To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. For example, to use Command-C (copy), press and hold the Command key, then the C key, then release both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys:

• Shut Down Or Reboot Your Mac Immediately With A Keyboard Command
• Commands On Keyboard For Macbook
• Apple Keyboard Commands
• Apple Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
• Command On Keyboard For Copy

30 keyboard shortcuts Mac users need to know This collection of keyboard shortcuts for macOS can help users get the most from their iMacs, MacBook Pro and MacBook laptops.

On keyboards made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows logo key instead of Command.

Some keys on some Apple keyboards have special symbols and functions, such as for display brightness , keyboard brightness , Mission Control, and more. If these functions aren't available on your keyboard, you might be able to reproduce some of them by creating your own keyboard shortcuts. To use these keys as F1, F2, F3, or other standard function keys, combine them with the Fn key.

Cut, copy, paste, and other common shortcuts

• Command-X: Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
• Command-C: Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder.
• Command-V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder.
• Command-Z: Undo the previous command. You can then press Shift-Command-Z to Redo, reversing the undo command. In some apps, you can undo and redo multiple commands.
• Command-A: Select All items.
• Command-F: Find items in a document or open a Find window.
• Command-G: Find Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find the previous occurrence, press Shift-Command-G.
• Command-H: Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Option-Command-H.
• Command-M: Minimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the front app, press Option-Command-M.
• Command-O: Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
• Command-P: Print the current document.
• Command-S: Save the current document.
• Command-T: Open a new tab.
• Command-W: Close the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Option-Command-W.
• Option-Command-Esc: Force quit an app.
• Command–Space bar: 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. Learn how to change a conflicting keyboard shortcut.)
• Control–Command–Space bar: Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols.
• Control-Command-F: Use the app in full screen, if supported by the app.
• Space bar: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.
• Command-Tab: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps.
• Shift-Command-5: In macOS Mojave or later, take a screenshot or make a screen recording. Or use Shift-Command-3 or Shift-Command-4 for screenshots. Learn more about screenshots.
• Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder in the Finder.
• Command-Comma (,): Open preferences for the front app.

• The Mac OS X Lion Finder helps you access and organize most of the important Mac OS X functions while you work. Use Finder keyboard shortcuts to display windows, copy and move files, and launch applications.
• Some Word for Mac keyboard shortcuts conflict with default macOS keyboard shortcuts. This topic flags such shortcuts with an asterisk (. ). To use these shortcuts, you may have to change your Mac keyboard settings to change the shortcut for the key. Change system preferences for keyboard shortcuts. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.

Sleep, log out, and shut down shortcuts

You might need to press and hold some of these shortcuts for slightly longer than other shortcuts. This helps you to avoid using them unintentionally.

• Power button: Press to turn on your Mac or wake it from sleep. Press and hold for 1.5 seconds to put your Mac to sleep.* Continue holding to force your Mac to turn off.
• Option–Command–Power button* or Option–Command–Media Eject : Put your Mac to sleep.
• Control–Shift–Power button* or Control–Shift–Media Eject : Put your displays to sleep.
• Control–Power button* or Control–Media Eject : Display a dialog asking whether you want to restart, sleep, or shut down.
• Control–Command–Power button:* Force your Mac to restart, without prompting to save any open and unsaved documents.
• Control–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
• Control–Option–Command–Power button* or Control–Option–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
• Control-Command-Q: Immediately lock your screen.
• Shift-Command-Q: Log out of your macOS user account. You will be asked to confirm. To log out immediately without confirming, press Option-Shift-Command-Q.

* Does not apply to the Touch ID sensor.

