Mac Keyboard Shortcuts: The Complete Cheat Sheet

Key: ⌘ Command · ⌥ Option · ⌃ Control · ⇧ Shift

Everyday basics

• ⌘ C / ⌘ X / ⌘ V – copy, cut, paste
• ⌘ Z / ⇧ ⌘ Z – undo, redo
• ⌘ A – select all
• ⌘ F – find
• ⌘ S – save
• ⌘ P – print
• ⌘ Space – Spotlight search (open anything)

Switching apps and windows

• ⌘ Tab – switch apps
• ` ⌘ `` – switch windows in the same app
• ⌘ H – hide current app
• ⌥ ⌘ H – hide all other apps
• ⌘ M – minimise window
• ⌘ W – close window or tab
• ⌘ Q – quit app
• ⌃ ↑ – Mission Control
• ⌃ ↓ – all windows of the current app
• ⌃ ← / ⌃ → – switch desktops (Spaces)
• ⌃ ⌘ F – full screen

Finder

• ⌘ N – new Finder window
• ⇧ ⌘ N – new folder
• ⌘ D – duplicate
• ⌘ I – get info
• Space – Quick Look preview
• ⌘ Delete – move to Trash
• ⇧ ⌘ Delete – empty Trash
• ⇧ ⌘ G – go to folder
• ⇧ ⌘ H – home folder
• ⇧ ⌘ . – show/hide hidden files

Screenshots

• ⇧ ⌘ 3 – whole screen
• ⇧ ⌘ 4 – drag to select an area
• ⇧ ⌘ 4, then Space – capture one window
• ⇧ ⌘ 5 – screenshot and screen-recording toolbar
• Add ⌃ to any of these to copy to the clipboard instead of saving a file

Editing text

• ⌥ ← / ⌥ → – jump word by word
• ⌘ ← / ⌘ → – start / end of line
• ⌘ ↑ / ⌘ ↓ – top / bottom of document
• ⌥ Delete – delete previous word
• ⌘ Delete – delete to start of line
• ⌘ B / ⌘ I / ⌘ U – bold, italic, underline
• ⌘ K – add a link

Browser (Safari and Chrome)

• ⌘ T – new tab
• ⇧ ⌘ T – reopen closed tab
• ⌘ L – go to address bar
• ⌘ R – reload
• ⌘ [ / ⌘ ] – back / forward
• ⌥ ⌘ → / ⌥ ⌘ ← – next / previous tab
• ⌘ + / ⌘ - / ⌘ 0 – zoom in, out, reset

When things go wrong

• ⌥ ⌘ Esc – force quit an app
• ⌃ ⌘ Q – lock screen
• ⌘ , – open the current app's settings

Trackpad

• Three-finger swipe up – Mission Control
• Pinch with thumb and three fingers – Launchpad / Apps
• Swipe left or right with three fingers – switch full-screen apps

Some shortcuts vary by macOS version and app.