Keyboard Shortcuts for Macbook Pro
I have often found myself frustrated knowing that there is a keyboard shortcut for something in Mac OSX but for whatever reason I can’t remember what it was. This page is my way of keeping track of keyboard shortcuts I find online so I don’t have to remember them!
| Menu Commands | |
| Shift+Apple+Q | Log out |
| Shift+Option Apple+Q | Log out immediately |
| Shift+Apple+Delete | Empty Trash |
| Apple+H | Hide Active Application |
| Option+Apple+H | Hide All But The Active Application |
| Control+Eject | Shut Down, Sleep, or Restart Options |
| Apple+Control+Eject | Quit all applications and Restart |
| Apple+ . (period) | Stop a process |
| Apple+ , (comma) | Open Preferences for Active Application |
| Option+Apple+D | Show/Hide Dock |
| Control+Up Arrow | Move up one page |
| Control+Down Arrow | Move down one page |
| Option+Apple+Esc | Force Quit |
| File Management | |
| Apple+N | New Finder window |
| Shift+Apple+N | New Folder |
| Apple+O | Open Another Existing Document |
| Apple+S | Save |
| Shift+Apple+S | Save as |
| Apple+P | |
| Apple+W | Close Window |
| Apple+Option+W | Close all Windows |
| Apple+I | Get Info |
| Option+Apple+I | Show Attributes Inspector |
| Apple+D | Duplicate |
| Apple+Q | Close Application |
| Apple+L | Make Alias |
| Apple+R | Show Original |
| Apple+T | Add to Favorites |
| Apple+Delete | Move Highlighted Items to Trash |
| Apple+E | Eject |
| Apple+F | Find |
| Editing | |
| Apple+Z | Undo |
| Apple+X | Cut |
| Apple+C | Copy |
| Apple+V | Paste |
| Apple+A | Select All |
| Apple+ { | Align Left |
| Apple+ } | Align Right |
| Apple+ | (pipe) | Align Center |
| Apple+ ; (semicolon) | Check Spelling |
| Shift+Apple+C | Show Colors palette in application |
| Apple+T | Show Font palette in application |
| View Menu | |
| Apple+1 | View as Icons |
| Apple+2 | View as List |
| Apple+3 | View as Columns |
| Option+Apple+T | Hide Toolbar |
| Apple+J | Show View Options |
| Moving Around | |
| Apple+ [ | Back |
| Apple+ ] | Forward |
| Shift+Apple+A | Applications |
| Shift+Apple+F | Favorites |
| Shift+Apple+G | Goto Folder |
| Apple+K | Connect to Server |
| Apple+Tab | Switch to next Application |
| Controlling Windows | |
| Apple+N | New Window |
| Apple+T | New Tab |
| Apple+M | Minimize Window |
| Option+Apple+M | Minimize All Windows |
| Getting Help | |
| Apple+ ? | Open Mac Help |
| Universial Access | |
| Option+Apple+ * (asterisk) | Turn on Zoom |
| Option+Apple+ = | Zoom in |
| Option+Apple+ - | Zoom out |
| Control+Option+Apple+ * | Switch to White on Black (Invert Screen) |
| Combine Keyboard with Mouse | |
| Option+Drag | Copy to new location |
| Option+Apple+Drag | Make alias in new location |
| Apple+Drag | Move to new location without copying |
| Screen Shots | |
| Apple+Shift+3 | Take a picture of the screen |
| Apple+Shift+4 | Take a picture of the selection |
| Apple+Shift+4, Control | Take a picture of the selection, place in clipboard |
| Apple+Shift+4, Spacebar | Take a picture of the selected window |
Update: For European characters and accent marks there are several useful key combinations that use the Mac’s option key. Apple has posted a nice write up here with all the details.
I love the list of keyboard shortcuts BUT…the function description column is cut off so that I can’t read what the function is on some of them. Not sure why this is but can you fix it?
Thanks!
Sandra
Fixed!
PS Thanks for pointing that out!
how do you goto the menu on the macbook pro with the remote?
um… buoni, realmente buoni luogo e molto utile;)
these are very helpful comments, they have come in handy.
Thank you very much!!!
How do you go to the beginning of a document, not just one page up?
And how do you go the very end of a document?
