Mac keyboard shortcuts: We all wish to be more efficient and quick when it comes to computer usage. A keyboard shortcut is the best way to increase your working efficiency in office or even daily computing tasks.
Mac keyboard shortcuts are fun to use and also make you fall in love with the operating system. You will not have to reach out to your mouse or trackpad very often when using shortcuts, and thus you can save a lot of your time.
List of Best Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
You can find several shortcut key, here in this article I have mentioned some useful keywords you to know. We are very much familiar with common Mac keyboard shortcuts which can be used even in windows computers like copy-paste. So in this blog, you will find some most useful Mac keyboard shortcuts that people are not generally aware of.
Read More: What Is Your Favorite Method for Typing Accents on a Mac Keyboard
“⌘” symbol
Before we start with the shortcut key, let’s talk about the common key denoted with the symbol ⌘. It functions similar to a window control key. The command is easier to use compared to the command key as it’s just beside the space bar on both sides. For a shortcut key, you have to press the command button along with other keys. For example, hold on ⌘ and, at the same time, press the C key to perform the copy function.
Apart from using these efficient shortcut keys, you can also make your own shortcuts through system preferences. Go to system preferences then choose keyboard after that select shortcuts.
Read More: My keyboard keeps disappearing
Open Spotlight Search Tool
⌘+Space Bar: This shortcut comes handy if you want to look for a particular file in your Mac. Press these shortcut key and type the name of the file you are looking for in the prompt. Within a second, you will have all the results matching the word you have typed.
With the sear light tool, you can instantly open your chats from iMessage or bookmarks or text of files on your drive. With this shortcut, you can quickly access apps that you don’t keep on your dock.
Quit App
⌘+Q: this commons is to close your application quickly. This shortcut is not to minimize application like clicking the X button on the top of Mac. This shortcut key will close the app you are currently working on; if you are working on multiple apps, click on the shortcut key multiple times.
Screen Recording and Screenshot
There are many shortcut keys to take Screenshot on your Mac, it depends upon which area you want to capture.
Screenshot of the whole window: ⌘+Shift+3
Click on the command button and along with it press shift plus 3 to screenshot the entire window. All the screenshot will be saved in the screenshot folder in your Mac.
Screenshot a specific area of your screen: ⌘+Shift+4
Press the command button along with shit and four keys to capture a particular area of the screen. Pressing this key will open a cropping tool for you, select the part you want to save and done you can save the image or directly share it any social media app.
Screenshot Toolbar: ⌘+Shift+5
This shortcut key was featured in macOS Mojave; it brings all the screenshot editing tools on your screen. Clicking command plus shift plus 5 to bring this toolbar, it will have multiple options like a screenshot of the entire window or a specific area screenshot. You will also have an option to record your activities and save video and screenshot images at your desired location.
Switching Between Windows
Command plus ~ is a very useful shortcut key when you are multitasking on Mac. When you have opened two tabs like notes or drafts. Working with multiple documents is super simple. This method will not break your working speed. You don’t have to use the split-view that feels very restricted, especially when you are using a smaller mac device.
Safari’s Search Bar
Command plus L key bring Safari search bar on your screen, so you don’t have to reach to your mouse every time you need a new word. This shortcut will help you boost your work efficiency. When you apply this shortcut cursor will move to Safari’s search bar or chrome bar if you are using a windows computer.
Hide Apps
Command plus key H, can be used when you want to hide a window or app. So this key is a stealthy one. If you don’t want anyone to figure out on stuff you are watching or working, just use this shortcut, it quickly hides app.
To bring back the vanished window, all you have to do is to press the app’s icon on the dock or on the app switcher. You can also bring back the hidden apps by pressing command + option and mouse click on a visible area of the screen.
You can even hide the app that you don’t frequently use in order to declutter your desktop screen. Instead of hiding the app, you can even minimize your current app by Command plus M key. However, the preview of the minimized app is visible at the right of your dock.
Force-quit an App
If you are experiencing buffering or your apps are locked, using this shortcut will instantly force quit your App, Press command + option +Q. You can even Force Quit multiple apps by using the shortcut key ⌘+Option+Esc (Escape). Similarly, it can be applied for Windows computers by using Control-Alt+Delete. Here you will get a window that features Force Quit Applications, and lets you choose app force quitting.
Immediately lock your Mac
If you are moving away from your computer at the workplace or at home, it’s a good practice to lock your screen. You never know if anyone sneaks to your work. Use Command + Control+Q shortcut to quickly lock your screen, whenever you step out from your computer.
