Especially for users who want to speed up and simplify their work with the Mac OS X operating system, we have made a selection of the most useful keyboard shortcuts, which will allow you to perform your usual actions several times faster and more conveniently.

To begin with, here is a list of the main system keys in OS X:

1. Show hidden files in the document selection windows.

Would you like to see hidden files when saving, or attach them to a letter? You can always quickly enable viewing of hidden files using a keyboard shortcut ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+Point in any file selection window.

1. Quickly jump to a folder.

If you press the keyboard shortcut in any Finder window ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+G, then a folder navigation window will appear on the screen. The same combination can be used in the window when sending/saving a file.

1. Instant slideshow.

If you select multiple images in the same folder and press the keyboard shortcut ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+Y, the slideshow will start playing in full screen mode.

1. Focus on the running program.

Interfering large number running programs and windows? Then just press the combination ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+H in order to hide any applications or windows except the active one in at the moment.

1. Hides the current window and application.

You can minimize a window/program in Mac OS X using the corresponding button in the upper left corner of the window, or by pressing the keys simultaneously ⌘ Command+H.

1. Instant screen lock.

When you press a keyboard shortcut Control+⇧ Shift+Eject The password entry window immediately opens. Provided that the password was set in the system settings. Otherwise, the computer will simply go into sleep mode.

1. Take a screenshot and save it to the clipboard.

This feature is likely familiar to users operating system Windows. Since computer keyboards and some laptops have a key "Print Screen". On Macs, the keyboard is simplified as much as possible, and to perform the same action you need to simultaneously press ⌘ Command+Control+⇧ Shift+3. However, many users would rather prefer a combination ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+3, in which the screenshot will be saved immediately on the desktop. When pressing keys ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+4 The user will have the option to select a specific area of ​​the screen to take a screenshot. When using a keyboard shortcut ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+4+Space, you will be able to take a screenshot of open application windows.

1. Copy/cut/paste files in Finder.

Many users since the days of Windows are familiar with the combinations Ctrl+C to copy a file, and Ctrl+V to paste it. In Mac OS X, the analogue of these combinations is ⌘ Command+C and⌘ Command+V. To cut a file and paste it into another folder, you need to copy it with the command ⌘ Command+C, and when inserted into the desired folder press ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+V.

1. Make the ~/Library folder visible.

In Mac OS X Lion and later, the Library folder is hidden by default, but you can easily make it visible again with a simple terminal command:

chflags nohidden ~/Library/

1. Quickly move between windows of one application.

Using a keyboard shortcut ⌘ Command+` you can quickly switch between multiple browser windows or text editor. If your keyboard does not have such a key, you can always reassign the keyboard buttons in the system settings.

1. Forced termination of programs.

If the application does not respond for a long time, then you can use the combination ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+Escape. These keys must be pressed for 2-3 seconds, after which the application will forcefully shut down. If you only press ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+Escape, then a window of running programs will appear, similar to the manager Windows tasks, through which you can also close “frozen” programs.

1. Launch programs through Spotlight.

Spotlight on both Mac OS X and iOS lets you launch programs directly from search. To quickly open Spotlight, use a keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Space.

Hotkeys are one of the most simple ways expand your capabilities for both beginners and experienced users. Keyboard shortcuts help you quickly access various features, manage running programs, and manage content you are editing.

Mac OS, like Windows, offers the user a wide range of functional combinations both for everyday actions and for debugging the system.

Using keyboard shortcuts is a universal tool that works on all Apple computers, both MacBooks and desktop PCs. The combinations below are relevant for absolutely all versions of this OS, including OS X.

The keys listed in this section must be known to every user, since they perform actions that are important for the operation of the system and basic interaction with it.

In total, there are five keys in this system designed to create functional combinations:

• “Command” is a key that is analogous to the “Win” button in the device system on a Mac. Clicking it once brings up the main menu, and it is used in most combinations related to basic settings systems. Further in the text – abbreviated “Cmd”;
• “Shift” is a button for temporarily changing case, familiar to users;
• “Option” is a substitute for “Alt” for apple products. Performs almost the same functions, however, a large number of unique combinations and additional features, more about which below;
• “Control” is another one common element keyboards for all types of operating systems;
• “Fn” – system shortcut key specific device, mainly for laptops. Combinations with this button are individual for each specific device, and depend on its model.