Is it possible to turn your macbook screen off while using the video out cable to watch dvds on the tv.
How do I print the screen from my MacBook while on OS XP (PC side of the Mac…) ??
I read that function+dject does it = it does not
Also read that alt+F4 does it = it does not
Any clue?
how do you lock/unlock the keyboard?
Thanks for all the shortcuts
On an Intel Macbook Pro (pad only, no mouse)… with several applications or files open, is there a shortcut to show what I have open (sort of a miniature view of all pages open on the desktop) so that I can toggle by select/click between apps/files?
I’m aware of CMD+Tab to show/tab between applications.
With some mice you can right click to give the “birds eye view” of all opened files, but is there a shortcut command to do this without a mouse on a MBP?
Frank, I think you are talking about the exposé feature of OSX. Yes, you can map this to a hot-key on a MBP. You will find the settings to do this under System Preferences + Dashboard & Exposé.
-RJ
wow thanks alot…very helpful
re: 9/23/07>Thanks for the great info, RJ. Really appreciate the help about Expose/Dashboard under Sys Preferences… made my day!
I have another Q:
Should I be concerned in any way about the Recovered Files that are in the Trash? Am I loosing any data/info/apps, etc. if I empty the Trash? What causes the files to be placed in Trash? What should I be doing with these Recovered Files on my MBP, OS X, Tiger?
INSIGHT please
-FZ
I am using a program on my MacBook Pro that requires the use of the Insert Key. I just recently switched over to Mac and am not truly familiar with the keyboard. If anyone could help me out that would be great.
-DD
Dave, press the function key and the letter M to execute the PC Insert key.
Hey - I dont find the function + M works as an insert - not at all.
Im using Maya and normally the full sized keyboard key ‘insert’ - works like charm. This suggestion didnt work on a regular MBP keyboard, would love to find a way to make it work ! Please advise…. Thank you !
Cheers, these are well handy!
MYSTERY COMMAND ….These are great..it didnt help my problem…some how while downloading movies from a paysite…i heald down (option+mouse click) and now all the media i try to download turns into “php.Txt.” anyone know how i can fix this?
never knew about the empty trash one, thanks
Can you tell me the keyboard shortcut to go to my homepage in Firefox on a macbook? I don’t have a separate “home” key, it is meshed with the “left arrow” key. I’m a recent switcher and this frustrates me to no end. Please help!
To go home in firefox on a Macbook press fn+alt+left arrow
Cheers,
Mike
I concur with Chris above - pressing func + M on the MBP returns a 0, not insert.
thank you so much. now I can program my 5 button mouse to go back and forward which is why I bought the mouse and could never find how to make it work correctly.
I inadvertantly hit a key combination that has changed my text typing option from”insert” to “replace.” I cannot figure out how I did this, nor how to undo it, so I am anxiously awaiting the next post on this subject! I am finding it challenging to find the answer to this…
I have solved my problem by quitting and restarting Word, but I would still like to know the shortcut if anyone finds it. Thanks.
which one is apple button
Greetings!
This list has been invaluable.
I’m hoping you know of a shortcut that substitutes the right click double tap on a Mac OS X. Maybe it’s listed above and I’m not recognizing the phase. I just want to open my document of choice in a new tab. I find it incredibly frustrating to have to find the right angle to tap with two fingers.
Good shortcut for the double-tap that I use all the time is just to hold down the option key when you click. Sounds annoying but you will be surprised how quickly you get used to it!
-RJ
Clicking with the option key didn’t work but Apple + click does! Thank you!!! I’m already used to it.
As well, I experimented a bit and found that Control + click gives you *all* the options one finds with the double-tap.
Bless you!
GQ
Fantastic list. I depend on keyboard shortcuts a lot and not knowing them (recent switchover from PC) is driving me crazy, too.
Does anyone know how to bring down the pull-down menu for bookmarks in Firefox or Safari in OSX?
In preview, I want to hilight some text in Preview. I can do it by clicking on Tools, then Mark Up, then click on Hilight Text. There is a keyboard shortcut listed next to the Hilight Text: ^*H (Where the asterisk is actually the symbol on the command key.) I have a MacBook Pro, and I can’t get this key combination to work. Has anyone ever gotten the hilight shortcut to work?
Thanks….