For Mac OS X, what are some useful keyboard commands?
Although Mac OS X allows for the manipulation of files and applications using the mouse alone, there are nonetheless a number of keyboard commands for navigating the Mac OS X GUI.
Key commands in the Finder
Below are some keyboard commands that may be helpful when working in the Mac OS X Finder:
Note: The Command key (the apple key) is next to the
Spacebar. In the Knowledge Base, the Command key is usually
abbreviated Cmd. Also, the Power key is usually in the
upper right corner of the keyboard, denoted by a small triangle
pointing to the left or a broken circle and vertical line.
| Action | Keystrokes |
|---|---|
| Show in a Finder window the volumes (e.g., hard drives, removable disks, mounted disk images, and file servers) connected to the computer | Press Cmd-Shift-c (press
Cmd-Option-c in 10.1.x).
|
Show in a Finder window your personal Home folder |
Press Cmd-Shift-h (press Cmd-Option-h in
10.1.x).
|
Show in a Finder window the Applications folder |
Press Cmd-Shift-a (press Cmd-Option-a in
10.1.x).
|
| Show or hide the Dock | Press Cmd-Option-d .
|
| On the desktop or in Icon or List mode, select items in alphabetical order | Press Tab. Press
Shift-Tab to move backward, or use the arrow keys to move
in a specific direction.
|
| Select specific item on the desktop or in a Finder window | Begin to type the item's name on the keyboard. |
| Select (or deselect) all items on the desktop or in a Finder window | Press Cmd-a .
|
| Open a selected item | Press Cmd-o .
|
| Open a new Finder window | Press Cmd-n .
|
| Rename a selected item | Press Return and type
the new name.
|
| Make a copy of a selected item | Press
Cmd-d .
|
| Open a selected folder or application | Press
Cmd-o or Cmd-down arrow.
|
| Eject a selected disk | Press Cmd-e .
|
| Make an alias of a selected item | Press
Cmd-l (the letter l).
|
| Put an alias of the selected items in your Favorites | Press
Cmd-t .
|
| Show original of a selected alias | Press
Cmd-r .
|
| Make a new folder | Press Cmd-Shift-n .
|
| Trash selected item | Press Cmd-Del.
|
| Empty Trash | Press Cmd-Shift-Del.
|
| Close window | Press Cmd-w . To close all
open windows while in the Finder, press
Cmd-Option-w .
|
| Hide the front application | Press
Cmd-h . Also, you can press Option and
click the desktop with the mouse.
|
| Minimize the front window to the Dock | Press
Cmd-m .
|
| Get information about a selected item | Press
Cmd-i .
|
| Switch between open applications | Press Cmd-Tab.
|
| Take a picture of the screen |
Press
Cmd-Shift-3 . The picture will be stored on your hard
drive. (Mac OS X 10.1 and later)
|
| Take a picture of a portion of the screen only | Press
Cmd-Shift-4 . (Mac OS X 10.1 or higher) The cursor
will change into a crosshair. Hold down the mouse button, drag the
crosshair over the portion of the screen you wish to take a picture
of, and then release the mouse button.
|
| Cancel an action | Press Cmd-. (the period
key).
|
| Shut down the computer | Press the Power key, then
Return. On keyboards that don't have a Power key, press
Ctrl-Eject and then Return.
|
| Restart the computer | Press the Power key, then
r . On keyboards that don't have a Power key,
press Ctrl-Eject and then r .
|
| Put the computer to sleep | Press the Power key, then
s . On keyboards that don't have a Power key,
press Ctrl-Eject and then s .
|
| Log out of your account | Press
Cmd-Shift-q .
|
| Connect to a server | Press Cmd-k and the
Connect to Server window will open.
|
Open the Force Quit window |
Press
Cmd-Option-Esc.
|
Open the Go To Folder window or sheet |
Press
Cmd-Shift-g (press Cmd-~ [the tilde] in
10.1.x).
|
| Open a "Find" window (10.2.x and later) or Sherlock (10.1.x) | Press Cmd-f .
|
| Open Mac Help | Press Cmd-? .
|
Key commands for the Dock
| Action | Keystrokes |
|---|---|
| Leave a running application's icon permanently in the Dock |
Ctrl-click or click and hold the application's icon,
then, from the contextual menu, choose Keep In
Dock.
|
| Hide all but a given application | Press and hold
Cmd-Option while clicking the application's icon.
|
| See a list of open windows for an application |
Ctrl-click or click and hold the application's icon.
|
| Show Dock item in the Finder | Cmd-click the
application's icon.
|
Key commands in other applications
Key commands in applications other than the Finder differ, but the following are common to most (but not all) programs:
| Action | Keystrokes |
|---|---|
| Create a new document | Press Cmd-n .
|
| Save the current document | Press Cmd-s .
|
| Print the current document | Press Cmd-p .
|
| Quit the application | Press Cmd-q .
|
| Select text | Press and hold the Shift key and
then use the arrow keys to move over the text you want.
|
| Copy selected text or object | Press Cmd-c .
|
| Cut selected text or object | Press Cmd-x .
|
| Paste | Press Cmd-v .
|
| Undo last action | Press Cmd-z .
|
For other keyboard commands, check the menus within the application and consult the documentation for the program you are using.
Also see:
- For Mac OS and Mac OS X, are there any tutorial programs?
- For Mac OS, what are some useful keyboard commands?
- In Mac OS X, how do I password-protect my computer?
- In Mac OS X, how can I take a picture of the screen?
This is document akrm in domain all.
Last modified on April 05, 2007.
Last modified on April 05, 2007.
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