41 of the Most Useful Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

Everyone wants everything they do on their computer to be fast. Their Internet connection, the speed they type, and how quickly they can save, open, and alter documents. These mac keyboard shortcuts can help you do just that. Try out these Mac hotkeys to make your browsing, typing, and viewing experiences a little more convenient. Here are some keyboard shortcuts that will make web browsing so much easier.

Mac keyboard shortcuts allow you to do things on your computer that would typically require you to use a mouse, trackpad, or another device with a combination of the keys on your keyboard. To find the Mac shortcuts that are already set up on your device, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts. From there you can look through the different mac keyboard shortcuts that are set up for your keyboard, launchpad and dock, Mission Control, Spotlight, and so on. To change an existing shortcut you can select the one you want to change, click on the key combination, and then type the new keys you want to use. If you want to create a new keyboard shortcut, navigate down to App Shortcuts, click the plus, select the application you want (or select All Applications), then type in the menu title and the keys you want to use. Then click Add. Take note, in order for the shortcut to work you need to type in the exact syntax of the menu title. That means capitalization, spaces, and punctuation.

If you want to become a master at all of the macOS keyboard shortcuts, keep reading to learn all of the ones we find useful. Also, check out these hidden symbols you never knew you could text.

Mac command keys

Keyboard shortcuts using the Command key on Macs are pretty well-known. In case you forgot, or need a refresher, here are some helpful ones.

COMMAND ACTION
Command-C Copy the selected item
Command-X Cut the selected item
Command-V Paste shortcut for Mac
Command-Z Undo. Shift-Command-Z is the redo shortcut for what you just undid.
Command-A Select all items
Command-F Find text or symbol in an open document or window
Command-H Hide the front/active window
Command-M Minimize the front/active window
Command-O Open the selected item or open Finder to select a file to open
Command-P Print
Command-S Save
Command-T Open a new tab
Command-W Close the front/active window
Command-Q Quit the front/active window

Print This Now

Mac function keys

The Mac function keys run across the top of your keyboard. The F1-F12 keys can be used for built-in Mac features or as standard function keys. The function keys may look slightly different depending on what model of Mac you have, but each key shows a self-explanatory image that tells you what the built-in Mac feature is. If you’re not sure what all of the icons mean, here’s how to decode them.

COMMAND ACTION
F1 Lower brightness
F2 Increase brightness
F3 Open Mission Control
F4 Open Launchpad
F5 Lower keyboard brightness
F6 Increase keyboard brightness
F7 Skip back (audio)
F8 Pause/Play
F9 Skip forward (audio)
F10 Mute
F11 Increase volume
F12 Decrease volume

Print This Now

You can also use the F1-F12 keys on your Mac as standard function keys. These will work differently depending on the app you’re using and the keyboard shortcuts that you have set up. To use the function keys as standard function keys hold down the Function (fn) key and then press a function key. For example, when you press the fn key and F11, it will perform the action assigned to that key instead of lowering the volume. If you also have a Windows computer at home too, you’ll want to know these Windows keyboard shortcuts also.

Combination Mac keyboard shortcuts

Some keyboard shortcuts require more than just one or two keys. You might need to use two hands for these MacBook keyboard shortcuts or just have really long fingers. Here are the shortcuts we think you’ll use the most.

COMMAND ACTION
Option-Command-Esc Force quit an app
Space bar or Fn-Down Arrow Page down on Mac
Command-Option-M Minimize all windows
Command-Space bar Spotlight search on Mac
Fn-Left and Right arrow keys Home button on Mac
Command-Control-Space bar Opens character viewer allowing you to choose emojis and other symbols
Control-Command-F Use app in full screen
Shift-Command-N Create a new folder in Finder
Control–Shift–Power button Puts computer display to sleep
Control-Command-Q Lock Mac screen
Command-Shift-4 Take custom screenshot
Command-Control-D Defines highlighted word
Command-Shift-Delete Empties trash
Fn-Enter Insert key on Mac
Option key Alt key on Mac

Print This Now

Now that you know how to navigate around your keyboard like a true tech pro, learn about these things you didn’t know your Mac laptop could do.

Sources:

  • Apple: Mac keyboard shortcuts
  • Apple: How to use the function keys on your Mac

The post 41 of the Most Useful Mac Keyboard Shortcuts appeared first on Reader's Digest.



from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/2Nicntx

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

30 Math Puzzles (with Answers) to Test Your Smarts

This $8 Under-Eye Concealer Has Over 43K Near-Perfect Reviews on Amazon

What Are the 12 Days of Christmas and What Do They Mean?