  

Normal Operations

Combination	Function
Cmd+X	The selected element is completely removed from its location, remaining on the clipboard for pasting
Cmd+C	Copy the selected item or file. This combination is available for all applications
Cmd+V	Place information from the clipboard into the highlighted area
Cmd+Z	Undoes any previous manipulation of a folder, file, or fragment. The combination Cmd+Shift+Z will invalidate this function.
Cmd+A	Selects the entire collection of elements in the current location
Cmd+F	Launches a tool or search string on a system or specific program
Cmd+G	Shows the next option found in the search. Show previous element output – “Cmd+Shift+G”
Cmd+H	Remove the currently open window. It will no longer be displayed, but will not be closed. “Cmd+Option+H” – hide everything open source software, except for the currently active one
Cmd+M	Minimize: Hide the selected window to the main Dock. “Cmd+Option+M” – start minimizing all currently open windows
Cmd+N	New: Open a new blank document in active program, or a folder in the watched directory
Cmd+O	Open: run the selected file using the appropriate program or open the selected folder
Cmd+P	Print: send a document or graphic file to a connected printer
Cmd+S	Save: remember the last changes to a file or editing process
Cmd+W	Completely remove a specific window
Cmd+Q	Closing an active application
Option+Cmd+Esc	Open a menu to turn off programs that do not respond and do not close on their own
Cmd+Tab	Go from current program to last used
Shift+Cmd+“~”	Switch between running application windows
Shift+Cmd+3	Take a screenshot of the current image on the screen
Cmd+ ","	Settings: launches the settings menu of the active application or system element

When the device starts

Hold	Description
Shift (⇧)	Booting the system in safe use mode
Option (⌥)	Launching the boot disk selection interface
D	Activating system testing to detect errors
N	Loading and starting the system from a special NetBoot server
Cmd+V	Restarting the OS with a detailed log entry
Cmd+R	Using recovery tools built into the firmware
Cmd+S	System start for one user
Key "⏏" or F12	Disconnecting removable information sources

Additional functional combinations

In addition to the basic combinations for some programs and launching additional functions and applications, extended combinations are also provided. Such combinations will be useful for users who regularly interact with specific elements of the system and need quick access to them.

Application management

Let's look at the main standard applications, and the key sequences for them. It should immediately be noted that third party programs may have their own functions for standard and additional combinations. Below are just the basic tools available by default.

Finder

The main manipulations with the tools of a standard search engine are assigned to the following combinations.

Table of hot keys for control in the system file manager Finder.

Spotlight

Only two possibilities are reserved for this program:

Aperture

In this environment, such combinations are used for photo processing.

Table of key combinations for photo processing.

Combination	Function
Cmd+Shift+E	Change the extension and current file format of a photo
Cmd+Shift+V	Switch between normal mode and creating or editing vector graphics
Cmd+Alt+I	Edit file sizes
Cmd+F	Transition to the full picture editing tools
Cmd combined with "+"	Zoom in. Take a closer look at small elements
Cmd combined with "-"	Zoom out. Show the photo in full or at a larger scale

Advanced Options

The developers have provided special combinations that include this button, which help you work more efficiently with the file system.

1. Pressing “Option” while expanding folders opens the entire branch of subfolders.

   

2. This key, in combination with the volume icon, opens a menu for selecting sound devices.

   

3. The combination with the Bluetooth activation button activates a submenu of additional functions for the wireless network.

   

4. The combination of "Option" and the Apple icon gives quick access to information about system characteristics.

   

5. When creating new files, holding this button shows a list of all possible extensions for the file being saved.

   

How to assign your own keys

MacOS functionality allows you to create keyboard shortcuts for working and launching individual programs in order to be able to quickly call up the tools that the user uses most often.

You can set your own combinations in the following way:

Video - Using hotkeys on Mac OS

Hello friends, I’ll try to tell you in detail how to use Mac hotkeys to simplify and even speed up your work, or the daily use of your computer. Namely, I will show you the combinations of buttons on a MacBook.

First, let's figure out what it is. Simply put, these are combinations on the keyboard that perform a programmed action when pressed. The menu, interface and buttons are partially duplicated.

Now a few words about the principle of operation of MacBook hotkeys. It's simple, the following Mac keyboard shortcuts are included in Mac system OS X by Apple, to use them you just need to know about them. Below I will give the most basic combinations that will be useful in everyday work with the system, as well as when working with standard browser Mac OS X - Safari.

Basic keyboard shortcuts on a MacBook.

Often there is a need to take a screenshot of the screen, here useful combinations:

• Command + Shift + 3 - a regular screenshot of the desktop with all open windows;
• Command + Shift + 4 - hold these buttons, your cursor will change appearance and then use your mouse to select the area you want to take a screenshot of;
• Command + Shift + 4 + Space - Takes a screenshot of the selected window.

The following Mac hotkeys are useful for working with files or programs:

• Cmd + C, Cmd + V – by analogy with Windows combinations, copy a file or text and paste a file or text, respectively;
• Ctrl + Cmd + F – opens running program or a full screen window;
• Cmd + Q – the most quick way close the selected window and program;
• Cmd + alt + esc – in case any window or application freezes, forcefully closes them.
• Ctrl + Spacebar is an easy way to use Spotlight's proprietary search;
• Ctrl + Cmd + “space” - opens a window with the now so popular emoji in any application where you type text.

