Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts
To use a keyboard shortcut, or key combination, you press a modifier key with a character key. For example, pressing the Command key (the key with a 
symbol) and the "c" key at the same time copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into the Clipboard. This is also known as the Command-C key combination (or keyboard shortcut).
symbol) and the "c" key at the same time copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into the Clipboard. This is also known as the Command-C key combination (or keyboard shortcut).
A modifier key is a part of many key combinations. A modifier key alters the way other keystrokes or mouse clicks are interpreted by Mac OS X. Modifier keys include: Command, Control, Option, Shift, Caps Lock, and the fn key (if your keyboard has a fn key).
Here are the modifier key symbols you can see in Mac OS X menus:
(Command key) - On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple logo (
)
(Control key)
(Option key) - "Alt" may also appear on this key
(Shift key)
(Caps Lock) - Toggles Caps Lock on or offfn (Function key)
Startup keyboard shortcuts
Press the key or key combination until the expected function occurs/appears (for example, hold Option during startup until Startup Manager appears, or Shift until "Safe Boot" appears). Tip: If a startup function doesn't work and you use a third-party keyboard, connect an Apple keyboard and try again.
| Key or key combination | What it does |
| Option | Display all bootable volumes (Startup Manager) |
| Shift | Perform Safe Boot (start up in Safe Mode) |
| C | Start from a bootable disc (DVD, CD) |
| T | Start in FireWire target disk mode |
| N | Start from NetBoot server |
| X | Force Mac OS X startup (if non-Mac OS X startup volumes are present) |
| Command-V | Start in Verbose Mode |
| Command-S | Start in Single User Mode |
Finder keyboard shortcuts
| Key combination | What it does |
| Command-A | Select all items in the front Finder window (or desktop if no window is open) |
| Option-Command-A | Deselect all items |
| Shift-Command-A | Open the Applications folder |
| Command-C | Copy selected item/text to the Clipboard |
| Shift-Command-C | Open the Computer window |
| Command-D | Duplicate selected item |
| Shift-Command-D | Open desktop folder |
| Command-E | Eject |
| Command-F | Find any matching Spotlight attribute |
| Shift-Command-F | Find Spotlight file name matches |
| Option-Command-F | Navigate to the search field in an already-open Spotlight window |
| Shift-Command-G | Go to Folder |
| Shift-Command-H | Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account |
| Command-I | Get Info |
| Option-Command-I | Show Inspector |
| Control-Command-I | Get Summary Info |
| Shift-Command-I | Open iDisk |
| Command-J | Show View Options |
| Command-K | Connect to Server |
| Shift-Command-K | Open Network window |
| Command-L | Make alias of the selected item |
| Command-M | Minimize window |
| Option-Command-M | Minimize all windows |
| Command-N | New Finder window |
| Shift-Command-N | New folder |
| Option-Command-N | New Smart Folder |
| Command-O | Open selected item |
| Shift-Command-Q | Log Out |
| Option-Shift-Command-Q | Log Out immediately |
| Command-R | Show original (of alias) |
| Command-T | Add to Sidebar |
| Shift-Command-T | Add to Favorites |
| Option-Command-T | Hide Toolbar / Show Toolbar in Finder windows |
| Shift-Command-U | Open Utilities folder |
| Command-V | Paste |
| Command-W | Close window |
| Option-Command-W | Close all windows |
| Command-X | Cut |
| Option-Command-Y | Slideshow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later) |
| Command-Z | Undo / Redo |
| Command-1 | View as Icon |
| Command-2 | View as List |
| Command-3 | View as Columns |
| Command-4 | View as Cover Flow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later) |
| Command-, (Command and the comma key) | Open Finder preferences |
| Command-` (the Grave accent key--above Tab key on a US English keyboard layout) | Cycle through open Finder windows |
| Command-Shift-? | Open Mac Help |
| Option-Shift-Command-Esc (hold for three seconds) - Mac OS X v10.5, v10.6 or later only | Force Quit front-most application |
| Command-[ | Back |
| Command-] | Forward |
| Command-Up Arrow | Open enclosed folder |
| Control-Command-Up Arrow | Open enclosed folder in a new window |
| Command-Down Arrow | Open highlighted item |
| Command-Tab | Switch application--cycle forward |
| Shift-Command-Tab | Switch application--cycle backward |
| Command-Delete | Move to Trash |
| Shift-Command-Delete | Empty Trash |
| Option-Shift-Command-Delete | Empty Trash without confirmation dialog |
| Spacebar (or Command-Y) | Quick Look (Mac OS X 10.5 or later) |
| Command key while dragging | Move dragged item to other volume/location (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article) |
| Option key while dragging | Copy dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article) |
| Option-Command key combination while dragging | Make alias of dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article) |
Application and other Mac OS X keyboard commands
Note: Some applications may not support all of the below application key combinations.