Finder and system shortcuts

• Command-D: Duplicate the selected files.
• Command-E: Eject the selected disk or volume.
• Command-F: Start a Spotlight search in the Finder window.
• Command-I: Show the Get Info window for a selected file.
• Command-R: (1) When an alias is selected in the Finder: show the original file for the selected alias. (2) In some apps, such as Calendar or Safari, refresh or reload the page. (3) In Software Update preferences, check for software updates again.
• Shift-Command-C: Open the Computer window.
• Shift-Command-D: Open the desktop folder.
• Shift-Command-F: Open the Recents window, showing all of the files you viewed or changed recently.
• Shift-Command-G: Open a Go to Folder window.
• Shift-Command-H: Open the Home folder of the current macOS user account.
• Shift-Command-I: Open iCloud Drive.
• Shift-Command-K: Open the Network window.
• Option-Command-L: Open the Downloads folder.
• Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder.
• Shift-Command-O: Open the Documents folder.
• Shift-Command-P: Show or hide the Preview pane in Finder windows.
• Shift-Command-R: Open the AirDrop window.
• Shift-Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar in Finder windows.
• Control-Shift-Command-T: Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)
• Shift-Command-U: Open the Utilities folder.
• Option-Command-D: Show or hide the Dock.
• Control-Command-T: Add the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later).
• Option-Command-P: Hide or show the path bar in Finder windows.
• Option-Command-S: Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows.
• Command–Slash (/): Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows.
• Command-J: Show View Options.
• Command-K: Open the Connect to Server window.
• Control-Command-A: Make an alias of the selected item.
• Command-N: Open a new Finder window.
• Option-Command-N: Create a new Smart Folder.
• Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
• Option-Command-T: Show or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
• Option-Command-V: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location.
• Command-Y: Use Quick Look to preview the selected files.
• Option-Command-Y: View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files.
• Command-1: View the items in the Finder window as icons.
• Command-2: View the items in a Finder window as a list.
• Command-3: View the items in a Finder window in columns.
• Command-4: View the items in a Finder window in a gallery.
• Command–Left Bracket ([): Go to the previous folder.
• Command–Right Bracket (]): Go to the next folder.
• Command–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder.
• Command–Control–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window.
• Command–Down Arrow: Open the selected item.
• Right Arrow: Open the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Left Arrow: Close the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Command-Delete: Move the selected item to the Trash.
• Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash.
• Option-Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash without confirmation dialog.
• Command–Brightness Down: Turn video mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display.
• Option–Brightness Up: Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.
• Control–Brightness Up or Control–Brightness Down: Change the brightness of your external display, if supported by your display.
• Option–Shift–Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Brightness Down: Adjust the display brightness in smaller steps. Add the Control key to this shortcut to make the adjustment on your external display, if supported by your display.
• Option–Mission Control: Open Mission Control preferences.
• Command–Mission Control: Show the desktop.
• Control–Down Arrow: Show all windows of the front app.
• Option–Volume Up: Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.
• Option–Shift–Volume Up or Option–Shift–Volume Down: Adjust the sound volume in smaller steps.
• Option–Keyboard Brightness Up: Open Keyboard preferences. This works with either Keyboard Brightness key.
• Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Down: Adjust the keyboard brightness in smaller steps.
• Option key while double-clicking: Open the item in a separate window, then close the original window.
• Command key while double-clicking: Open a folder in a separate tab or window.
• Command key while dragging to another volume: Move the dragged item to the other volume, instead of copying it.
• Option key while dragging: Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
• Option-Command while dragging: Make an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
• Option-click a disclosure triangle: Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Command-click a window title: See the folders that contain the current folder.
• Learn how to use Command or Shift to select multiple items in the Finder.
• Click the Go menu in the Finder menu bar to see shortcuts for opening many commonly used folders, such as Applications, Documents, Downloads, Utilities, and iCloud Drive.

Document shortcuts

The behavior of these shortcuts may vary with the app you're using.

