Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

For new users of Macs, and particularly those that have switched from Windows, here is a brief note about some of the common or useful keyboard shortcuts.

Mac Keyboard

Mac Keyboard

Firstly, the ctrl key is equivalent to a right mouse click. The alt (or opt, depending on your Mac) key can be used for copying files from one location to another. Hold it and drag the file and it creates a copy rather than moving it. You can use it for several text modifier keys such as alt + 8 turns the asterisk into a bullet.

The cmd (or apple) key is the biggie. Think of it as the first key you hold when you are going to command your Mac to do something:

  • cmd + c = copy
  • cmd + x = cut
  • cmd + v = paste
  • cmd + s = save
  • cmd + Q = quit application
  • cmd + W = close the current window
  • cmd + N = new (especially useful when using Finder)
  • cmd + H = hide application

There are plenty of others, but these are a good starting point for most people.

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