| Key combination | What it does |
| Command-Space | Show or hide the Spotlight search field (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through enabled script systems) |
| Control-A | Move to beginning of line/paragraph |
| Control-B | Move one character backward |
| Control-D | Delete the character in front of the cursor |
| Control-E | Move to end of line/paragraph |
| Control-F | Move one character forward |
| Control-H | Delete the character behind the cursor |
| Control-K | Delete from the character in front of the cursor to the end of the line/paragraph |
| Control-L | Center the cursor/selection in the visible area |
| Control-N | Move down one line |
| Control-O | Insert a new line after the cursor |
| Control-P | Move up one line |
| Control-T | Transpose the character behind the cursor and the character in front of the cursor |
| Control-V | Move down one page |
| Option-Delete | Delete the word that is left of the cursor, as well as any spaces or punctuation after the word |
| Option-Command-Space | Show the Spotlight search results window (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through keyboard layouts and input methods within a script) |
| Command-Tab | Move forward to the next most recently used application in a list of open applications |
| Shift-Command-Tab | Move backward through a list of open applications (sorted by recent use) |
| Shift-Tab | Navigate through controls in a reverse direction |
| Control-Tab | Move focus to the next grouping of controls in a dialog or the next table (when Tab moves to the next cell) |
| Shift-Control-Tab | Move focus to the previous grouping of controls |
| Command-esc | Open Front Row (if installed) |
| Option-Eject | Eject from secondary optical media drive (if one is installed) |
| Control-Eject | Show shutdown dialog |
| Option-Command-Eject | Put the computer to sleep |
| Control-Command-Eject | Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then restart the computer |
| Control Option-Command-Eject | Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then shut down the computer |
| fn-Delete | Forward Delete (on portable Macs' built-in keyboard) |
| Control-F1 | Toggle full keyboard access on or off |
| Control-F2 | Move focus to the menu bar |
| Control-F3 | Move focus to the Dock |
| Control-F4 | Move focus to the active (or next) window |
| Shift-Control-F4 | Move focus to the previously active window |
| Control-F5 | Move focus to the toolbar. |
| Control-F6 | Move focus to the first (or next) panel |
| Shift-Control-F6 | Move focus to the previous panel |
| Control-F7 | Temporarily override the current keyboard access mode in windows and dialogs |
| F9 | Tile or untile all open windows |
| F10 | Tile or untile all open windows in the currently active application |
| F11 | Hide or show all open windows |
| F12 | Hide or display Dashboard |
| Command-` | Activate the next open window in the frontmost application |
| Shift-Command-` | Activate the previous open window in the frontmost application |
| Option-Command-` | Move focus to the window drawer |
| Command- - (minus) | Decrease the size of the selected item |
| Command-{ | Left-align a selection |
| Command-} | Right-align a selection |
| Command-| | Center-align a selection |
| Command-: | Display the Spelling window |
| Command-; | Find misspelled words in the document |
| Command-, | Open the front application's preferences window (if it supports this keyboard shortcut) |
| Option-Control-Command-, | Decrease screen contrast |
| Option-Control-Command-. | Increase screen contrast |
| Command-? | Open the application's help in Help Viewer |
| Option-Command-/ | Turn font smoothing on or off |
| Shift-Command-= | Increase the size of the selected item |
| Shift-Command-3 | Capture the screen to a file |
| Shift-Control-Command-3 | Capture the screen to the Clipboard |
| Shift-Command-4 | Capture a selection to a file |
| Shift-Control-Command-4 | Capture a selection to the Clipboard |
| Command-A | Highlight every item in a document or window, or all characters in a text field |
| Command-B | Boldface the selected text or toggle boldfaced text on and off |
| Command-C | Copy the selected data to the Clipboard |
| Shift-Command-C | Display the Colors window |
| Option-Command-C | Copy the style of the selected text |
| Control-Command-C | Copy the formatting settings of the selected item and store on the Clipboard |
| Option-Command-D | Show or hide the Dock |
| Command-Control-D | Display the definition of the selected word in the Dictionary application |
| Command-D | Selects the Desktop folder in Open and Save dialogs Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in Mac OS X v10.6.8 and earlier |
| Command-Delete | Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in OS X Lion |
| Command-E | Use the selection for a find |
| Command-F | Open a Find window |
| Option-Command-F | Move to the search field control |
| Command-G | Find the next occurrence of the selection |
| Shift-Command-G | Find the previous occurrence of the selection |
| Command-H | Hide the windows of the currently running application |
| Option-Command-H | Hide the windows of all other running applications |
| Command-I | Italicize the selected text or toggle italic text on or off |
| Option-Command-I | Display an inspector window |
