macos
Synopsis
This page contains all the most useful commands and shortcut-keys for MacOS.
MacOS is a Unix-based operating system developed by Apple Inc. for Macintosh computers. It is the primary operating system for Apple’s Mac computers. Since 2006, Apple has been using the OS X name for releases of Mac OS X. The latest version of MacOS is Big Sur.
Basic MacOS Keyboard Shortcuts
Here are some of the popularly known and handiest keyboard shortcuts for macOS from various categories.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Command (⌘) + 0 | Revert to actual zoom size |
| Command (⌘) + 9 | Zoom to fit |
| Command (⌘) + A | Select or highlight all items in the front window |
| Command (⌘) + C | Copy the selected item to the clipboard |
| Command (⌘) + Control (⌃) + D | See the definition of the highlighted word in the Dictionary app |
| Command (⌘) + Control (⌃) + Delete | Define highlighted word |
| Command (⌘) + Control (⌃) + Power | Restart your iMac or Mackbook without confirmation |
| Command (⌘) + Delete | Move the selected item to Trash |
| Command (⌘) + E | Copy the selected text for use with the Find function |
| Command (⌘) + F5 | Turn VoiceOver on or off |
| Command (⌘) + F | Find |
| Command (⌘) + G | use to navigate through each found item |
| Command (⌘) + Minus(-) | Zoom out |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Space | Open Spotlight Finder Search Window |
| Command (⌘) + Spacebar | Show/hide the Spotlight search field |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + F5 | Show Accessibility options |
| Command (⌘) + P | Print the contents of the current screen |
| Command (⌘) + Plus(+) | Zoom in |
| Command (⌘) + Q | Quit |
| Command (⌘) + S | Save a file |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Delete | Empty Trash |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Option (⌥) + Delete | Empty the Trash without confirmation |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + P | Display the dialog box showing page setup parameters for printing |
| Command (⌘) + Space | Open Spotlight |
| Command (⌘) + V | Paste |
| Command (⌘) + W | Close window |
| Command (⌘) + X | Cut |
| Command (⌘) + Z | Undo/Redo |
| Command (⌘) + M | Minimize a window |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Z | Undo/Redo |
| Control (⌃) + Up arrow or F3 | Open Mission Control |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + 8 | Turn zoom on or off |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + Minus(-) | Zoom out |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + Plus(+) | Zoom in |
| Option (⌥) + Shift (⇧) + F1/F2 | Increase or decrease the brightness in smaller steps |
| Option (⌥) + Shift (⇧) + F11/F12 | Increase or decrease volume in smaller steps |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Control (⌃) + Comma(,) | Decrease screen contrast |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Control (⌃) + Fullstop(.) | Increase screen contrast |
Mac Screenshot Keyboard Shortcuts
There are 3 ways you can capture a screenshot on macOS using keyboard shortcuts.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + 3 | Takes a screenshot of the entire screen |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + 4 | Takes the screenshot of a selected area of the screen or a cropped screenshot |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + 4 + Spacebar + Click on the window | Takes a screenshot of a specific window. |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + 5 | Take a screenshot or record screen (Mojave onwards) |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + 6 | Take a screenshot of the Touchbar |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Control (⌃) + 3 | Capture the screen to the Clipboard |
Mac Finder Keyboard Shortcuts
Below is the list of useful keyboard shortcuts that you can use while using the Mac Finder.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Command (⌘) + 1 | View Finder window items as icons |
| Command (⌘) + 2 | View Finder window items as a list |
| Command (⌘) + 3 | View Finder window items as columns |
| Command (⌘) + 4 | View Finder window items in the gallery |
| Command (⌘) + Click | Open the Sidebar item in a Window |
| Command (⌘) + Click the window title | See the folders that contain the currently open folder |
| Command (⌘) + Comma | Open preferences for the app you are using |
| Command (⌘) + Double-click | Open a folder in a separate window |
| Command (⌘) + Up arrow | Go to the parent folder |
| Command (⌘) + Down Arrow | Open a highlighted file or app |
| Command (⌘) + E | Eject |
| Command (⌘) + H | Hide the currently active window |
| Command (⌘) + I | Get Info about an item |
| Command (⌘) + J | Show View Options |
| Command (⌘) + K | Connect to the Server |
| Command (⌘) + L | Make an alias for the selected item |
| Command (⌘) + Left Bracket ([) | Return to the previous folder |
| Command (⌘) + Right Bracket (]) | Go to the next folder |
| Command (⌘) + N | New Finder window |
| Command (⌘) + O | Open the selected item |
| Command (⌘) + T | Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + A | Deselect all items |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + F | Go to the search field in an open Spotlight window |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + H + M | Hide all windows except the window in use and minimize it |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + H | Hide all windows except the front window |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + I | Access File Inspector |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + M | Minimize all open windows at once |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + T | Show or hide the Toolbar/Sidebar |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + W | Close all open windows |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Y | View a slideshow of the selected files |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + dragging | Make an alias of the dragged item |