• Command-B: Boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off.
• Command-I: Italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off.
• Command-K: Add a web link.
• Command-U: Underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off.
• Command-T: Show or hide the Fonts window.
• Command-D: Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog.
• Control-Command-D: Show or hide the definition of the selected word.
• Shift-Command-Colon (:): Display the Spelling and Grammar window.
• Command-Semicolon (;): Find misspelled words in the document.
• Option-Delete: Delete the word to the left of the insertion point.
• Control-H: Delete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete.
• Control-D: Delete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-Delete.
• Fn-Delete: Forward delete on keyboards that don't have a Forward Delete key. Or use Control-D.
• Control-K: Delete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or paragraph.
• Fn–Up Arrow: Page Up: Scroll up one page.
• Fn–Down Arrow: Page Down: Scroll down one page.
• Fn–Left Arrow: Home: Scroll to the beginning of a document.
• Fn–Right Arrow: End: Scroll to the end of a document.
• Command–Up Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the document.
• Command–Down Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the document.
• Command–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.
• Command–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the current line.
• Option–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
• Option–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the next word.
• Shift–Command–Up Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document.
• Shift–Command–Down Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the document.
• Shift–Command–Left Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line.
• Shift–Command–Right Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the current line.
• Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line above.
• Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line below.
• Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the left.
• Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the right.
• Option–Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again.
• Control-A: Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph.
• Control-E: Move to the end of a line or paragraph.
• Control-F: Move one character forward.
• Control-B: Move one character backward.
• Control-L: Center the cursor or selection in the visible area.
• Control-P: Move up one line.
• Control-N: Move down one line.
• Control-O: Insert a new line after the insertion point.
• Control-T: Swap 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.
• Shift–Command–Vertical bar (|): Center align.
• Option-Command-F: Go to the search field.
• Option-Command-T: Show or hide a toolbar in the app.
• Option-Command-C: Copy Style: Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard.
• Option-Command-V: Paste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item.
• Option-Shift-Command-V: Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content.
• Option-Command-I: Show or hide the inspector window.
• Shift-Command-P: Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings.
• Shift-Command-S: Display the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document.
• Shift–Command–Minus sign (-): Decrease the size of the selected item.
• Shift–Command–Plus sign (+): Increase the size of the selected item. Command–Equal sign (=) performs the same function.
• Shift–Command–Question mark (?): Open the Help menu.

Other shortcuts

For more shortcuts, check the shortcut abbreviations shown in the menus of your apps. Every app can have its own shortcuts, and shortcuts that work in one app might not work in another.

• Apple Music shortcuts: Choose Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the menu bar in the Music app.
• Other shortcuts: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts.

Learn more

• Create your own shortcuts and resolve conflicts between shortcuts
• Change the behavior of the function keys or modifier keys

Humanity should be grateful for the invention of Mac hotkeys. They probably saved us thousand years of time if put together. There is something addictive in using shortcuts - the quickness, the feeling of a keyboard, the geeky confidence in your fingers when you realize “hurray it works!” Once you get hooked on shortcuts, you’ll never go back to clicking again.

Basic Mac hotkeys combinations

1. Quit all apps

Sometimes an app that you thought you quit is still secretly running in the background. When your Mac lags and you need some fresh memory, you may choose to quit all apps. You probably heard of Force Quit (Cmd + Option + Esc), but it’s a too long way to do it.
Quit many apps in a row: Cmd + Tab

Then, holding down Cmd press Q to cycle between apps you need to close.

2. Delete a file completely

Dragging files to the Trash? Wait, this is not the only option. Here’s a shortcut to quickly delete unwanted files on a Mac, bypassing the Trash. Caution: there’s no way back.

To completely delete a file: Option + Cmd + Delete

3. Copy and paste a screenshot directly

Cmd + Shift + 4 is an old classic way to make a screenshot on a Mac. But here comes the combination to take your screenshotting skills to the new level. Normally you would make a screenshot, pick it from your desktop, and only then paste it to the new location. It appears, all this time you could do it easier.
To copy-paste a screenshot: Shift + Control + Cmd + 4

4. Quickly switch to the desktop

Sometimes your screen is so obscured by windows it would take years to click through to the desktop. Thank goodness, there is a Mac keystroke combination designed for people like us: the folks who are drowning in an ocean of windows.

To remove window overload: Cmd + F3

5. Open Spotlight

Spotlight, your Mac’s internal search engine, can make your life 1000% easier. It finds files faster than Finder and intuitively predicts what are you after. To open Spotlight right on the spot (sorry for the pun), use this magic combo.
To launch Spotlight search: Cmd + Space bar

Cool shortcut keys for Mac

1. Invert display colors

A truly psychedelic key combination. This shortcut inverts all the colors on your Mac's screen to their opposites. Try it, and your world will never be the same. On the flip side, you can find a few practical applications for this command, for example, to adjust your screen to different lighting.