| Command-J | Scroll to a selection |
| Command-M | Minimize the active window to the Dock |
| Option-Command-M | Minimize all windows of the active application to the Dock |
| Command-N | Create a new document in the frontmost application |
| Command-O | Display a dialog for choosing a document to open in the frontmost application |
| Command-P | Display the Print dialog |
| Shift-Command-P | Display a dialog for specifying printing parameters (Page Setup) |
| Command-Q | Quit the frontmost application |
| Command-S | Save the active document |
| Shift-Command-S | Display the Save As dialog |
| Command-T | Display the Fonts window |
| Option-Command-T | Show or hide a toolbar |
| Command-U | Underline the selected text or turn underlining on or off |
| Command-V | Paste the Clipboard contents at the insertion point |
| Option-Command-V | Apply the style of one object to the selected object (Paste Style) |
| Option-Shift-Command-V | Apply the style of the surrounding text to the inserted object (Paste and Match Style) |
| Control-Command-V | Apply formatting settings to the selected object (Paste Ruler Command) |
| Command-W | Close the frontmost window |
| Shift-Command-W | Close a file and its associated windows |
| Option-Command-W | Close all windows in the application without quitting it |
| Command-X | Remove the selection and store in the Clipboard |
| Command-Z | Undo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Undos) |
| Shift-Command-Z | Redo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Redos) |
| Control-Right Arrow | Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table |
| Control-Left Arrow | Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table |
| Control-Down Arrow | Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table |
| Control-Up Arrow | Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table |
| Command-Right Arrow | Move the text insertion point to the end of the current line |
| Command-Left Arrow | Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the current line |
| Command-Down Arrow | Move the text insertion point to the end of the document |
| Command-Up Arrow | Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the document |
Shift-Command-Right Arrow
| Select text between the insertion point and the end of the current line (*) |
| Shift-Command-Left Arrow | Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line (*) |
| Shift-Right Arrow | Extend text selection one character to the right (*) |
| Shift-Left Arrow | Extend text selection one character to the left (*) |
| Shift-Command-Up Arrow | Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document (*) |
| Shift-Command-Down Arrow | Select text between the insertion point and the end of the document (*) |
| Shift-Up Arrow | Extend text selection to the line above, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*) |
| Shift-Down Arrow | Extend text selection to the line below, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*) |
| Shift-Option-Right Arrow | Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again (*) |
| Shift-Option-Left Arrow | Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again (*) |
| Shift-Option-Down Arrow | Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again (*) |
| Shift-Option-Up Arrow | Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again (*) |
| Control-Space | Toggle between the current and previous input sources |
| Option-Control-Space | Toggle through all enabled input sources |
| Option-Command-esc | Force Quit |
(*) Note: If no text is selected, the extension begins at the insertion point. If text is selected by dragging, then the extension begins at the selection boundary. Reversing the direction of the selection deselects the appropriate unit.
Universal Access - VoiceOver keyboard commands
For information about VoiceOver key combination differences in Mac OS X v10.6, see this article.
| Key combination | What it does |
| Command-F5 or fn Command-F5 | Turn VoiceOver on or off |
| Control Option-F8 or fn Control Option-F8 | Open VoiceOver Utility |
| Control Option-F7 or fn Control Option-F7 | Display VoiceOver menu |
| Control Option-; or fn Control Option-; | Enable/disable VoiceOver Control Option-lock |
| Option-Command-8 or fn Command-F11 | Turn on Zoom |
| Option-Command-+ | Zoom In |
| Option-Command- - (minus) | Zoom Out |
| Option-Control-Command-8 | Invert/revert the screen colors |
| Control Option-Command-, | Reduce contrast |
| Control Option-Command-. | Increase contrast |
Note: You may need to enable "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys" in Keyboard preferences for the VoiceOver menu and utility to work.
Universal Access - Mouse Keys
When Mouse Keys is turned on in Universal Access preferences, you can use the keyboard or numeric keypad keys to move the mouse pointer. If your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad, use the Fn (function) key.
| Key combination | What it does |
| 8 | Move Up |
| 2 | Move Down |
| 4 | Move Left |
| 6 | Move Right |
| 1 | Move Diagonally Bottom Left |
| 3 | Move Diagonally Bottom Right |
| 7 | Move Diagonally Top Left |
| 9 | Move Diagonally Top Right |
| 5 | Press Mouse Button |
| 0 | Hold Mouse Button |
| . (period on number pad) | Release Hold Mouse Button |
