OS X Keyboard Shortcuts That Mac Users Must Know – The Ultimate List

Get the most from your Mac OS – whether you use MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac or other Mac Laptops and Desktops by using these keyboard shortcuts.

1. ⌘(Command) + Space bar: This brings up the spotlight search box. As the name suggestions, it helps you quickly find (put a spotlight on) whatever you are looking for in your Mac.
2. ⌘ + W: Close the current active window.
3. ⌘ + Option + W: Close all active app windows.
4. ⌘ + Y: QuickLook – Get a preview of the item you are looking for in finder.
5. ⌘ + , (Comma): Quickly bring up the settings / preferences of the application you are working on.
6. ⌘ + Z: Undo previous command.
7. ⌘ + Shift + Z: Redo. (Some applications allow multiple redos, others don’t).
8. ⌘ + Shift + 4: Activate screenshot menu. This lets you drag a rectangle around your desired area and capture that as an image. Screenshot is saved to your desktop.
9. ⌘ + A: Select all items from the active window.
10. ⌘ + Shift + A: Go to Applications folder when in Desktop/Finder view.
11. ⌘ + Shift + U: Open the Utilities folder.
12. ⌘ + Shift + H: Go to  ‘Home’ of the active app.
13. ⌘ + Shift + I: Access iCloud drive.
14. ⌘ + L: Quickly jump to and select the Address Bar in your browser. You can then start typing and use up down arrow to pick an auto-suggested option.
15. ⌘ + Shift + Tab: Open the most recently closed Tab (A lifesaver!)
16. ⌘ + Tab: Toggle between different open apps (helps you quickly switch to a different app).
17. ⌘ + Backtick( ` ): Toggle between different open windows of the currently active app (helps you quickly switch to a different window).
18. ⌘ + Option + D: Show/hide Dock.
19. ⌘ + Left Arrow: Go Back (in Browser).
20. ⌘ + Right Arrow: Go Forward (in Browser).
21. ⌘ + Y: View your browsing History.
22. ⌘ + Up Arrow (Or, Fn + Right Arrow): Jump to the top of the page.
23. ⌘ + Down Arrow (Or, Fn + Left Arrow): Jump to the bottom of the page.
24. Fn + Fn (Fn Twice): Enable dictation. This allows you to perform a variety of tasks on your Mac using your voice. Press Fn once when done.
25. Fn + Up Arrow: Page up.
26. Fn + Down Arrow: Page down.
27. Spacebar: Scroll your active window down one screen.
28. Shift+Spacebar: Scroll your active window up one screen.
29. Control + Tab: Toggle through open tabs in browser.
30. ⌘ + Shift + Backslash( \ ): See all of your open tabs in one single view.
31. Option + Shift + Volume Up: Increase volume in smaller increments.
32. Option + Shift + Volume Down: Decrease volume in smaller increments.
33. Option + Shift + Brightness Up: Increase brightness in smaller increments.
34. Option + Shift + Brightness Down: Decrease brightness in smaller increments.
35. ⌘ + F: Find items (search for an item) in the active window.
36. ⌘ + G: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found.
37. ⌘ + Shift + G: Find the previous occurrence of the item previously found.
38. ⌘ + H: Hide the active app.
39. ⌘ + Shift + H: Hide everything else but the active app.
40. ⌘ + M: Minimize active window of the current app to the dock.
41. ⌘ + Option + M: Minimize all windows of the current app to the dock.
42. ⌘ + O: Open the selected item (Or, open the “File => Open” dialog box).
43. ⌘ + P: Print the active document.
44. ⌘ + S: Save the active document.
45. ⌘ + N: Open a new window.
46. ⌘ + T: Open a new tab.
47. ⌘ + I: Show information on slected item(s).
48. ⌘ + J: Show view options for current window.
49. ⌘ + Option + Esc: Force quit the active app.
50. ⌘ + Right Arrow: Expand folder in list view.
51. ⌘ + Option+ Right Arrow: Expand folder and its children (subfolders) in list view.
52. ⌘ + Left Arrow: Collapse folder in list view.
53. ⌘ + Option + Up Arrow: Close active window and open parent folder.
54. ⌘ + Option + Asterisk(*): Activate Zoom.
55. ⌘ + Option + Plus(+): Zoom in.
56. ⌘ + Option + Minus(-): Zoom out.
57. ⌘ + Option + Control+ Asterisk(*): Switch back to white on black.
58. ⌘ + C: Copy selected item(s) to the clipboard.
59. ⌘ + X: Cut selected item(s) and copy to the clipboard.
60. ⌘ + V: Paste item(s) on the clipboard.

Patrick Cooper

Patrick has over a decade’s experience writing about consumer electronics on the web. An avid traveller, he is the father of two adopted pitbulls and a greyhound. Cheif editor at WhatRocksAndWhatSucks.com, right now Patrick lives in Austin, TX. Reach him at patrick@wraws.com.