Also Check: Best Keyboard apps for Android 2020
Preview Files
If you want to quickly look into files without wasting much of your time, use the keyword Click + spaceBar. Go through the associated opening app and select the file from the Finder folder and click Spacebar. It is also valid for all the desktop files.
When you apply the shortcut, a full-page preview will appear, including markup options. Flip between files with arrow keys on the upper left. This shortcut can be applied for any file format, including images, PDFs, Xcel’s and more.
If you want to preview multiple files at once, to do that, click on hold to the Command key and select all the files. After the file selection, click on to Command + Y keys. Using the command + Y key will even work for a single file but might not be convenient.
Finder Shortcut
Finder shortcuts will help you to jump between folders such as downloads and documents; you can even quickly change views and more. Here are some useful shortcut keys you use in the finder menu.
- Hide the sidebar using the shortcut key command + option + S
- To Get Info use Command + I
- Switch between different icons, list, column, or cover flow views using Command + 1 to 4, respectively.
- Move your mouse to Home folder with Command + Shift + H
- Visit Download folder using Command + Shift + L
- To visit Document folder use Command + Shift + O
Another shortcut key for the finder menu is an interesting one. When an item is highlighted, you can preview it by pressing the Spacebar. This feature will save you some time and it’s especially great when you have to preview a long list of image siles. You can use this for different file formats such as text files and PDFs.
Text Manipulation Shortcut
Text manipulation shortcuts are great for those who type a lot on Mac like students, writers and editors. Manipulation shortcut offers easy and quick way to complete your writing task. Use these Mac keyboard shortcuts to type continuously without reaching for your mouse and hence increase your work productivity.
Note that these efficient Text manipulation keyboard shortcuts on Mac work when you use your iPad with an external keyboard.
- To move your cursor to the end line, use Command + Left.
- Move cursor on the top page use Command + Up
- Move cursor on the bottom page use Command + Down
- To select one character at a time, use keys Option + left/right.
- Move the cursor to the next or previous word use Option + Shift + Left/Right
- Start your text selection using Shift + Left/Right on Left/Right of cursor which selects one character at a time.
- To select full line use Shift + Command + Left/Right of left/right side of cursor.
- To select the entire text of your document use Shift + Command + Left/Right keys.
Speed Typing with Text Replacement
When talking about shortcut keys, we can not miss out on the text replacement dfature. It comes to your rescue when you have to use a word repeatedly. You can make a shortcut key for a sentence. When you type in the shortcut it will expand it to a sentence automatically. For example typing address will expand into your home address.
To use the text replacement feature Go through the following option:
- System preferences
- Keyboard
- Text
- + (Plus) button
- Enter the shortcut in the replace filed
- Enter a phrase in the With field
Mail Shortcuts
If you are using Apple’s default Mail App, here are some handy shortcuts, you can use when you send or write an email.
- To start with a new mail use Command + N
- To forwarding a mail use Command + Shift + F
- For replying to an email using Command + R
- Open inbox using Command + 1
- To search with selected text used Command + E
- To Marks, emails read or unread use Command + shift + U
- Mark mails to junk use Command + Shift + J
Trash
Send all the unnecessary stuff from you Mac by moving to trash and the best part is you don’t have to touch your mouse for it.
Here are a few shortcut keys if you want to send any file to the trash or even permanently delete it.
- If you want to share a select file to Trash use the shortcut key Command + Delete keyboard.
- To permanently delete files in the Trash folder, select the file and use Command + Shift + Delete.
- If you don’t want to open select files from the trash folder to completely it use Option + Command + Delete key and confirm your deletion on the popup menu. These will directly remove all the files from the trash folder. You do not have to remind yourself to clean trash every few days.
Note that once you permanently delete trash files, recovering back those items will be quite a task. You will have to go through a series of steps while recovering files from the trash folder is very easy. So think twice before you empty trash files.
Miscellaneous
These Mac keyboard shortcuts keys do not fall in any category, however, these keys will help you in your work or typing efficiency.
- If you decide to deselect the selected files quickly use Command + Option + A.
- Using Command + D keys you can delete the characters in front of the cursor. These key functions like the Delete key on windows.
- Mac computers feature spell check tool that works with most of the text-based apps, use shortcut key Command + ; (semicolon).
- Command + Shift + V is a shortcut for the browser using these keys you can paste text and match current styling.
Conclusion
That’s it, Folks, this are the top Mac keywords that can increase your work efficiency. These keyboards are best for those who are always in a hurry, make use of these shortcuts to quickly finish off your task and save extra time for yourself.