Shut Down Or Reboot Your Mac Immediately With A Keyboard Command

To invert colors on screen: ?md + Option + F5

2. Restore a recently closed tab

Commands On Keyboard For Macbook

This one can be a real savior if you accidentally closed an important tab in a browser, like that pancake recipe or payment confirmation. There’s an easy Mac keyboard shortcut to restore it.
To restore a closed tab: Cmd + Shift + T

3. To shut down your Mac instantly

No, the following Mac shortcut is not about the force shutdown. It’s used when you need to quickly close all dialog windows and shut down your Mac in a legit way. Learn this one, quickly finish your work and finally go outside.

To quickly shut down a Mac: Control + Option + Command + Eject

4. Mac hot keys to invoke Siri

Among all Mac keyboard commands, this is the easiest. Since Siri’s arrival to macOS we got used to talk to Siri about weather and even ask her to play our favorite tracks on Mac. If you are using macOS Sierra or higher, you’ll enjoy the ability to summon Siri using just one hand.
To launch Siri: Cmd + Space bar

A shortcut to free up space on your Mac

Well, not exactly a shortcut, but indeed the quickest way to get more storage on your Mac.

Download CleanMyMac + Install + Click Smart Scan
This combination of actions will free up dozens of gigabytes of space taken by garbage: unwanted files, system junk, app leftovers, etc. CleanMyMac removes about 54 GB of junk on an average Mac. Try and see how it cleans your Mac.

CleanMyMac is available for a free download here.

Finder shortcuts

Finder is quite a resource-demanding tool. When you open a new Finder window it usually takes some time. For quicker access to your main destinations like Applications or Desktop, you can use the following shortcut combinations.
To quickly access Finder folders:

Cmd + Shift + A (for Applications)
Cmd + Shift + U (for Utilities)
Cmd + Shift + D (for Desktop)

Chrome shortcuts

Having hundreds of opened tabs in a browser has become a widespread syndrome nowadays. Closing tabs with a mouse is not only frustrating but also may freeze up your browser. Using a direct shortcut makes this job easy as a morning walk.

To close a current tab in Chrome: Cmd + W
To close a Chrome window: Cmd + Shift + W
To open a new Chrome tab: Cmd + T

Mac shortcuts for documents

1. Copy text without formatting

You want to copy a piece of the text, but the old formatting drags along with it. Now you spend more time formatting rather than actually creating a text. To strip the text from old styling, use the following Mac hotkeys combination. A very good one to stretch your fingers.

To paste text without formatting:
Hold down Shift + Option + Command and hit V

2. Paste special symbols and emojis

Probably this is the easiest documented shortcut key for a Mac. To enter special symbols, like those lamdas, tildas, and alfas, you need to press just one key. For instance, if you need to type a modified E, hold down the E key for one second and then choose among available variations that appear.

To enter an alternate character: Hold down the character key

To paste emojis in the text: Press Control + Command + Space

3. Enter a strikethrough text on a Mac

You won’t believe, but 8000 people are googling how to do a strikethrough text on a Mac everyday. Although some applications don’t support it, this combination well works in TextEdit and Word. Now you can use it in every second line to add some roughness to your writing.

Apple Keyboard Commands

To apply strikethrough formatting: Cmd + Shift + X

4. Quickly print documents

Apple Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

The next combination works for most apps that allow printing. You don’t need to figure out where the print dialogue is located in every case. Just memorize this quick combination and send your files to print from anywhere.
To invoke a print dialogue: Cmd + P

Command On Keyboard For Copy

Mac shortcuts to delete many files at once

There comes a time when you need to do a spring cleaning on your Mac: sort out old garbage, move photos to an external drive, or clean up your old downloads. It is time-consuming and takes an immense willpower simply to start. But lucky you are: there are a few shortcuts to remove large heaps of files as quickly as if you had a machete.

To select folder contents: Cmd + A
To delete a group of files after selection: Cmd + Delete
To empty the Trash: Cmd + Shift + Delete
If you’ve got many files left after backing up, this will save you a good deal of time moving them to the Trash bin.

To save you from a headache, there are apps that will do the mundane deletion job in an instant. CleanMyMac is perhaps the most reliable one. It has a tool that specifically searches for Large & Old files on your drive for a quick cleanup. CleanMyMac is available for a free download. So, check it out.

This was our take on most useful keyboard shortcuts for Mac. Thanks for reading. Below you'll find a few more links about Mac and productivity.

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