IT User Tips

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

mac keyboard

Mac keyboard shortcuts

By pressing a combination of keys, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device.

To use a keyboard shortcut, hold down one or more modifier keys while pressing the last key of the shortcut. For example, to use the shortcut Command-C (copy), hold down Command, press C, then release both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including the modifier k
Command ⌘Option ⌥Caps Lock ⇪
Shift ⇧Control ⌃Fn
If you’re using a keyboard made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows logo key instead of Command. Some Mac keyboards and shortcuts use the special keys in the above row which include icons for volume, display brightness, and other functions. Press the icon key to perform that function, or combine it with the Fn key to use it as an F1, F2, F3, or other standard function key.To learn more shortcuts, check the menus of the app you’re using. Every app can have its own shortcuts, and shortcuts that work in one app may not work in another.
mac keyboard

Common Shortcuts

    ShortcutDescription
Command-XCut: Remove the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
Command-CCopy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder.
Command-VPaste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder.
Command-ZUndo the previous command. You can then press Command-Shift-Z to Redo, reversing the undo command. In some apps, you can undo and redo multiple commands.
Command-ASelect All items.
Command-FFind: Open a Find window, or find items in a document.
Command-GFind Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find the previous occurrence, press Command-Shift-G.
Command-HHide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Command-Option-H.
Command-MMinimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the front app, press Command-Option-M.
Command-NNew: Open an new document or window.
Command-OOpen the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
Command-PPrint the current document.
Command-SSave the current document.
Command-WClose the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Command-Option-W.
Command-QQuit the app.
Command-Option-EscForce Quit: Choose an app to force quit Or press Command-Shift-Option-Esc and hold for 3 seconds to force just the front app to quit.
Command–Space barSpotlight: Show or hide the Spotlight search field. To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window, press Command–Option–Space bar. If you use multiple input sources to type in different languages, these shortcuts change input sources instead of showing Spotlight.
Space barQuick Look: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.
Command-TabSwitch apps: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps.
Command-Shift-Tilde (~)Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the front app.
Command-Shift-3Screenshot: Take a screenshot of the entire screen. Learn more screenshot shortcuts.
Command-Comma (,)Preferences: Open preferences for the front app.

System Shortcuts

ShortcutDescription
Power buttonTap to turn on your Mac or wake your Mac from sleep.
Hold for 1.5 seconds while your Mac is awake to display a dialog asking if you want to restart, sleep, or shut down.
Hold for 5 seconds to force your Mac to turn off.
Command–Control–Power buttonForce your Mac to restart.
Command–Option–Power buttonPut your Mac to sleep.
Shift–Control–Power buttonPut your displays to sleep.
Command–Control–Power buttonQuit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you’ll be asked whether you want to save them.
Command–Option–Control–Power buttonQuit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you’ll be asked whether you want to save them.
Command-Shift-QLog out of your OS X user account. You’ll be asked to confirm.
Command-Shift-Option-QLog out of your OS X user account immediately, without being asked to confirm.

Document Shortcuts

ShortcutDescription
Command-BBoldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off.
Command-IItalicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off.
Command-UUnderline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off.
Command-TShow or hide the Fonts window.
Command-DSelect the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog.
Command-Control-DShow or hide the definition of the selected word.
Command-Shift-Colon (:)Display the Spelling and Grammar window.
Command-Semicolon (;)Find misspelled words in the document.
Option-DeleteDelete the word to the left of the insertion point.
Control-HDelete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete.
Control-DDelete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-Delete.
Fn-DeleteForward delete on keyboards that don’t have a Forward Delete   key. Or use Control-D.
Control-KDelete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or paragraph.
Command-DeleteSelect Delete or Don’t Save in a dialog that contains a Delete or Don’t Save button.
Fn–Up ArrowPage Up: Scroll up one page.
Fn–Down ArrowPage Down: Scroll down one page.
Fn–Left ArrowHome: Scroll to the beginning of a document.
Fn–Right ArrowEnd: Scroll to the end of a document.
Command–Up ArrowMove the insertion point to the beginning of the document.
Command–Down ArrowMove the insertion point to the end of the document.
Command–Left ArrowMove the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.
Command–Right ArrowMove the insertion point to the end of the current line.
Option–Left ArrowMove the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
Option–Right ArrowMove the insertion point to the end of the next word.
Command–Shift–Up ArrowSelect the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document.
Command–Shift–Down ArrowSelect the text between the insertion point and the end of the document.
Command–Shift–Left ArrowSelect the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line.
Command–Shift–Right ArrowSelect the text between the insertion point and the end of the current line.
Shift–Up ArrowExtend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line above.
Shift–Down ArrowExtend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line below.
Shift–Left ArrowExtend text selection one character to the left.
Shift–Right ArrowExtend text selection one character to the right.
Shift–Option–Up ArrowExtend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again.
Shift–Option–Down ArrowExtend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again.
Shift–Option–Left ArrowExtend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again.
Shift–Option–Right ArrowExtend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again.
Control-AMove to the beginning of the line or paragraph.
Control-EMove to the end of a line or paragraph.
Control-FMove one character forward.
Control-BMove one character backward.
Control-LCenter the cursor or selection in the visible area.
Control-PMove up one line.
Control-NMove down one line.
Control-OInsert a new line after the insertion point.
Control-TSwap the character behind the insertion point with the character in front of the insertion point.
Command–Left Curly Bracket ({)Left align.
Command–Right Curly Bracket (})Right align.
Command–Shift–Vertical bar (|)Center align.
Command-Option-FGo to the search field.
Command-Option-TShow or hide a toolbar in the app.
Command-Option-CCopy Style: Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard.
Command-Option-VPaste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item.
Command-Shift-Option-VPaste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content.
Command-Option-IShow or hide the inspector window.
Command-Shift-PPage setup: Display a window for selecting document settings.
Command-Shift-SDisplay the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document.
Command–Shift–
Minus sign (-)
Decrease the size of the selected item.
Command–Shift–
Plus sign (+)
Increase the size of the selected item. Command–Equal sign (=) performs the same function.
Command–Shift–
Question mark (?)
Open the Help menu.

