Mac keyboard shortcuts

By pressing a combination of keys, you can do things that normally need a mouse,
trackpad, or other input device.
To use a keyboard shortcut, hold down one or more modifier keys while pressing the last key of the
shortcut. For example, to use the shortcut Command-C (copy), hold down Command, press C, then release
both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including the modifier keys:

Command Option Caps Lock

Shift Control Fn

If you're using a keyboard made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows
logo key instead of Command. Some Mac keyboards and shortcuts use special keys in the top row, which
include icons for volume, display brightness, and other functions. Press the icon key to perform that
function, or combine it with the Fn key to use it as an F1, F2, F3, or other standard function key.

To learn more shortcuts, check the menus of the app you're using. Every app can have its own shortcuts,
and shortcuts that work in one app may not work in another.

Cut, copy, paste, and other common shortcuts

Shortcut Description

Command-X Cut
Cut: Remove the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.

Command-C Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the
Finder.

Command-V Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This
also works for files in the Finder.

Command-Z Undo the previous command. You can then press Command-Shift-Z to
Redo
Redo, reversing the undo command. In some apps, you can undo and redo
multiple commands.

Command-A Select All items.

Command-F Find
Find: Open a Find window, or find items in a document.

Command-G Find Again

Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find
the previous occurrence, press Command-Shift-G.

Command-H Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other
apps, press Command-Option-H.

Command-M Minimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the
front app, press Command-Option-M.

Command-N New: Open an new document or window.

Command-O Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
Command-P Print the current document.

Command-S Save the current document.

Command-W Close the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Command-
Option-W.

Command-Q Quit the app.

Command-Option-Esc Force Quit

Quit: Choose an app to force quit. Or press Command-Shift-Option-
Esc and hold for 3 seconds to force just the front app to quit.

CommandSpace bar Spotlight

Spotlight: Show or hide the Spotlight search field. To perform a Spotlight
search from a Finder window, press CommandOptionSpace bar. If you use
multiple input sources to type in dierent languages, these shortcuts change
input sources instead of showing Spotlight.

Space bar Quick Look: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.

Command-Tab Switch apps: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open
apps.

Command-Shift- Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the
Tilde (~) front app.

Command-Shift-3 Screenshot
Screenshot: Take a screenshot of the entire screen. Learn more screenshot
shortcuts.

Command-Comma (,) Preferences: Open preferences for the front app.

Sleep, log out, and shut down shortcuts

Shortcut Description

Power button Tap to turn on your Mac or wake your Mac from sleep.

Hold for 1.5 seconds while your Mac is awake to display a dialog asking
if you want to restart, sleep, or shut down.

Hold for 5 seconds to force your Mac to turn o.

CommandControl Force your Mac to restart.

Power button

CommandOption Put your Mac to sleep.

Power button

ShiftControlPower button Put your displays to sleep.

CommandControl Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have
Power button unsaved changes, you'll be asked whether you want to save them.

CommandOptionControl Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have
Power button unsaved changes, you'll be asked whether you want to save them.

Command-Shift-Q Log out of your OS X user account. You'll be asked to confirm.

Command-Shift-Option-Q Log out of your OS X user account immediately, without being asked
 to confirm.

Document shortcuts
Shortcut Description

Command-B Boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or o.

Command-I Italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or o.

Command-U Underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or o.

Command-T Show or hide the Fonts window.

Command-D Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog.

Command-Control-D Show or hide the definition of the selected word.

Command-Shift-Colon (:) Display the Spelling and Grammar window.

Command-Semicolon (;) Find misspelled words in the document.

Option-Delete Delete the word to the left of the insertion point.

Control-H Delete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete.

Control-D Delete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-
Delete.

Fn-Delete Forward delete on keyboards that don't have a Forward Delete key.
Or use Control-D.

Control-K Delete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or
paragraph.

Command-Delete Select Delete or Don't Save in a dialog that contains a Delete or Don't
Save button.

FnUp Arrow Page Up: Scroll up one page.

FnDown Arrow Page Down: Scroll down one page.

FnLeft Arrow Home: Scroll to the beginning of a document.

FnRight Arrow End: Scroll to the end of a document.

CommandUp Arrow Move the insertion point to the beginning of the document.

CommandDown Arrow Move the insertion point to the end of the document.

CommandLeft Arrow Move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.

CommandRight Arrow Move the insertion point to the end of the current line.

OptionLeft Arrow Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.

OptionRight Arrow Move the insertion point to the end of the next word.

CommandShiftUp Arrow Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the
document.
CommandShiftDown Arrow Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the
document.

CommandShiftLeft Arrow Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the
current line.

CommandShiftRight Arrow Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the current
line.

ShiftUp Arrow Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal
location on the line above.

ShiftDown Arrow Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal
location on the line below.

ShiftLeft Arrow Extend text selection one character to the left.

ShiftRight Arrow Extend text selection one character to the right.

ShiftOptionUp Arrow Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then
to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again.

ShiftOptionDown Arrow Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the
end of the following paragraph if pressed again.

ShiftOptionLeft Arrow Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the
beginning of the following word if pressed again.

ShiftOptionRight Arrow Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end
of the following word if pressed again.

Control-A Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph.

Control-E Move to the end of a line or paragraph.

Control-F Move one character forward.

Control-B Move one character backward.

Control-L Center the cursor or selection in the visible area.

Control-P Move up one line.

Control-N Move down one line.

Control-O Insert a new line after the insertion point.

Control-T Swap the character behind the insertion point with the character in
front of the insertion point.

Command Left align.

Left Curly Bracket ({)

Command Right align.

Right Curly Bracket (})

CommandShift Center align.

Vertical bar (|)

Command-Option-F Go to the search field.

Command-Option-T Show or hide a toolbar in the app.

Command-Option-C Copy Style: Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the
Clipboard.

Command-Option-V Paste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item.

Command-Shift-Option-V Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to
the item pasted within that content.

Command-Option-I Show or hide the inspector window.

Command-Shift-P Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings.

Command-Shift-S Display the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document.

CommandShift Decrease the size of the selected item.

Minus sign (-)

CommandShift Increase the size of the selected item. CommandEqual sign (=)
Plus sign (+) performs the same function.

CommandShift Open the Help menu.

Question mark (?)

Finder shortcuts
Shortcut Description

Command-D Duplicate the selected files.

Command-E Eject the selected disk or volume.

Command-F Start a Spotlight search in the Finder window.

Command-I Show the Get Info window for a selected file.

Command-Shift-C Open the Computer window.

Command-Shift-D Open the desktop folder.

Command-Shift-F Open the All My Files window.

Command-Shift-G Open a Go to Folder window.

Command-Shift-H Open the Home folder of the current OS X user account.

Command-Shift-I Open iCloud Drive.

Command-Shift-K Open the Network window.

Command-Option-L Open the Downloads folder.

Command-Shift-O Open the Documents folder.

Command-Shift-R Open the AirDrop window.

Command-Shift-T Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mountain Lion or earlier)

Command-Shift- Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)
Control-T
Command-Shift-U Open the Utilities folder.

Command-Option-D Show or hide the Dock. This often works even when you're not in the Finder.

Command-Control-T Add the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later).

Command-Option-P Hide or show the path bar in Finder windows.

Command-Option-S Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows.

CommandSlash (/) Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows.

Command-J Show View Options.

Command-K Open the Connect to Server window.

Command-L Make an alias of the selected item.

Command-N Open a new Finder window.

Command-Shift-N Create a new folder.

Command-Option-N Create a new Smart Folder.

Command-R Show the original file for the selected alias.

Command-T Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder
window.

Command-Shift-T Show or hide a Finder tab.

Command-Option-T Show or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder
window.

Command-Option-V Move: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the
current location.

Command-Option-Y View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files.

Command-Y Use Quick Look to preview the selected files.

Command-1 View the items in the Finder window as icons.

Command-2 View the items in a Finder window as a list.

Command-3 View the items in a Finder window in columns.

Command-4 View the items in a Finder window with Cover Flow.

Command Go to the previous folder.

Left Bracket ([)

Command Go to the next folder.

Right Bracket (])

CommandUp Arrow Open the folder that contains the current folder.

CommandControl Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window.
Up Arrow

CommandDown Arrow Open the selected item.

Command Show the desktop. This works even when you're not in the Finder.
Mission Control

Command Turn Target Display Mode on or o.

Brightness Up

Command Turn display mirroring on or o when your Mac is connected to more than
Brightness Down one display.

Right Arrow Open the selected folder. This works only when in list view.

Left Arrow Close the selected folder. This works only when in list view.

Optiondouble-click Open a folder in a separate window and close the current window.

Commanddouble-click Open a folder in a separate tab or window.

Command-Delete Move the selected item to the Trash.

Command-Shift-Delete Empty the Trash.

Command-Shift-Option- Empty the Trash without confirmation dialog.

Delete

Command-Y Use Quick Look to preview the files.

OptionBrightness Up Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.

OptionMission Control Open Mission Control preferences.

OptionVolume Up Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.

Command key while Move the dragged item to another volume or location. The pointer changes
dragging while you drag the item.

Option key while Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
dragging

Command-Option while Make an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the
dragging item.

Option-click a disclosure Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
triangle

Command-click a See the folders that contain the current folder.

window title

Other shortcuts
Shortcuts you can use while your Mac is starting up
Shortcuts for accessibility features
Shortcuts for Safari 8 (Yosemite)
Shortcuts for Safari 9 (El Capitan)

Learn more
Create your own shortcuts and resolve conflicts between shortcuts
Type letters with accents
Type symbols, dingbats, and other special characters
 Change the behavior of the function keys or the Caps Lock, Control, Option, and Command keys
Use a spoken command for a keyboard shortcut

Last Modified: Oct 1, 2015

Helpful? Yes No 92% of people found this helpful.

Additional Product Support Information

OS X Mavericks OS X El Capitan OS X Mountain Lion

OS X Yosemite OS X Mavericks OS X El Capitan

OS X Mountain Lion OS X Yosemite

Start a Discussion
in Apple Support Communities

Ask other users about this article

Submit my question to the community

See all questions on this article See all questions I have asked

Contact Apple Support

Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online
and we'll connect you to an expert.
Get started

Support Mac keyboard shortcuts Support Mac keyboard shortcuts

Shop the Apple Online Store (1-800-MY-APPLE), visit an Apple Retail Store Apple Info Site Map Hot News RSS Feeds Contact Us
, or find a reseller .
Copyright 20152015 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Updated Privacy Policy Use of Cookies United States (English)