ARCHIVED: For Mac OS X, what are some useful keyboard commands?
This content has been archived, and is no longer maintained by Indiana University. Information here may no longer be accurate, and links may no longer be available or reliable.
Although Mac OS X allows for the manipulation of files and applications using the mouse alone, a number of keyboard commands are available for navigating the Mac OS X GUI.
Key commands in the Finder
Below are some keyboard commands that may be helpful when working in the Mac OS X Finder:
Action | Keystrokes |
---|---|
Show in a Finder window the volumes (e.g., hard drives, removable
disks, mounted disk images, and file servers) connected to
the computer
|
Command-Shift-c
|
Show in a Finder window your personal Home folder
|
Command-Shift-h
|
Show in a Finder window the Applications folder
|
Command-Shift-a
|
Show or hide the Dock | Command-Option-d
|
On the desktop or in Icon, List, or Cover Flow mode, select items
in alphabetical order
|
Tab ; press Shift-Tab to move
backward, or use the arrow keys to move in a specific direction
|
Select a specific item on the desktop or in a Finder window
|
Begin to type the item's name on the keyboard
|
Select (or deselect) all items on the desktop or in a Finder
window
|
Command-a
|
Open a selected item | Command-o
|
Open a new Finder window | Command-n
|
Rename a selected item | Press Return and type
the new name
|
Make a copy of a selected item
|
Command-d
|
Open a selected folder or application
|
Command-o or Command -down arrow
|
Eject a selected disk | Command-e
|
Make an alias of a selected item
|
Command-l (the letter l)
|
Put an alias of the selected items in your Favorites or Finder
Toolbar
|
Command-t
|
Show original of a selected alias
|
Command-r
|
Make a new folder | Command-Shift-n
|
Trash selected item | Command-Del
|
Empty Trash | Command-Shift-Del
|
Close window | Command-w ; to close all
open windows while in the Finder, press
Command-Option-w
|
Hide the front application | Command-h ; you can also press Option and
click the desktop with the mouse
|
Minimize the front window to the Dock
|
Command-m
|
Get information about a selected item
|
Command-i
|
Switch between open applications
|
Command-Tab
|
Take a picture of the screen | Command-Shift-3 ; the picture will be stored on your hard
drive.
|
Take a picture of a portion of the screen only
|
Command-Shift-4 ; the cursor will change into a
crosshair. Hold down the mouse button, drag the crosshair over the
portion of the screen you wish to take a picture of, and then release
the mouse button.
|
Cancel an action | Command-. (the period key)
|
Shut down the computer | Press the Power key, then Return ; for keyboards
that don't have a Power key, press Ctrl-Eject and then
Return
|
Restart the computer | Press the Power key, then r ; for keyboards
that don't have a Power key, press Ctrl-Eject and then
r
|
Put the computer to sleep | Press the Power key, then s ; for keyboards
that don't have a Power key, press Ctrl-Eject and then
s
|
Log out of your account | Command-Shift-q
|
Connect to a server | Command-k
|
Open the Force Quit window
|
Command-Option-Esc
|
Open the Go To Folder window or sheet
|
Command-Shift-g
|
Open a "Find" or Spotlight search window
|
Command-f
|
Open Mac Help | Command-?
|
Key commands for the Dock
Action | Keystrokes |
---|---|
Leave a running application's icon permanently in the Dock
|
Ctrl -click or click and hold the application's icon;
then, from the contextual menu, choose
|
Hide all but a given application
|
Press and hold Command-Option while clicking the
application's icon
|
See a list of open windows for an application
|
Ctrl -click or click and hold the application's icon
|
Show Dock item in the Finder | Command -click the application's icon
|
Key commands in other applications
Key commands in applications other than the Finder differ, but the following are common to most (but not all) programs:
Action | Keystrokes |
---|---|
Create a new document | Command-n
|
Save the current document | Command-s
|
Print the current document | Command-p
|
Quit the application | Command-q
|
Select text | Press and hold the Shift key and
then use the arrow keys to move over the text
|
Copy selected text or object | Command-c
|
Cut selected text or object | Command-x
|
Paste | Command-v
|
Undo last action | Command-z
|
For other keyboard commands, check the menus within the application and consult the documentation for the program you are using.
This is document akrm in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 13:32:45.