Finder Shortcuts

ShortcutDescription
Command-DDuplicate the selected files.
Command-EEject the selected disk or volume.
Command-FStart a Spotlight search in the Finder window.
Command-IShow the Get Info window for a selected file.
Command-Shift-COpen the Computer window.
Command-Shift-DOpen the desktop folder.
Command-Shift-FOpen the All My Files window.
Command-Shift-GOpen a Go to Folder window.
Command-Shift-HOpen the Home folder of the current OS X user account.
Command-Shift-IOpen iCloud Drive.
Command-Shift-KOpen the Network window.
Command-Option-LOpen the Downloads folder.
Command-Shift-OOpen the Documents folder.
Command-Shift-ROpen the AirDrop window.
Command-Shift-TAdd selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mountain Lion or earlier)
Command-Shift-Control-TAdd selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)
Command-Shift-UOpen the Utilities folder.
Command-Option-DShow or hide the Dock. This often works even when you’re not in the Finder.
Command-Control-TAdd the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later).
Command-Option-PHide or show the path bar in Finder windows.
Command-Option-SHide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows.
Command–Slash (/)Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows.
Command-JShow View Options.
Command-KOpen the Connect to Server window.
Command-LMake an alias of the selected item.
Command-NOpen a new Finder window.
Command-Shift-NCreate a new folder.
Command-Option-NCreate a new Smart Folder.
Command-RShow the original file for the selected alias.
Command-TShow or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
Command-Shift-TShow or hide a Finder tab.
Command-Option-TShow or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
Command-Option-VMove: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location.
Command-Option-YView a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files.
Command-YUse Quick Look to preview the selected files.
Command-1View the items in the Finder window as icons.
Command-2View the items in a Finder window as a list.
Command-3View the items in a Finder window in columns.
Command-4View the items in a Finder window with Cover Flow.
Command–Left Bracket ([)Go to the previous folder.
Command–Right Bracket (])Go to the next folder.
Command–Up ArrowOpen the folder that contains the current folder.
Command–Control–Up ArrowOpen the folder that contains the current folder in a new window.
Command–Down ArrowOpen the selected item.
Command–Mission ControlShow the desktop. This works even when you’re not in the Finder.
Command–Brightness UpTurn Target Display Mode on or off.
Command–Brightness DownTurn display mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display.
Right ArrowOpen the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
Left ArrowClose the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
Option–double-clickOpen a folder in a separate window and close the current window.
Command–double-clickOpen a folder in a separate tab or window.
Command-DeleteMove the selected item to the Trash.
Command-Shift-DeleteEmpty the Trash.
Command-Shift-Option-DeleteEmpty the Trash without confirmation dialog.
Command-YUse Quick Look to preview the files.
Option–Brightness UpOpen Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.
Option–Mission ControlOpen Mission Control preferences.
Option–Volume UpOpen Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.
Command key while draggingMove the dragged item to another volume or location. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
Option key while draggingCopy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
Command-Option while draggingMake an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
Option-click a disclosure triangleOpen all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
Command-click a window titleSee the folders that contain the current folder.

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