Your Mac has a number of features, such as the ability to invert colors on the screen, to help those who have additional needs when it comes to using a computer. To access them quickly, press Cmd-Option-F5.
Switch applications quickly
Press Cmd-Tab and keep holding Cmd to pull up the macOS application switcher. Press Tab again to highlight the next app and let go when you reach the app you want to switch to. Pressing Cmd-Tab and letting go of both immediately switches to the next app without further interaction.
Open any application’s Preferences
Press Cmd-comma to open any application’s Preferences window.
Open the Get Info window
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Get Info is available for every file and folder on your Mac and provides information such as the size of the file and the application that will be used by default. To open this window, click on the file or folder and press Cmd-I.
Show or hide the Dock
Press Cmd-Alt-D to show or hide the Dock in any application.
Note: this doesn’t work when applications are in full-screen mode.
Add a Finder item to the Dock
Select the item then press Ctrl-Shift-Cmd-T.
Invoke AirDrop
AirDrop is a great tool for transferring files quickly between Macs or between a Mac and an iOS device. To get to it right away, press Cmd-Shift-R in the Finder.
Undo
This one is a huge timesaver and can get you out of trouble, depending on the app you use it in. Press Cmd-Z to undo your most recent action. In apps that allow multiple undos, press it again to move back another step and so on. To redo something you’ve undone, it’s either Cmd-Shift-Z or Cmd-Y, depending on the app.
Navigate text
Press Alt-Right Arrow to jump a word or Cmd-Right Arrow to jump to the end of a line.
Alt-Left Arrow and Cmd-Left Arrow jump backwards a word and a line, respectively. To select text as you jump, hold down the Shift key.
Find misspelled words in a document
Press Cmd-semicolon to have misspelled words highlighted.
Select all
To select everything in a document or folder, press Cmd-A.
Paste in the correct style
While Cmd-V will paste whatever is in the clipboard, it does so in the style of the document you copied from. To paste text in the style of the document you’re pasting into, press Cmd-Option-Shift-V.
Take a screenshot
Press Cmd-Shift-3 to screenshot the whole screen. To grab a selection, press Cmd-Shift-4 and drag over the part of the screen you want to grab. To take a shot of a single window, press Cmd-Shift-4 then press Space and place the camera icon over the window you want to grab and click on it.
You can also copy and paste a screenshot in one move. If you add the Ctrl key to the shortcuts above, it will paste the screenshot to the clipboard rather than saving it. For example, Ctrl-Cmd-Shift-3 will take a screenshot of the whole screen and paste it to the clipboard. To paste it into your document, just press Cmd-V.
Open a new tab in Safari (or any other web browser)
Press Cmd-T to open a new tab. If you close a tab by accident, Cmd-Shift-T will re-open it.
Zoom into a web page
In Safari, Firefox, or Chrome, you can make the contents of a web page larger or smaller using Cmd and either the + or - keys, depending on whether you want to zoom in or out. This also works in some other apps.
Zoom in anywhere
To make the universal zoom work, you’ll need to go to System Preferences, then click the Accessibility pane and choose the Zoom option, checking all the boxes. After that, you can press Cmd-Option-Plus to zoom in anywhere. Cmd-Option-Minus will zoom out in stages. To return to 100%, press Cmd-Option-8.
Open Display Preferences
Press Option-F2 to show the Display Preferences window.
Open Sound Preferences
Press Option-F12 to show Sound Preferences.
Adjust the volume in small increments
Press Option-Shift-Volume Key to move the volume of your Mac’s audio up or down by smaller increments than just using the volume key alone.
Put your Mac to sleep
Hit Option-Cmd-Power (or Ctrl-Option-Cmd-Eject) and your Mac will go to sleep, gently and effortlessly.
Shut down your Mac
To quit open programs and shut down your Mac without needing to hit a confirmation button, press Ctrl-Option-Cmd-Power (or Ctrl-Option-Cmd-Eject). This will simply shut down your Mac, safely and securely.
Restart your Mac
If you want to restart your Mac, hit Ctrl-Cmd-Power (or Ctrl-Cmd/Eject). This will reboot your Mac.
Keep on learning
Presented above are introductory shortcuts, just one level above the ones everyone is used to. Once you learn them and use them daily, you’ll notice how your workflow suddenly starts to speed up. Soon enough, it would be time to step up you game with a collection of intermediate time-savers. But more on this later.