MacOS: Common Shortcuts & Commands

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Command (or Cmd) ⌘
   
2. Shift ⇧
   
3. Option (or Alt) ⌥
   
4. Control (or Ctrl) ⌃
   
5. Caps Lock ⇪
   
6. Fn 
   

Some keys on some Apple keyboards have special symbols and functions, such as for display brightness , keyboard brightness , 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.

Force click

Common Shortcuts used throughout MacOS: Cut, Copy, Paste, etc

1. Command+X: Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
   
2. Command+C: Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder.
   
3. Command+V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder.
   
4. 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.
   
5. Command+A: Select All items.
   
6. Command+F: Find items in a document or open a Find window.
   
7. Command+G: Find Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find the previous occurrence, press Shift+Command+G.
   
8. Command+H: Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Option+Command+H.
   
9. Command+M: Minimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the front app, press Option+Command+M.
   
10. Command+O: Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
    
11. Command+P: Print the current document.
    
12. Command+S: Save the current document.
    
13. Command+T: Open a new tab.
    
14. Command+W: Close the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Option+Command+W.
    
15. Option+Command+Esc: Force quit an app.
    
16. 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.)
    
17. Control+Command+Space bar: Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols.
    
18. Control+Command+F: Use the app in full screen, if supported by the app.
    
19. Space bar: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.
    
20. Command+Tab: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps. 
    
21. Command+Grave accent (`): Switch between the windows of the app you’re using. (The character on the second key varies by keyboard. It’s generally the key above the Tab key and to the left of the number 1.)
    
22. Shift+Command+3: Captures the entire screen. If you have multiple monitors, it will take and save screenshots of every monitor.
    
23. Shift+Command+4: Turns your cursor into a crosshair. You can then click and drag to select the area you want to capture.
    
24. Shift+Command+5: In macOS Mojave or later, there are 5 options; take screenshots; partial or full, make a recording of your screen; partial or full. 
    
25. Shift+Command+N: Create a new folder in the Finder.
    
26. Command+Comma (,): Open preferences for the front app.
    

Select items on your Mac screen

1. Select an item: Click the item. For example, in the Finder, click the icon for a document, folder, app, or disk.
   
2. Select multiple items: Press and hold the Command key, then click the items (they don’t need to be next to each other).
   
3. Select multiple items that are adjacent: Click the first item, then press the Shift key and click the last item. All items in between are included in the selection. You can also click near the first item, press and hold the trackpad or mouse button, and then drag over all of the items. This method is especially useful in the Icon view in the Finder.
   
4. Select all items in a window: Click a window to make it active, then press Command-A.
   
5. Deselect one item when multiple items are selected: Command-click the item.