Mac hotkeys for Safari browser.

Typically MacBook users use the default Safari browser.

Check out the MacBook Safari shortcuts. Many of them work in other browsers, for example Chrome and Yandex.

• Ctrl + Tab – allows you to switch between open tabs Safari;
• Ctrl + Shift + Tab – this combination has the same effect, only in reverse order;
• Command + W – this combination of buttons on a MacBook easily closes the currently selected tab;
• Command + T – on the contrary, opens new tab in your browser;
• Command + R – refresh the page in one motion;
• Command + L – selection occurs address bar and you can immediately enter your search query, or website address.

I hope these MacBook keyboard shortcuts will help you work faster.

Now I will tell you how to assign your combinations or, as they are called, shortcuts.

Open “Settings” - “Keyboard”, select the “Keyboard Shortcuts” tab. To assign a shortcut for any application, in the left column, click on the “App Shortcuts” item.

Now click “+”, a window will open in which you select the application you are interested in, then write the exact name of the menu item or action, button for which you want to assign a shortcut. And enter the desired combination. Click “add” and use it.

Products Apple has a number of its own characteristics. In particular, this applies to the keyboard. In addition to the usual keys, there are several special ones whose designation is worth knowing. If you didn’t look at the instructions in time, then it will be useful for you to know what it is called and what it is called.

So, first things first.

Open all subfolders

Typically, in list view mode, clicking on the small triangle next to a folder will open that particular folder. If you want to open all folders inside the selected folder in the list, click – Click.

Get rid of the trash dialog

If you want to empty the Trash, you can press Command-Shift-Delete. A dialog box will appear asking you if you really want to do this. To bypass this window, use the Option key! Click Command– Shift– – Delete.

How to Use the Option Key in the OS X Menu Bar

Change sound settings

You are used to changing sound settings via system settings? There is a faster and easier way - hold down the Option key and click on the volume icon, and you will immediately have access to the inputs and outputs.

Wi-Fi information

If you click on the WiFi icon in the menu, you will see the available networks. If you hold down our favorite Option button, then you will see information about the WiFi access node to which you are connected, its SSID, 802.11 type, signal strength and frequency, etc. This information can be very useful in case of problems with your WiFi connection.

More information about Bluetooth

Hold down the Option key while clicking on the Bluetooth icon and you'll get a ton of useful information: your Bluetooth version number, your Mac's name, your Bluetooth address. In addition, you can create a Bluetooth diagnostic report if necessary.

As you know, in OS X Lion Apple removed the “Save As...” option from the menu, but then silently returned it to Mountain Lion. There are several ways to return this item permanently, but if you don't want to mess around with the Terminal and configuration files, we'll tell you how you can solve everything very simply: press the Option button when opening the File menu. Alternatively, click Shift-Option-Cmd-S.

Get more file formats

You can click on the format drop-down list at the bottom of the save dialog box and you will get about 6 formats to save the file, such as PDF, JPG, etc. If you need more formats, press you know what key when you click on the drop-down list of formats and you will get an expanded list.

Copy and Replace Options

If you want to save a file in another folder where there is already a file with the same name, a dialog box will appear asking you what to do: stop copying, replace the existing file, or save both files with the same name. If you press Option when this box appears, you will see that the "keep both" option changes to "skip". This way you can simply avoid copying a duplicate file.

In fact, Option has more secret powers; we only talked about the most basic and unobvious ones.

Working with Mac OS: warming up keys

Apple's operating system truly offers many options to enhance your productivity. Thus, hotkeys have been speeding up computer work since the days of the Apple One. If you've already become more or less comfortable with the warm graphical environment of Mac OS, it's time to make your keyboard hotter.

How to remember hotkeys

To understand how much hotkeys speed up your virtual life, remember how its quality changed when you learned the combinations ⌘ + C and ⌘ + V, and then added ⌘ + X to this toolkit. If you are still using the “mouse” context menu To copy, cut and paste anything, start learning Mac OS hotkeys here. The result will be noticeable instantly.

⌘ + C copy
⌘ + X cut
⌘ + V paste

So, you value your time and like to set a high rhythm of work. You respect good advice, and when you hear about an effective productivity hack, you go to a site like this to see a list of keyboard commands. You read the table with interest, close the tab in your browser, and within a minute you don’t remember anything you read. It is the example with the “copy” and “paste” commands that contains a hint on how to remember keyboard commands:

1. Keep track of what actions slow down the rhythm of your work. Try it free application WhatPulse (http://www.whatpulse.org/), which will give you a heat map of your screen. Overheated areas are the controls you most often activate with your cursor - cool them down.

