macOS is a proprietary graphical operating systems developed by Apple Inc as primary operating system for Apple’s Mac computers. It has been in active development since 2001. macOS is the second most widely used desktop OS, after Microsoft Windows. This document captures the most common Keyboard shortcuts that will make you more efficient.
Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys:
- Command (or Cmd) ⌘
- Shift ⇧
- Option (or Alt) ⌥
- Control (or Ctrl) ⌃
- Caps Lock ⇪
- Fn
Here is a list of macOS Keyboard shortcuts that I frequently use to achieve efficiency.
Command+Control+Q | Immediately lock your screen |
Shift+Command+Q | Log out of your macOS user account. You will be asked to confirm |
Command+Control+F | Activate a full-screen mode for an app on your macOS |
Command+Space | Show or hide the Spotlight search field |
Command+Option+Space | Perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window |
Control+Command+Space | Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols. |
Cmd+Tab | Switch to the most recently used application or press tab repeatedly to cycle through your open applications. |
Shift+Cmd+S | Save the current document with a new name. |
Shift+Command+3 | Take a screenshot. If you see a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit the screenshot. Or wait for the screenshot to save to your desktop |
Shift+Command+4 | Capture a portion of the screen by manually selecting. |
Shift+Command+4+ Space | Capture a window or menu. Click the window or menu to capture it. |
Cmd + Q | Quits the current app. |
Cmd + Click | Open Link in new tab on Chrome and Safari browser |
Please help other macOS users by commenting about those Keyboard shortcuts you use on daily basis for quicker access to applications, documents and system utilities.
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