macOS Keyboard Shortcuts
75+ macOS shortcuts for Finder, windows, screenshots, Spotlight, and system preferences. Essential Mac reference.
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy | |
| Paste | |
| Cut | |
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Select all | |
| Find | |
| Save | |
| New window / document | |
| Open | |
| Close window | |
| Quit app | |
| Open Preferences | |
| Hide current app | |
| Hide all other apps | |
| Minimize window | |
| Force Quit dialog |
Spotlight
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Spotlight | |
| Open Finder search window |
Screenshots
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Screenshot entire screen | |
| Screenshot selected area | |
| Screenshot specific window | |
| Screenshot/recording toolbar | |
| Screenshot Touch Bar |
Windows
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle full screen | |
| Switch between apps | |
| Switch windows of same app | |
| Mission Control | |
| App Exposé (all windows of app) | |
| Switch spaces / desktops | |
| Show Desktop | |
| Show/hide Dock |
Finder
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New folder | |
| Move to Trash | |
| Empty Trash | |
| Duplicate file | |
| Get Info | |
| Quick Look preview | |
| Show/hide hidden files | |
| Go to parent folder | |
| Open selected item | |
| Switch Finder view (icon/list/column/gallery) | |
| New tab | |
| Open Downloads folder | |
| Open Applications folder | |
| Open Desktop folder | |
| Open Home folder | |
| Move (cut + paste files) | |
| Rename selected file | |
| Make alias |
Text
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold | |
| Italic | |
| Underline | |
| Delete word left | |
| Forward delete | |
| Jump to start / end of line | |
| Jump word by word | |
| Jump to top / bottom of document | |
| Emoji & symbols picker | |
| Paste and Match Style | |
| Check spelling |
System
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Lock screen | |
| Log out | |
| Character Viewer (emoji) | |
| Restart | |
| Shut down | |
| Siri | |
| Focus menu bar | |
| Focus Dock |
Pro tips
Quick Look Everything
Select any file in Finder and press Space for an instant preview - PDFs, images, videos, documents, even code files. No need to open an app.
Spotlight is a Calculator + More
Spotlight (⌘+Space) does math, unit conversions, dictionary lookups, and app launching. Type '5 USD in EUR' or '150 lbs in kg' directly.
Hot Corners for Speed
Go to System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners. Assign actions (Mission Control, Desktop, Launchpad, screen saver) to screen corners for instant access.
Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
In System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts, you can create custom shortcuts for any menu item in any app.
Stage Manager for Focus
Enable Stage Manager (⌃+⌘+F5 or from Control Center) to organize windows in groups. Your active window stays centered while others are thumbnailed on the side.
Move Files with ⌘+⌥+V
macOS doesn't have 'Cut' for files. Instead, copy with ⌘+C, then use ⌘+⌥+V to move (not copy) to the new location. This is the equivalent of Cut+Paste.
Frequently asked questions
What do the Mac modifier key symbols mean?
⌘ = Command, ⌥ = Option/Alt, ⌃ = Control, ⇧ = Shift, ⌫ = Delete (Backspace), Fn = Function. These symbols appear in menus and are standard across macOS.
How do I customize keyboard shortcuts on Mac?
Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts. You can modify shortcuts for Mission Control, Spotlight, Accessibility, and create custom app-specific shortcuts.
How do I right-click on Mac?
Control-click, two-finger tap on trackpad, or click the right side of Apple Mouse. Enable in System Settings → Trackpad → Secondary Click.
What's the Mac equivalent of Ctrl+Alt+Delete?
⌘+⌥+Esc opens Force Quit Applications. For Activity Monitor (like Task Manager), open it from Spotlight or Applications → Utilities.
How do I type special characters on Mac?
Press ⌃+⌘+Space for the emoji/symbol picker. Hold a letter key for accent options (é, ü, ñ). Use ⌥+key combinations for symbols like © (⌥+G), ™ (⌥+2), € (⌥+⇧+2).
How do I take a scrolling screenshot on Mac?
macOS doesn't natively support scrolling screenshots. Use third-party apps like CleanShot X, Shottr (free), or Firefox's built-in screenshot tool for web pages.
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