The macOS Shortcut Playbook

macOS is built around keyboard shortcuts that make navigating the system faster and more efficient. Whether you're managing files, switching between apps, taking screenshots, or working in Safari, mastering these shortcuts can dramatically improve your productivity.

CORE macOS SHORTCUTS
- Command (⌘) + Space → Open Spotlight Search
- Command (⌘) + Tab → Switch between open apps
- Command (⌘) + ` (Backtick) → Switch between windows of the same app
- Command (⌘) + H → Hide the active app
- Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + H → Hide all other apps
- Command (⌘) + M → Minimize current window
- Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + M → Minimize all windows of the current app
- Command (⌘) + Q → Quit current app
- Command (⌘) + W → Close current window or tab
- Control (⌃) + Command (⌘) + Q → Lock your Mac
- Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Esc → Force Quit Applications

FINDER SHORTCUTS
- Command (⌘) + N → New Finder window
- Command (⌘) + Shift + N → New folder
- Command (⌘) + T → Show or hide tab bar
- Command (⌘) + Shift + T → Show or hide tab
- Command (⌘) + Delete → Move selected item to Trash
- Command (⌘) + Shift + Delete → Empty Trash
- Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + Delete → Empty Trash without confirmation
- Space → Quick Look selected file
- Command (⌘) + I → Get Info
- Command (⌘) + D → Duplicate selected file
- Command (⌘) + O → Open selected item
- Command (⌘) + Up Arrow → Open parent folder
- Command (⌘) + Down Arrow → Open selected folder or file
- Command (⌘) + [ → Go Back
- Command (⌘) + ] → Go Forward
- Command (⌘) + 1 → Icon View
- Command (⌘) + 2 → List View
- Command (⌘) + 3 → Column View
- Command (⌘) + 4 → Gallery View

COPY, EDITING & TEXT
- Command (⌘) + C → Copy
- Command (⌘) + X → Cut (supported apps)
- Command (⌘) + V → Paste
- Option (⌥) + Shift + Command (⌘) + V → Paste and Match Style
- Command (⌘) + Z → Undo
- Shift + Command (⌘) + Z → Redo
- Command (⌘) + A → Select All
- Command (⌘) + F → Find
- Command (⌘) + G → Find Next
- Shift + Command (⌘) + G → Find Previous
- Command (⌘) + S → Save
- Shift + Command (⌘) + S → Save As (supported apps)
- Command (⌘) + P → Print
- Command (⌘) + O → Open
- Command (⌘) + N → New document
- Command (⌘) + B → Bold
- Command (⌘) + I → Italic
- Command (⌘) + U → Underline
- Option (⌥) + Delete → Delete previous word
- Fn + Delete → Forward Delete
- Command (⌘) + Left Arrow → Beginning of line
- Command (⌘) + Right Arrow → End of line
- Command (⌘) + Up Arrow → Top of document
- Command (⌘) + Down Arrow → Bottom of document
- Option (⌥) + Left Arrow → Move one word left
- Option (⌥) + Right Arrow → Move one word right

WINDOW MANAGEMENT
- Mission Control (F3 or Control + Up Arrow) → View all open windows
- Control (⌃) + Down Arrow → App Exposé
- Control (⌃) + Left Arrow → Previous Space
- Control (⌃) + Right Arrow → Next Space
- Control (⌃) + Up Arrow → Mission Control
- F11 → Show Desktop
- Globe (Fn) + C → Control Center
- Globe (Fn) + A → Dock

SCREENSHOTS & SCREEN RECORDING
- Shift + Command (⌘) + 3 → Capture entire screen
- Shift + Command (⌘) + 4 → Capture selected area
- Shift + Command (⌘) + 4, then Space → Capture a window
- Shift + Command (⌘) + 5 → Screenshot and screen recording toolbar
- Shift + Command (⌘) + 6 → Screenshot Touch Bar (Touch Bar Macs)

SAFARI SHORTCUTS
- Command (⌘) + T → New tab
- Command (⌘) + Shift + T → Reopen last closed tab
- Command (⌘) + W → Close current tab
- Command (⌘) + L → Select address bar
- Command (⌘) + R → Refresh page
- Command (⌘) + D → Bookmark current page
- Command (⌘) + Y → History
- Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + L → Downloads
- Command (⌘) + Plus (+) → Zoom In
- Command (⌘) + Minus (-) → Zoom Out
- Command (⌘) + 0 → Actual Size

TERMINAL SHORTCUTS
- Control (⌃) + C → Stop running command
- Control (⌃) + L → Clear Terminal screen
- Command (⌘) + K → Clear Terminal buffer
- Tab → Auto-complete commands and file names
- Command (⌘) + T → New Terminal tab
- Command (⌘) + N → New Terminal window

SYSTEM SHORTCUTS
- Command (⌘) + Comma (,) → Open app preferences
- Command (⌘) + Shift + 5 → Screenshot utility
- Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + D → Show or hide Dock
- Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + P → Show or hide the toolbar in Finder
- Command (⌘) + Control (⌃) + F → Enter or exit full-screen mode
- Option (⌥) + Brightness → Open Display Settings
- Option (⌥) + Volume → Open Sound Settings
- Option (⌥) + Keyboard Brightness → Open Keyboard Settings

POWER USER SHORTCUTS
- Command (⌘) + Space → Launch apps instantly with Spotlight
- Command (⌘) + Shift + G → Go to Folder in Finder
- Command (⌘) + K → Connect to Server
- Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + V → Move files instead of copying when pasting
- Option (⌥) while clicking Wi-Fi → Advanced Wi-Fi information
- Option (⌥) while clicking Bluetooth → Bluetooth diagnostics and device details
- Option (⌥) while clicking Battery → Battery health and power information

BONUS TIPS
- Spotlight (Command + Space) can perform calculations, currency conversions, unit conversions, launch apps, search files, and even define words.
- Press and hold the Command (⌘) key while using Tab to keep the App Switcher open, then use the arrow keys or your mouse to choose an application.
- Quick Look (Space) lets you preview documents, images, videos, PDFs, and many other file types without opening them.
- Learning the Finder shortcuts alone can save hundreds of clicks every day, especially if you frequently organize files or work with multiple projects.