The 10 Best Mac Keyboard Shortcuts for Productivity


best mac keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are pretty awesome. Few productive people can get through their day without using an assortment of keyboard shortcuts. The less you have to leave your keyboard for and try to navigate to a setting or feature, the smoother your work will be. And besides, a few of these are just plain cool.

Check out the top ten best keyboard shortcuts for productivity on the mac and see if you’re using them. Have one we missed? Leave it in the comments below. This is far from an extensive list, but those can get a little long and drawn out, anyway.

1. Command + Option + I – This will give you an info pane for whatever is currently selected. Want info on multiple items? Highlight them then use this command.

2. Shift + Command + I  – This little shortcut will take whatever webpage you’re currently viewing in your default browser and generate a new mail message in your default mail app with that URL and page title.

shift-command-i

3. Command + Option – Spotlight is one of the most underused features in OS X. Many people just use it for finding files they might have misplaced, but Spotlight is a powerful app launcher, too. Start typing the app you want and it should pop up. Enter a basic math problem into Spotlight and it’ll solve that for you, too.

4. Command + Option + Space – All you have to do is add the space bar to the Spotlight command and you have a Finder window open with a search all ready to be started. This can be easier to navigate than the window that comes up in a standard Spotlight search.

5. Command + ~ – In OS X Mavericks you gained the ability to use Finder tabs, but many people still leave multiple Finder windows open. To cycle through them one by one to find the one you’re looking for, use the Command + ~ shortcut. Add Shift into the command to go the other way.

mac keyboard shortcuts finder

6. Command + Shift + 4 + Space – We mentioned this shortcut when talking about screen shots in OS X, but it’s a really useful shortcut for productivity, so it made a second list. This command will take a screen shot of any window currently open, including the toolbar and the Dock. just hover the camera over the item you want a shot of and click. Remove the space bar and you get the regular drag box version of screen shot.

7. Command + 1/2/3/4 – Here’s another great Finder shortcut. Hit Command + the numbers 1 through 4 to cycle through the different Finder views. This helps you to see things a little clearer without needing to click.

8. Command + Shift + A/U/D – Do you frequently open Find windows for Applications, Utilities, or the Desktop? Instead of opening Finder and clicking on those folders, you can just hold down Command + Shift then hit the letter associated with the folder. You do need to have Finder as the active app for this to work, so clicking on your desktop will do the trick.

keyboard-shortcuts-apps

9. Command + Tab – A lot of people know that you can use Command + Tab to cycle through open applications, but for anyone who doesn’t, this is a great way to find the app you’re looking for, especially if you’ve hidden the Dock.

10. Command + Tab + H – Since you know how to look through open apps now with Command + Tab, you can add in the H key and hide whatever app you have selected.

Wrap-Up

Keyboard shortcuts are one of the easiest ways to save time and frustration while working on your Mac. They help keep your head in what you’re doing and stops the need to search menu bars and task bars to find the setting or app you need.

Bookmark this list and come back any time you forget one and need a refresher.


Kossi Adzo

Kossi Adzo is a technology enthusiast and digital strategist with a fervent passion for Apple products and the innovative technologies that orbit them. With a background in computer science and a decade of experience in app development and digital marketing, Kossi brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the Apple Gazette team.

2 Comments

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  1. Pretty neat list! I did not know some of them.

    To me the best and most productive shortcuts will always be Cmd + C / V / X / Z / Q. They are not very sexy but I used them all the time.