Boost Your Productivity: Essential MacOS Keyboard Shortcuts
Overview
In today’s fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key. Mastering Essential MacOS keyboard shortcuts can save you valuable time and streamline your workflow. This article highlights the must-know shortcuts that will help you navigate your Mac like a pro, making your workday smoother and more productive.
Essential MacOS Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts let you perform actions quickly without using a mouse or trackpad. While many shortcuts are universal, some are specific to individual apps, meaning a shortcut that works in one app may not function the same way in another.
General
| Cut text | Command ⌘ + X |
| Copy text | Command ⌘ + C |
| Paste from clipboard | Command ⌘ + V |
| Open a new finder window | Command ⌘ + N |
| Close the current window | Command ⌘ + W |
| Open spotlight search | Command ⌘ + Space Bar |
| Switch between open applications | Option + Esc |
| Move forward to the next control | Tab |
| Show all open windows | F4 |
| Move focus to the menu bar | Control + F2 |
| Move focus to the dock | Control + F3 |
| Move the cursor to the beginning or end of the current line | Left, right arrows |
| Force quit | Command ⌘ + Option + Esc |
Screenshot
| Capture the entire screen | Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + 3 |
| Capture a portion of the screen | Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + 4 |
| Capture a window or menu | Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + 4 + Spacebar |
Basic Editing Shortcuts
| Copy | Cmd (⌘) + C |
| Cut | Cmd (⌘) + X |
| Paste | Cmd (⌘) + V |
| Undo | Cmd (⌘) + Z |
| Redo | Cmd (⌘) + Shift (⇧) + Z |
| Select All | Cmd (⌘) + A |
Text Navigation Shortcuts
| Move word by word | Option (⌥) + Left/Right Arrow |
| Jump to the beginning or end of a line | Cmd (⌘) + Left/Right |
| Jump to the top or bottom of a document | Cmd (⌘) + Up/Down Arrow |
Deleting and replacing text
| Delete the previous word | Option (⌥) + Delete |
| Delete the entire line | Cmd (⌘) + Delete |
Formatting Shortcuts
| Bold text | Cmd (⌘) + B |
| Italic text | Cmd (⌘) + I |
| Underline text | Cmd (⌘) + U |
Sleep, logout and shutdown shortcuts
| Turn off Mac or wake it from sleep. | Power button |
| Put your Mac to sleep. | Option(⌥)-command⌘-power button |
| Put your displays to sleep. | Control-shift⇧-power button |
| Show a dialogue asking to restart, sleep, or shut down. | Control-power button |
| Force your Mac to restart, without prompting to save any open and unsaved documents. | Control-command⌘-power button |
| Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. Unsaved documents will be prompted to be saved. | Control-command⌘-media eject |
| Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. Unsaved documents will be prompted to be saved. | Control-option-command⌘-power button |
| Immediately lock your screen. | Control-command⌘-Q |
| Log out of your macOS user account. | Shift⇧-command⌘-Q |
| Completes an action without showing confirmation dialogue. | Option(⌥) (while choosing log out, etc.) |
Mastering these essential macOS keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow. Whether you’re navigating your system, managing files, or multitasking more efficiently, these shortcuts will help you work smarter, not harder. Keep practicing, and soon they’ll become second nature! If you have any favourite shortcuts or need further assistance, feel free to reach out, our team are here to help.
