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macOS keyboard shortcuts

The shortcuts that save the most time on a Mac. The symbols are shown on most Mac keyboards; the legend below explains them.

⌘ Command⌥ Option⇧ Shift⌃ Control

Apps and windows

⌘tab: Switch between open apps
⌘`: Switch between windows of the same app
⌘N: New window or document
⌘W: Close the window or tab
⌘Q: Quit the app
⌘M: Minimize the window to the Dock
⌘H: Hide the app
⌘⌥H: Hide all other apps
⌃⌘F: Full screen on or off
⌘,: Open the app’s settings
⌘⌥esc: Force quit an app that isn’t responding

Mission Control and Spaces

⌃↑: Open Mission Control (all windows and Spaces)
⌃↓: Show all windows of the current app
⌃→: Go to the next Space (desktop)
⌃←: Go to the previous Space
⌘⌥D: Show or hide the Dock

Text editing

⌘C: Copy
⌘X: Cut
⌘V: Paste
⌘⌥⇧V: Paste and match the surrounding style
⌘Z: Undo
⌘⇧Z: Redo
⌘A: Select all
⌥←: Move to the previous word (Option+Right for the next)
⌘←: Go to the start of the line (Cmd+Right for the end)
⌘↑: Go to the top of the document (Cmd+Down for the bottom)
⌥delete: Delete the previous word
Fndelete: Delete forward (like Delete on a PC)
⌃⌘space: Open the emoji and symbol picker
⌘F: Find
⌘S: Save
⌘P: Print

Finder

⌘⇧N: Create a new folder
return: Rename the selected file
space: Quick Look: preview the selected file
⌘I: Get info about the selected file
⌘D: Duplicate the selected file
⌘delete: Move to the Trash
⌘⇧delete: Empty the Trash
⌘⌥V: Move a copied file here (instead of copying it)
⌘↑: Go up to the enclosing folder
⌘⇧G: Go to a folder by typing its path
⌘⇧.: Show or hide hidden files
⌘T: Open a new Finder tab

Screenshots and recording

⌘⇧3: Screenshot of the whole screen
⌘⇧4: Screenshot of an area you drag
⌘⇧4thenspace: Screenshot of one window (click it)
⌘⇧5: Screenshot and screen recording toolbar
⌃⌘⇧4: Copy an area to the clipboard instead of saving a file

System

⌘space: Spotlight: search apps, files and the web
⌃⌘Q: Lock the screen
⌘⇧Q: Log out
⌘⌥Power: Put the Mac to sleep

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