The red area in the lower left corner is the MS WORD icon in the Dock. It can be launched by pressing Control + F3 and then ENTER.

Heat map one day after optimization.

2. Look at the list of commands. Which ones are most applicable in your daily work?
3. Choose no more than three combinations from the list that will attract your attention
4. Save these keyboard shortcuts as any in a convenient way: write it down on a sticky note, add it as a bookmark in your browser, copy it to Evernote
5. Remind yourself to use your chosen hotkeys every time you perform a specific action
6. Quite quickly you will notice that you are using hotkeys out of habit, repeat the plan from the beginning

Over time, you will wonder how to make the learning process useful keys even hotter. The Mac OS Cheatsheet application (http://www.cheatsheetapp.com/CheatSheet/) will help you with this. After installation, the program shows a list of keyboard commands for any open window. To do this, press and hold the ⌘ key for three seconds.

Another approach is implemented in the Eve application (http://www.hotkey-eve.com/), which highlights keyboard shortcuts for actions performed in Mac OS using the mouse. This way, you gradually track down actions that could be done faster by using the keyboard.

To add sporting interest, look at the statistics on the use of hot keys using the WhatPulse application. In addition to mouse usage data, it collects information about how often you use hotkeys and creates a heat map of your keyboard. The desire to beat your previous performance makes the process of memorizing shortcuts very exciting.

Minimum Required

Among the hotkeys, there are the hottest ones, which simply fantastically increase the intensity of the dialogue with the computer. They are so useful that a person who has learned to use them cannot watch a less experienced friend click his way across the computer screen without tears.

Most likely, you are already familiar with these keyboard shortcuts, such as those that allow you to take a screenshot, cut, paste, but just in case, we will provide a list of them.

⌘ + TAB switch between applications

⌘ + SHIFT + Q log out

⌘ + SPACEBAR open window Spotlight search

⌘ + Z undo last action

⌘ + Y repeat last action

⌘ + B make selected text bold

⌘ + I make selected text italic

⌘ + U make selected text underlined

⌘ + A select all

⌘ + A create a new window

⌘ + W close current window

⌘ + OPION + A deselect all items

⌘ + OPION + M minimize all windows

Despite the most convenient trackpads and mice, experienced Mac users prefer to use hotkeys. Over time, you will learn dozens of different combinations, but for now remember the most basic ones.

First, let's recall the names and designations of the modifier keys on Mac keyboard, the symbols of which differ slightly between computer generations and may be unfamiliar to beginners.

• ⌘ - Command, Cmd.
• ⌥ - Option, Alt.
• ⌃ - Control, Ctrl.
• ⎋ - Escape, Esc.
• ⏏ - Eject.

Terminating the application

Unlike Windows, macOS applications can have multiple windows, so closing a window does not mean exiting the application. To terminate any application in macOS, use the ⌘Q keyboard shortcut.

Closing the active window

This is also why the ⌘W shortcut exists. It allows you to close the current program window without stopping the application as a whole.

Opening a new tab

Many applications support multiple tabs. This way you can avoid cluttering the screen and open just a tab instead of new windows. The key combination ⌘T is responsible for this action.

Switching applications

To switch between running applications on macOS it uses the shortcut ⌘⇥. Pressing it once will return you to the previous application, and pressing ⇥ while holding ⌘ will open the switch panel itself. You can use the navigation arrows to switch between applications within the panel.

Call Spotlight

Spotlight search is rightfully considered one of the most useful features of macOS X. You can open it from the menu bar, but it is much more convenient to do this using the keyboard shortcut ⌃Spacebar.

Force termination of the application

It doesn't happen often, but it happens that applications freeze. In this case, they can be terminated forcefully by calling the termination menu by pressing the ⎋⌥⌘ keys, which are analogous to Ctrl + Alt + Delete in Windows.

Copy, paste, undo input

⌘X, ⌘C, ⌘V, ⌘Z

Hotkeys for cut, copy, paste and undo in macOS differ only in the modifier key - ⌘ is used instead of Ctrl. Otherwise, the keyboard shortcuts are similar: ⌘X, ⌘C, ⌘V, ⌘Z.

Search by document or site

macOS makes great use of searching for specific words or phrases in apps - this can be open page in Safari or any document. To find text inside a document or website, you must use the combination ⌘F.

Quick View in Finder

Quickly viewing documents and images is probably the simplest, but also incredibly useful feature macOS is. It works just as simply. To view a file, you just need to select it and press Space.

Shutdown

You can put your Mac to sleep, reboot, or shut down through the  menu. But this is done much faster from the shutdown menu, which is called by the keyboard shortcut ⌃⏏. In this case, on a MacBook, instead of the ⏏ key, you should press the power button.

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