If you use your Mac regularly for work or play, learning macOS keyboard shortcuts will save you time and effort. To help you discover and memorize essential Mac keyboard shortcuts, we've compiled them into a handy cheat sheet below.
We've covered key combinations for taking screenshots, using boot modes and shutdown routines, managing files in the Finder, navigating documents, and more.
FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time. Download the Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet.
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
Action |
Shortcut |
---|---|
Startup |
|
Boot without automatic login |
Left shift (Press and hold when macOS progress indicator appears) |
Boot in Safe Mode (Intel) |
Shift (Press and hold) |
Boot in Safe Mode (Apple Silicon) |
Power (Press and hold), then select a volume, then hold Shift while clicking Continue in Safe Mode |
Boot in Single User Mode (Intel, unavailable in macOS Mojave and later) |
Cmd + S |
Boot in Verbose Mode (Intel) |
Cmd + V |
Boot in Target Disk Mode (Intel) |
T |
Boot from a NetBoot network server |
N |
Boot to Startup Manager (Intel) |
Option |
Boot to Startup Manager (Apple Silicon) |
Power |
Load macOS Recovery (Intel) |
Cmd + R |
Load macOS Recovery over the internet (Intel) |
Option + Cmd + R |
Load macOS Recovery (Apple Silicon) |
Power, then select Options, then click Continue |
Enter Apple Diagnostics (Intel) |
D |
Enter Apple Diagnostics (Apple Silicon) |
Cmd + D |
Load Apple Diagnostics over the internet |
Option + D |
Reset NVRAM or PRAM (Intel, unnecessary on Apple Silicon Macs) |
Option + Cmd + P + R |
Eject removable media |
F12 |
Finder |
|
Rename selected file or folder |
Enter |
Duplicate selected file or folder |
Cmd + D |
Create a new folder |
Shift + Cmd + N |
Create a new Smart Folder |
Option + Cmd + N |
Create a new folder from selected file(s) |
Control + Cmd + N |
Make an alias for the item |
Control + Cmd + A |
Move selected item(s) to the Trash |
Cmd + Delete |
Delete selected item(s) immediately |
Option + Cmd + Delete |
Empty the Trash |
Cmd + Shift + Delete |
Empty the Trash immediately |
Option + Cmd + Shift + Delete |
Preview selected file(s) with Quick Look in a window |
Space |
Preview selected file(s) with Quick Look in fullscreen mode |
Option + Space |
Start a slideshow using selected item(s) |
Control + Space |
Go to folder |
Cmd + Shift + G |
Connect to server |
Cmd + K |
Move up one folder |
Cmd + Up arrow |
Move down one folder |
Cmd + Down arrow |
Eject selected volume |
Cmd + E |
Get info |
Cmd + I |
Show Attributes Inspector |
Option + Cmd + I |
Open a new Finder window |
Cmd + N |
Close active Finder window |
Shift + Cmd + N |
Cycle through windows |
Cmd + < |
Open a new Finder tab |
Cmd + T |
Close active Finder tab |
Cmd + W |
Back |
Cmd + [ |
Forward |
Cmd + ] |
View options |
Cmd + J |
Icon view |
Cmd + 1 |
List view |
Cmd + 2 |
Column view |
Cmd + 3 |
Gallery view |
Cmd + 4 |
Hide all Finder windows |
Cmd + H |
Hide all other windows except Finder |
Option + Cmd + H |
Search |
Cmd + F |
Open a Computer window |
Cmd + Shift + C |
Open the Recents folder |
Cmd + Shift + F |
Open the Documents folder |
Cmd + Shift + O |
Open the Desktop folder |
Cmd + Shift + D |
Open the Downloads folder |
Option + Cmd + L |
Open your account's home folder |
Cmd + Shift + H |
Open an AirDrop window |
Cmd + Shift + R |
Open the network browser |
Cmd + Shift + K |
Open your iCloud Drive |
Cmd + Shift + I |
Open your public shared folder |
Cmd + Shift + S |
Open the Applications folder |
Cmd + Shift + A |
Open the Utilities folder |
Cmd + Shift + U |
Show/hide the Finder sidebar |
Cmd + Control + S |
Show/hide the Path Bar |
Option + Cmd + P |
Show/hide the Status Bar |
Option + Cmd + / (Slash) |
Document |
|
Bold text |
Cmd + B |
Italicize text |
Cmd + I |
Underline text |
Cmd + U |
Scroll one page up |
Fn + Up arrow |
Scroll one page down |
Fn + Down arrow |
Jump to the beginning of the document |
Fn + Left arrow |
Jump to the end of the document |
Fn + Right arrow |
General |
|
Display the macOS screenshotting tools |
Cmd + 5 |
Take a screenshot of the entire screen |
Shift + Cmd + 3 |
Take a screenshot of a portion of the screen |
Shift + Cmd + 4 (then hold Space to drag the selection, if needed) |
Take a screenshot of a specific window or menu |
Cmd + Shift + 4, then Space |
Select all |
Cmd + A |
Select multiple non-contiguous item(s) |
Cmd + Left click |
Select multiple adjacent item(s) |
Shift + Left click |
Hide current window |
Cmd + H |
Hide all other windows |
Option + Cmd + H |
Minimize the current window |
Cmd + M |
Minimize all windows |
Option + Cmd + M |
Close current window |
Cmd + W |
Close all windows |
Option + Cmd + W |
Open |
Cmd + O |
Save |
Cmd + S |
|
Cmd + P |
Find |
Cmd + F |
Find and replace |
Option + Cmd + F |
Copy |
Cmd + C |
Paste |
Cmd + V |
Paste and delete original items |
Option + Cmd + V |
Paste and match style |
Shift + Option + Cmd + V |
Undo |
Cmd + Z |
Redo |
Shift + Cmd + Z |
Zoom in |
Cmd + + (Plus) |
Zoom out |
Cmd + - (Minus) |
Access in-app help |
Cmd + ? |
Open preferences for the current app |
Cmd + , (Comma) |
Open Spotlight search |
Cmd + Space |
Hide/show the Dock |
Option + Cmd + D |
Show the Character Viewer |
Control + Cmd + Space |
Show the emoji picker |
Fn |
Show desktop icons as stacks |
Cmd + Control + 0 |
Switch the current app to fullscreen mode |
Control + Cmd + F |
Switch to the next open app |
Cmd + Tab |
Switch to the previous open app |
Shift + Cmd + Tab |
Quit the selected app in the app switcher |
Cmd + Shift, then Q |
Force quit apps |
Option + Cmd + Esc |
Switch to the next window in the current app |
Cmd + ~ (Tilde) |
Lock the screen |
Cmd + Control + Q |
Log out |
Shift + Cmd + Q |
Log out without confirmation |
Option + Shift + Cmd + Q |
Put display(s) to sleep |
Shift + Control + Eject |
Put your computer to sleep |
Option + Cmd + Eject |
Quit all apps and restart |
Control + Cmd + Eject |
Quit all apps and shut down |
Control + Option + Cmd + Power |
Choose from Sleep, Restart, and Shutdown options |
Control + Eject |
Customize Your macOS Keyboard Shortcuts
Over time, you'll be able to invoke the correct keyboard shortcut for the task at hand without even thinking about it. But if any of them seem cumbersome, you can customize keyboard shortcuts by going to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts.