The Ultimate Guide to Mac Keyboard Shortcuts 2026 (inc. PDF, Symbols & Cheat Sheets)

I’ve been mastering keyboard shortcuts on a Mac for well over a decade and found them one of the fastest ways to work smarter and boost my productivity.

From taking screenshots to Force Quitting apps, Macs have tons of shortcuts that many Mac users remain completely unaware of.

Whether you’re navigating macOS, managing files, editing text, browsing the web, or using advanced system features, finding a keyboard shortcut for the job can save hours every week.

However, even today I’m learning new ones and find myself still going back to my trusty old cheat-sheet to remember old ones.

This guide is designed to be comprehensive, practical, and easy to reference for Mac users of all abilities and also bring together everything I’ve learned over my many years using a Mac.

Rather than listing shortcuts in isolation, I’ve grouped them by real-world tasks to explain when and why you should use them.

If you’ve recently switched to Mac from Windows, you may also find our guide on using familiar Windows commands on a Mac useful too.

Do these keyboard shortcuts work on all versions of macOS?

Yes. The vast majority of Mac keyboard shortcuts in this guide work across all modern versions of macOS, including the latest release (Tahoe). Most are core system shortcuts that have remained unchanged for many years. Minor differences may occur depending on keyboard type, regional settings, or specific app version.

Let’s dive in!

1. Core macOS Navigation Shortcuts

These shortcuts form the backbone of everyday usage of my Mac. If you only memorize one section, make it this one.

Quickly Find Anything on Your Mac

• Command (⌘) + Space – Open Spotlight Search to find apps, files, folders, emails, system settings, calculations, and even conversions.

Spotlight is often faster than navigating Finder or Launchpad and works across macOS.

Switch Between Apps and Windows

• Command (⌘) + Tab – Switch between open applications
• Command (⌘) + ` (backtick) – Cycle through windows within the current app

This distinction is important: Command + Tab switches apps, while Command + ` switches documents or windows inside the same app.

Hide, Minimise, Close or Quit Apps

• Command (⌘) + H – Hide the current app
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + H – Hide all other apps
• Command (⌘) + M – Minimise the current window
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + M – Minimise all windows of the active app
• Command (⌘) + W – Close the current window
• Command (⌘) + Q – Quit the current application

Understanding the difference between closing a window and quitting an app is a key action for those new to Macs.

Dock and App Control

• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + D – Show or hide the Dock
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Esc – Open the Force Quit Applications window

Force Quit is essential if an app becomes unresponsive.

2. Window Management, Mission Control & Desktops

macOS excels at multitasking once you learn its window-management shortcuts.

Mission Control & App Exposé

• F3 or Control + Arrow Up – Open Mission Control (all windows and desktops)
• Control + Arrow Down – Show all windows of the current app
• Command (⌘) + F3 – View all desktops (Spaces)

Mission Control is the fastest way to regain control when your desktop gets cluttered.

Full Screen & Split View

• Command (⌘) + Control + F – Toggle full-screen mode
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Left / Right Arrow – Switch between apps in Split View

Switching Between Desktops (Spaces)

• Control + Left Arrow – Move to the desktop on the left
• Control + Right Arrow – Move to the desktop on the right

Power users often dedicate separate desktops for work, browsing, communication, and media.

3. Finder & File Management Shortcuts

These shortcuts make Finder dramatically faster than using a mouse.

Finder Basics

• Command (⌘) + N – Open a new Finder window
• Command (⌘) + Shift + N – Create a new folder
• Command (⌘) + O – Open the selected item

Moving, Deleting & Organising Files

• Command (⌘) + C – Copy
• Command (⌘) + X – Cut
• Command (⌘) + V – Paste
• Command (⌘) + Delete – Move selected item to Trash
• Command (⌘) + Shift + Delete – Empty the Trash

Undo & Redo

• Command (⌘) + Z – Undo
• Command (⌘) + Shift + Z – Redo

Undo works across Finder, documents, and many system actions.

4. Text Editing & Document Navigation

These shortcuts work in almost every app – Pages, Word, Notes, browsers, and even text fields.

Navigating Text Quickly

• Command (⌘) + Arrow Left – Jump to the beginning of a line
• Command (⌘) + Arrow Right – Jump to the end of a line
• Command (⌘) + Arrow Up – Go to the beginning of the document
• Command (⌘) + Arrow Down – Go to the end of the document

Selecting Text Efficiently

• Shift + Arrow Left / Right – Select character by character
• Shift + Arrow Up / Down – Select line by line
• Command (⌘) + A – Select all

Cut, Copy, Paste & Formatting

• Command (⌘) + C – Copy
• Command (⌘) + X – Cut
• Command (⌘) + V – Paste
• Command (⌘) + B – Bold
• Command (⌘) + I – Italic
• Command (⌘) + U – Underline

5. Searching, Finding & App Preferences

Find Within Apps

• Command (⌘) + F – Open the Find bar to search within documents, webpages, or apps

App Preferences

• Command (⌘) + , – Open preferences or settings for the current app

This shortcut works in most Mac apps, including Safari, Finder, and third-party software.

6. Safari & Web Browsing Shortcuts

These shortcuts apply to Safari and most other Mac browsers.

Tab & Page Management

• Command (⌘) + T – Open a new tab
• Command (⌘) + W – Close the current tab
• Command (⌘) + Shift + T – Reopen the last closed tab

Navigation & Searching

• Command (⌘) + L – Highlight the address bar
• Command (⌘) + F – Find text on a webpage
• Command (⌘) + R – Reload the page
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Left / Right Arrow – Back or forward in history

7. Screenshots & Screen Recording

macOS has some of the best built-in screen capture tools available. For an in-depth look at all it can do, check out our ultimate guide to taking screenshots on a Mac.

