The Ultimate Guide to Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

If you’re new to the Mac operating system, you’ll be pleased to know life gets easier with the help of Mac keyboard shortcuts. It goes without saying that getting oneself familiar with them is critical to accomplishing more on any MacOS.

Learn these useful shortcuts to get any job done fast as well as save precious time while working on your Mac.

TIP: In case you’re a Windows switcher and connecting a PC keyboard to your MacBook, use the Windows logo key in place of Command and the Alt key for Option.

Mac Shortcuts for Power States

Remember these shortcuts to restart, shut down, or log out your Mac in no time. In most cases, you’ll be asked whether you want to save any unsaved changes in open documents when you toggle these commands.

Keyboard  Shortcut	Action
Power button	Tapping once wakes your Mac from sleep or turns it on.
Hold it for 1.5 seconds while your Mac is awake and you’ll be shown a dialog asking if you want to restart, sleep, or shut down. If you don’t want to wait, press the keys Control + Power button or Control + Media Eject .
Hold for 5 seconds to force your Mac to turn off.
Shift + Command + Q	Logs you out of your MacOS user account
Option + Shift + Command + Q	Logs you out of your MacOS user account immediately without confirmation
Control + Command + Media Eject	Quits all apps and restarts your Mac
Control + Option + Command + Power button or Media Eject	Quits all apps then shuts down your Mac
Control + Command + Power button	Forces your Mac to restart.
Control + Shift + Power button or Media Eject	Puts your display to sleep

Common Mac Shortcuts

Many of these shortcuts apply on various platforms, but a few of them works exclusively on the Mac. Learn these and you’ll be cruising through Mac OS like a pro.

Keyboard         Shortcut	Action
Command + A	Selects all items within a document, web browser, or Finder
Command + C	Copies the selected item to the Clipboard. You may also use this shortcut for copying files in the Finder.
Command + V	Pastes the Clipboard content/s into a document or app. Use this shortcut for moving files in the Finder.
Command + Z	This will undo the previous command. You can press Command + Shift + Z to reverse the undo command.
Command + X	Removes or cuts the selected item and copies it to the Clipboard
Command + F	Finds an item or text in a document or opens a Find window
Command + G	Finds the next occurrence of the item found previously. To go back to the previous occurrence, press the keys Command + Shift + G.
Command + H	Hides the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all the others, press the keys Command + Option + H.
Command + M	Minimizes the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the current, active app, press the keys Command + Option + M.
Command + N	Opens a new document or window
Command + O	Opens the item selected or opens a dialog so you can select a file to open
Command + P	Prints the current document
Command + Q	Quits the current app
Command + S	Saves the current document
Command + W	Closes the front window. If you want to close all windows of the app, press the keys Command + Option + W.
Option + Command + Esc	Chooses an app to force quit. You may also press and hold the keys Command + Shift + Option + Esc for 3 seconds to force just the front app to quit.
Command + Spacebar	Shows/hides the Spotlight search. To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window, press the keys Command + Option + Spacebar.
Spacebar	Uses the Quick Look feature to preview a selected item
Command + tab	Switches to the next most recently used app among the apps you’ve opened
Shift + Command + Tilde (~)	Switches to the next most recently used window of the current app you’re on
Shift + Command + 3	Takes a screenshot of the entire screen
Command + Comma	Opens the preferences for the current app

Keyboard Shortcuts for Finder

As you’re busy digging your files on Finder, have these shortcuts ready. They’ll surely make quick work of anything that you’re trying to do.

Keyboard Shortcut	Action
Command + 1	Views items in Finder as icons
Command + 2	Views items in Finder as a list
Command + 3	Views items Finder in columns
Command + 4	Views items in Finder with Cover Flow
Command + Up arrow	Opens the folder that contains the currently accessed folder
Command + Control + Up arrow	Opens the folder that contains the current folder in a separate window
Command + Down arrow	Opens the currently selected item
Command + D	Creates a duplicate of the selected file/s
Command + E	Ejects the selected disk or drive
Command + F	Starts a Spotlight search in Finder
Command + I	Shows the Get Info window for a selected file
Command + J	Shows View Options
Command + K	Opens the Connect to Server window
Command + L	Makes an alias of the selected item
Command + N	Opens a new Finder window
Command + R	Shows the original file for a selected alias
Command + T	Shows/hides the tab bar when a single tab is open in the Finder window
Command + Y	Uses Quick Look to preview selected file/s
Command + Left Bracket ([)	Gets you back to the previous folder
Command + Right Bracket (])	Takes you to the next folder
Shift + Command + C	Opens the Computer window
Shift + Command + D	Opens the desktop folder
Shift + Command + F	Opens the All My Files window
Shift + Command + G	Opens a Go to Folder window
Shift + Command + H	Opens the Home folder of the current MacOS user account
Shift + Command + I	Opens iCloud Drive
Shift + Command + K	Opens the Network window
Shift + Command + O	Opens the Documents folder
Shift + Command + R	Opens the AirDrop window.
Shift + Command + T	Adds selected Finder item to the Dock (Tip: works in OS X Mountain Lion or earlier)
Shift + Command + U	Opens the Utilities folder
Shift + Command + T	Shows/hides a Finder tab
Option + Command + L	Opens the Downloads folder.
Option + Command + D	Shows/hides the Dock (Tip: This works even when you’re not in the Finder)
Control + Command + T	Adds the selected item to the sidebar (Tip: works in OS X Mavericks or later).
Option + Command + P	Hides/shows the path bar in Finder
Option + Command + S	Hides/shows the Sidebar in Finder
Shift + Command + N	Creates a new folder
Option + Command + N	Creates a new Smart Folder
Option + Command + T	Shows/hides the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window
Option + Command + V	Moves the files in the clipboard to the current location
Option + Command + Y	Views a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files
Right Arrow	Opens the selected folder when in list view
Left Arrow	Closes the selected folder when in list view
Option + double-click	Opens a folder in a separate window and closes the current window
Command + double-click	Opens a folder in a separate tab or window
Command + Delete	Moves selected item/s to the Trash
Shift + Command + Delete	Empties the Trash content
Option + Shift + Command + Delete	Empties the Trash without confirmation dialog
Control + Shift + Command + T	Adds selected Finder item to the Dock (Tip: works only in OS X Mavericks or later)
Command + Slash (/)	Hides/shows the status bar in Finder
Command + Mission Control	Takes you to the desktop
Command + Brightness Up	Turns Target Display Mode on or off
Command + Brightness Down	Turns display mirroring on/off when your Mac is connected to another display
Option + Brightness Up	Opens Displays preferences. (Tip: works just fine with either Brightness key)
Option + Mission Control	Opens Mission Control preferences
Option + Volume Up	Opens Sound preferences (Tip: works with any volume keys)
Pressing Command while dragging	Moves the dragged item to another volume or location
Pressing Option key while dragging	Copies the dragged item
Pressing Option + Command while dragging	Makes an alias of the dragged item
Pressing Option + click a disclosure triangle	Opens all folders within the selected folder when in list view
Pressing Command + click on a window title	Shows the folder that contains the current folder

Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac Documents

Breeze through any work that has to be done in Mac’s productivity suite with these shortcuts. Keep in mind, though, that many of these shortcuts aren’t exclusive to the MacOS.

Keyboard Shortcuts	Action
Command + Up arrow	Moves the text cursor to the start of the document
Command + Down arrow	Moves the text cursor to the end of the document
Command + Left arrow	Moves the text cursor to the beginning of the current line
Command + Right arrow	Moves the insertion point to the end of the current line
Command + B	Turns boldfacing on/off or turns the selected text into bold
Command + I	Turns italics on/off or italicizes the selected text
Command + U	Turns underlining on/off or underlines the selected text
Command + T	Shows/ hides the Fonts window
Command + D	Selects the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog
Shift + Command +Colon (:)	Displays the Spelling and Grammar window
Command + Semicolon (;)	Finds misspelled words within a document
Control + H or Delete	Deletes the character on the left of the text cursor
Control + D or Fn + Delete	Deletes the character on the right of the insertion point
Control + K	Deletes the text between the text cursor and the end of the line/paragraph
Control + Command + D	Shows/hides the definition of the selected word
Fn + Up arrow	Scrolls the view up one page at a time (Pg Up)
Fn + Down arrow	Scrolls the view down one page (Pg Dn)
Fn + Left arrow	Scrolls cursor back to the beginning of a document
Fn + Right arrow	Scrolls cursor to the end of the document
Option + Left arrow	Moves the text cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Option + Right arrow	Moves the text cursor to the end of the next word
Shift + Command + Up arrow	Selects the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document
Shift + Command + Down arrow	Selects the text between the text cursor and the end of the document
Shift + Command + Left arrow	Selects the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line
Shift + Command + Right arrow	Selects the text between the text cursor and the end of the current line
Shift + Up arrow	Extends the text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location one line above
Shift + Down arrow	Extends text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location found one line below
Shift + Left arrow	Extends text selection one character to the left
Shift + Right arrow	Extends text selection one character to the right
Control + A	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line or paragraph
Control + E	Moves the cursor to the end of a line or paragraph
Control + F	Moves one character forward
Control + B	Moves one character backward
Control + L	Centers the cursor or selection in the visible area
Control + P	Move up one line
Control + N	Move down one line
Control + O	Inserts a new line after the text cursor
Control + T	Swaps the character behind the insertion point with the character in front of it
Option + Delete	Deletes the word to the left of the text cursor
Fn + Delete / Control + D	Forward-deletes on keyboards that don’t have a Forward Delete  key
Command + Delete	Selects Delete or Don’t Save in a dialog that contains a Delete or Don’t Save button.
Option + Shift + Up arrow	Extends the text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of subsequent paragraphs if pressed again
Option + Shift + Down arrow	Extends text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph when pressed again
Option + Shift + Left arrow	Extends text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed once more
Option + Shift + Right arrow	Extends the text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again
Command + Left Curly Bracket ({)	Left aligns
Command + Right Curly Bracket (})	Right aligns
Shift + Command + Vertical bar (|)	Center aligns
Shift + Command + Minus sign (-)	Decreases the size of the selected item
Shift + Command + Plus sign (+) / Command + Equal sign (=)	Increases the size of the selected item
Shift + Command + Question mark (?)	Opens the Help menu
Option + Command + F	Takes you to the search field.
Option + Command + T	Shows/hides a toolbar in the app
Option + Command + C	Copies the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard
Option + Command + V	Applies the copied style to the selected item
Option + Shift + Command + V	Applies the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content
Option + Command + I	Shows/hides the inspector window
Shift + Command + P	Displays a window for selecting document settings
Shift + Command + S	Displays the Save As dialog or creates a duplicate of the current document

Do you want to learn even more shortcuts? In that case, just check the menus of the app you’re using. Remember that every app has its own shortcuts and those that work in one application aren’t guaranteed to work in another app.

You might also be interested to know that you can create your own keyboard shortcuts for menu commands in any OS X app. You may want to explore this option when a global shortcut is in conflict with a specific app’s shortcut. To do this navigate to the appropriate window to do this, navigate to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts.

If the reason why you’re learning about Mac keyboard shortcuts is that you’ve made the switch from the Windows OS recently, feel free to read our guide on switching from the PC to a Mac.