You do not need a hundred shortcuts. About thirty cover most of a day, and you will meet them in groups below. Learn one group a week and they become muscle memory.
Decode the symbols#
Mac menus show shortcuts with symbols. Here is the key to all of them.
| Symbol | Key | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| ⌘ | Command | Next to the space bar |
| ⌥ | Option | Beside Command |
| ⌃ | Control | Bottom left |
| ⇧ | Shift | Above Control |
| ⎋ | Escape | Top left |
Need to copy a symbol into a document? Use the Mac keyboard symbol picker. To look up a shortcut by what you want to do, try the shortcut finder.
Quiz yourself#
Read each action, say the shortcut, then flip the card. Run it twice. The second pass sticks.
Shortcut flashcards
1/14 · 0 known
Switch apps and windows#
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⌘ Space | Open Spotlight to launch apps and find files |
| ⌘ Tab | Switch to the next app. Hold ⌘ and tap Tab to move along the list |
| ⌘ ` | Cycle through windows of the current app |
| ⌘ W | Close the window |
| ⌘ Q | Quit the app |
| ⌘ H | Hide the app |
| ⌘ M | Minimise the window |
| ⌃ ↑ | Open Mission Control |
| ⌃ ← / → | Move between desktops |
To arrange windows side by side, see how to snap and tile windows on a Mac without extra apps.
Edit and select text#
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⌘ C / X / V | Copy, cut, paste |
| ⌘ Z and ⇧ ⌘ Z | Undo and redo |
| ⌘ A | Select all |
| ⌘ F | Find |
| ⌥ ← / → | Move one word |
| ⌘ ← / → | Jump to the start or end of the line |
| ⇧ plus any move | Select as you move |
| ⌥ ⌫ | Delete the previous word |
| ⌘ ⌫ | Delete to the start of the line |
Copying more than once? Our guide to clipboard history shows how to keep earlier copies.
Capture the screen#
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⇧ ⌘ 3 | Whole screen |
| ⇧ ⌘ 4 | Drag to choose an area. Press Space to capture a single window |
| ⇧ ⌘ 5 | Toolbar for screenshots and screen recording |
Move around Finder#
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space | Quick Look the selected file |
| ⇧ ⌘ G | Go to a folder by path |
| ⇧ ⌘ N | New folder |
| ⌘ I | Get Info |
| ⌘ D | Duplicate |
| ⌘ ⌫ | Move to Trash |
| ⇧ ⌘ ⌫ | Empty Trash |
| ⇧ ⌘ . | Show or hide hidden files |
| ⌥ ⌘ V | Move copied files instead of copying them |
If a path with spaces will not paste into Terminal, the Terminal path helper escapes it for you.
Plan your week of learning#
Week 1
Spotlight, app switching, close and quit.
Week 2
Text editing and selection.
Week 3
Screenshots and Finder.
Week 4
Window arrangement and Mission Control.
When a shortcut does not work#
- Clash with an app. Some apps reuse shortcuts. Check the app's menus.
- Clash with a system shortcut. Open System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts to see and change them.
- Different input sources. Multiple languages can move keys around.
- Want more power? Launchers like Raycast and Alfred add their own shortcuts and workflows. See Alfred alternatives.
Frequently asked questions#
What are the most useful Mac shortcuts?#
Spotlight, app switching, undo, close and screenshots cover most days. Start there.
How do I see all shortcuts?#
Open System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts for system ones. Each app lists its own in its menus.
How do I type the symbols like ⌘?#
Copy them from our symbol picker, or use Edit → Emoji & Symbols in most apps.
Can I change a shortcut?#
Yes, in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts, and in many apps' own settings.
Written by
Guides are researched, written, and maintained by the Atypical Mac User editorial team. Every procedure is checked against the current version of macOS before it is marked as published.
Last updated . First published .
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