Return to site

Key Commands For Mac

broken image


  1. See Full List On Support.apple.com
  2. Key Commands For Mac
  3. Key Commands For Macbook

Mac OS X Finder Keyboard Shortcuts. 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. These keyboard shortcuts help you get things done more efficiently. 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.

When Apple designed the MacBook keyboards, they were probably thinking of which commands we will be using the most when they assigned shortcuts to specific functions, but as with everything else that is being used by millions of people, actual usage does not always align with intended purpose, so many default keys are left unused while some missing keys remain desired. If you have a lot of unused keyboard shortcuts yourself and would like to replace their functions with something that you actually use, below is a guide on how to remap keys on your Mac.

See Full List On Support.apple.com

Which Keys Can You Remap?

There are several sets of keys on your Mac keyboard that perform individual functions. You can modify the functions of some keys, but there are some that you cannot. Among the sets of keys that the functions of which you can easily change and remap according to your needs are the function and modifier keys.

The function keys are usually located at the top most part of your keyboard and are either marked with a letter F followed by a number (e.g. F1, F2, F3, etc.) or an icon that signifies what they do (e.g. sun icon for brightness and speaker icon for volume).

The modifier keys, on the other hand, are the sets of keys that you use in combination with another key to perform specific functions like the CMD, CTRL, Caps Lock, Shift, and Option keys.

What Do Function Keys Do?

Traditionally, Function keys were designed to work as shortcuts to system-related commands usually buried under convoluted menus and submenus; however, since they are not frequently used by the average user, Function keys have been increasingly remapped to provide quick access to basic customization tools (like brightness or volume control) although their traditional functions have not been completely removed but simply delegated to the backseat instead.*

For example, in the current Mac keyboard design,

  1. Pressing F1 reduces brightness.
  2. Pressing F2 increases brightness.
  3. Pressing F3 lets you switch to 'Expose' view to see all running programs or apps.
  4. Pressing F4 gives you quick access to business, communication and Internet tools.
  5. Pressing F7 lets you rewind a video that you were watching.
  6. Pressing F8 displays thumbnails of your current work spaces.
  7. Pressing F9 launches 'Mission Control.'
  8. Pressing F10 shows all open windows for the active application.
  9. Pressing F11 hides all open windows and shows the desktop instead.
  10. Pressing F12 shows or hide the dashboard.

*To use the traditional functions of the Function keys, you have to press F1 or F2 together with the Fn key.

**F5 and F6 has no specific function attached to it by default.

What Do Modifier Keys Do?

Like Function keys, modifier keys also work as keyboard shortcuts to frequently used commands. Some examples of commands that your modifier keys are assigned to perform by default are:

  1. Command+A which selects all items in the active window
  2. Command+C which copies highlighted items.
  3. Command+X Cuts the selected items
  4. Command+F which opens the 'Find' dialog
  5. Command+I which shows additional information about the currently selected item.
  6. Command+M which minimizes the active window
  7. Command+Z which undoes a previous action
  8. Command+V which pastes items previously cut or copied
  9. Command+O which opens the selected item
  10. Command+W which closes the active window

Aside from being used as keyboard shortcuts for system-wide commands, modifier keys can also be used to execute application-specific commands like:

  1. Command+Option+Space which opens the 'Spotlight' menu.
  2. Command+Shift+A which opens the 'Applications' folder.
  3. Command+Shift+U which opens the 'Utilities' folder
  4. Command+Shift+I which connects you to your iDisk
  5. Shift–Command–(?) which opens the 'Help' menu.

How to Remap Keys on Your Mac

If you are not happy with the default functions of your Function and Modifier keys, you can easily remap the keys on your Mac to assign keyboard shortcuts according to your specific needs and preferences.

To remap the Function keys and change how they work,

Go to the Apple menu

  1. Open 'System Preferences,'
  2. Click on the 'Keyboard' tab.
  3. Select 'Shortcuts.'
  4. Select 'Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.
MacBook All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet - dummies

To remap the modifier keys and assigned new key combinations for shortcuts,

  1. Follow Steps 1 to 3
  2. Click on 'Modifier Keys.'
  3. Select the modifier key that the function of which you wish to change.
  4. Choose the new action that you want the modifier key to do when clicked on.

This works for system-wide commands; however, you can also remap keys to perform certain functions while particular certain apps.

To do this,

  1. Follow Steps 1 to 4
  2. Select 'App Shortcuts.'
  3. Click on the 'Add' button (the one with the plus icon).
  4. Click on 'Application'
    1. Choose the application for which you want to use the new keyboard shortcut.
    2. If you can't find the app that you want on the list, choose 'Other' then find the app by using the 'Open' dialog (note that some apps do not allow users to create custom keyboard shortcuts).
    3. If you want to use the same shortcut for multiple applications, select 'All Applications.'
  1. Go to the 'Menu Title' field.
    1. Type the menu command for which you want to create a new shortcut, like 'Merge All Windows,' for example.
    2. If the menu command that you wish to make a shortcut for takes several steps to reach, type the menu command in the exact order of steps that you need to do to reach that particular command, with each step separated by the '>' character. For example, if you want to create a shortcut to the 'Export to PDF' command, type in 'File > Export to PDF' in the 'Menu Title' field.
  1. After that, go to the 'Keyboard Shortcut' field, then press the combination of keys that you want to use for your custom keyboard shortcut.
  2. Click 'Add.'
  3. Follow the same steps if you want to create separate keyboard shortcuts for specific apps.

Just make sure that the new keyboard shortcut that you created isn't already assigned to another command. Otherwise, it's not going to work unless you will change the shortcut that was created first. If you don't know which keyboard shortcuts have already been assigned to which commands, you can use this detailed list for reference.

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
Driver epson l805 for mac.

Quick fact: ??
Did you know, the Command key ? symbol was borrowed from a road sign that is used across Scandinavia? Its original use is to denote tourist attractions. Early Mac models had Apple key instead of Command, but it later was changed as Steve Jobs feared that there would be too many 'apples' in the OS interface.

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.

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

2. Restore a recently closed tab

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

How to memorize Mac shortcuts: ??
Psychologists say you have to do something at least 3 times to put it in your long-term memory. Attach small sticky notes to the outlines of your Mac's screen with 3 or 4 shortcuts you really want to master. Then, leave it all to your fingers.

Mac shortcuts for documents

Key Commands For Mac

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.

To apply strikethrough formatting: Cmd + Shift + X

4. Quickly print documents

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

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.

Key Commands For Macbook

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.

These might also interest you:





broken image