| Command (⌘) + R | Show the original file for the selected alias in the Finder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + A | Open the Applications folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + C | Open the Computer window in Finder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + D | Open Desktop folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + F | Find Spotlight filename matches |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + G | Go to Folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + H | Open the Home folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + I | Compose an email |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + K | Open the Network window |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + N | New folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Option (⌥) + Q | Log out instantly |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Q | Log out |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Question Mark (?) | Open the Help menu |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + T | Show the Tab Bar |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Tab | Cycle through applications without touching the trackpad |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + U | Open Utilities folder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Up Arrow | Open the Computer pane in a new Finder window |
| Command (⌘) + T | Open the current location in a new tab |
| Command (⌘) + Up Arrow | Open the folder that contains the current folder |
| Command (⌘) + dragging | Move the selected item to another location |
| Command (⌘) + F3 | Show or hide all open windows |
| F4 | Open the Launchpad |
| Control (⌃) + F3 | Show the open windows for the frontmost application |
| Left Arrow (in List view) | Close the selected folder |
| Right Arrow (in List view) | Expand a folder |
| Option (⌥) + Click the disclosure triangle (in List view) | Open all folders within the selected folder |
| Option (⌥) + Double-click | Open a folder in a separate window, closing the current window |
| Option (⌥) + Dragging | Copy dragged item |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + D | Show or hide the Dock |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + L | Open the Downloads folder |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + N | Create a new Smart Folder |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + P | Hide or show the path bar in the Finder window |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + S | Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows |
| 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 |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + Y | View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files |
| Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + dragging | Make an alias of the dragged item |
| Option (⌥) + Click a disclosure triangle | Open all folders within the selected folder while in list view |
| Spacebar/Command (⌘) + Y | Open Quick Look |
| 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 |
| 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 the Finder window |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + U | Open the Utilities folder |
| Shift (⇧) + Minimize Window | Minimize a window in slow motion |
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts for Safari
Keyboard Shortcut keys in using SAFARI
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Shift (⇧) + Click a Link | Add a webpage to Reading List |
| Press Escape/Command (⌘) + Full stop(.) | Cancel the current Find |
| Command (⌘) + Up/Down arrow | Scroll to the top-left or bottom-left corner of a webpage |
| Command (⌘) + Comma(,) | Change Safari preferences |
| Command (⌘) + Left Bracket([) | Return to the previous webpage |
| Command (⌘) + Right Bracket(]) | Go to the next webpage |
| Command (⌘) + D | Bookmark a webpage |
| Command (⌘) + L | Highlight the Search Field or URL |
| Command (⌘) + F | Search the active web page |
| Shift (⇧) + Return | Move backward |
| Command (⌘) + T | Open a new tab in Safari |
| Command (⌘) + W | Close the current tab |
| Command (⌘) + Z | Reopen the last closed tab |
| Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + W | Use this combination and click the close button (X) on the Safari tab you want to keep open to close all other tabs except one |
| Command (⌘) + Click a link | Open the link in a new Safari tab |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + B | Show or hide the favorite bookmarks bar below the URL field in Safari |
| Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Click a link | Open the link in a new tab in the foreground |
| Command (⌘) + Option + Shift (⇧) + Click a link | Open the link in a new browser window |
| Command (⌘) + W | Close the active tab in the browser |
| Command (⌘) + Plus(+)/Minus(-) | Zoom a website’s content in or out |
| Command (⌘) + Up arrow + L | Go to the Address bar directly |
| Option/Shift (⇧) + Spacebar | Scroll up a screen. You can also use the Page Up and Down keys for this purpose |
| Up/Down arrow | Scroll up and down |
| Left/Right arrow | Scroll left and right |
| Hold down the Back key | See a list of recently visited pages by name |
| Press Option + Hold down the Back or Forward key | See a list of your recently visited pages by the web URL |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + \ | Show tab overview |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + D | Add the current webpage to your reading list |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + H | Go to the homepage |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + R | Open Reader |
| Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + T | Reopen the last Safari tab you closed |
| Spacebar/Option + Up arrow | Scroll up a webpage by one full-screen |
| Spacebar/Option + Down arrow | Scroll down a webpage by one full-screen |
| Command (⌘) + 1, Command (⌘) + 2, and so on | You can use Command (⌘) + 1-9 to switch between the first 9 Tabs in the Safari browser |
| Control (⌃) + Tab or Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Right Arrow | Switch to the Next Tab |
| Control (⌃) + Shift (⇧) + Tab or Command (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Left Arrow | Switch to the Previous Tab |
| Control (⌃) + Command (⌘) + 1 | Show or Hide the Bookmarks sidebar |