Here though are the quickest and easiest ways to take a screenshot on Mac:

• Command (⌘) + Shift + 3 – Screenshot entire screen
• Command (⌘) + Shift + 4 – Screenshot selected area
• Command (⌘) + Shift + 5 – Open screenshot and screen recording toolbar

8. System Utilities & Power Controls

• Command (⌘) + Shift + U – Open the Utilities folder
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Esc – Force Quit applications
• Control + Command (⌘) + Power – Force restart (use with caution)

9. Accessibility & Visual Assistance Shortcuts

macOS includes powerful accessibility tools built directly into the system.

• Command (⌘) + F5 – Toggle VoiceOver
• Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + F5 – Open Accessibility Options
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + 8 – Toggle Invert Colours
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Plus (+) – Zoom in
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Minus (-) – Zoom out

10. Emoji, Symbols & Special Characters

Emoji Keyboard

• Command (⌘) + Control + Space – Open the Emoji & Symbols viewer

Common Special Characters

Sometimes you can go mad on a Mac just trying to find the simplest shortcut such as @ on a Mac, a checkmark or the Euro symbol.

• Option (⌥) + Shift + 8 – Degree symbol (°)
• Option (⌥) + 3 – Pound (£)
• Option (⌥) + 4 – Dollar ($)
• Option (⌥) + 2 – Trademark (™)
• Option (⌥) + G – Copyright (©)
• Option (⌥) + R – Registered trademark (®)
• Shift + 2 – At symbol (@)
• Option (⌥) + V – Checkmark (✓)
• Option (⌥) + Shift + 2 – Euro symbol (€)
• Shift + 3 – Hashtag (#) (US Mac keyboards)
• Option (⌥) + 3 – Hashtag (#) (UK Mac keyboards)

11. Essential Command (⌘) Shortcuts Every User Should Know

• Command (⌘) + A – Select all
• Command (⌘) + C – Copy
• Command (⌘) + X – Cut
• Command (⌘) + V – Paste
• Command (⌘) + Z – Undo
• Command (⌘) + Shift + Z – Redo
• Command (⌘) + S – Save
• Command (⌘) + P – Print
• Command (⌘) + Q – Quit app
• Command (⌘) + W – Close window

12. PDF Keyboard Shortcuts (Preview, Adobe Reader & Most PDF Apps)

Working with PDFs is common on macOS, and many shortcuts work across Preview and third‑party PDF readers such as Adobe Acrobat.

• Space – Quick Look a PDF in Finder
• Command (⌘) + O – Open a PDF
• Command (⌘) + P – Print PDF
• Command (⌘) + F – Find text within a PDF
• Command (⌘) + G – Find next instance of text
• Command (⌘) + Plus (+) – Zoom in
• Command (⌘) + Minus (–) – Zoom out
• Command (⌘) + 0 – Actual size
• Command (⌘) + 1 – Single page view
• Command (⌘) + 2 – Two‑page view
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + 2 – Continuous scroll
• Command (⌘) + Shift + A – Show markup toolbar (Preview)

Quick Look alone can eliminate the need to open many PDFs fully.

13. Typing Accents & Diacritics on Mac

macOS makes entering accented characters fast once you know how.

Accent Menu (Universal)

• Press and hold a letter (e.g. e, a, n) – Accent popup appears
• Press number key – Select the accent

Example: Holding e gives é, è, ê, ë.

Common Accent Shortcuts

• Option (⌥) + E, then letter – Acute accent (é)
• Option (⌥) + `, then letter – Grave accent (è)
• Option (⌥) + I, then letter – Circumflex (ê)
• Option (⌥) + U, then letter – Umlaut (ü)
• Option (⌥) + N, then letter – Tilde (ñ)

These work system‑wide in most apps.

14. Microsoft Excel Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac

Excel on Mac supports many powerful shortcuts for navigation and formulas.

Navigation & Selection

• Command (⌘) + Arrow Keys – Jump to edge of data region
• Shift + Arrow Keys – Extend selection
• Command (⌘) + A – Select all
• Command (⌘) + Space – Select entire column
• Shift + Space – Select entire row

Editing & Formulas

• Control + U – Edit active cell
• Command (⌘) + = – Insert formula
• Command (⌘) + ; – Insert current date
• Command (⌘) + Shift + : – Insert current time
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + V – Paste special

Workbook Control

• Command (⌘) + N – New workbook
• Command (⌘) + W – Close workbook
• Command (⌘) + S – Save workbook

15. Creating Custom Keyboard Shortcuts on macOS

You can create your own shortcuts for menu items in almost any app.

How to Create a Custom Shortcut

1. Open System Settings
2. Go to Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts
3. Select App Shortcuts
4. Click + to add a new shortcut
5. Choose an app (or All Applications)
6. Enter the exact menu name
7. Assign your shortcut

Custom shortcuts are ideal for repetitive menu actions.

16. Troubleshooting Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working

If shortcuts stop working, the issue is usually easy to fix. Try the following:

Common Fixes

• Check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts for conflicts
• Restart the affected app
• Log out and back in
• Restart your Mac

App‑Specific Issues

• Some apps override system shortcuts
• Menu wording must match exactly for custom shortcuts
• Third‑party keyboard utilities may block shortcuts

Hardware Checks

• Test another keyboard
• Disable keyboard remapping tools temporarily
• Check language and input source settings

17. Hidden & Power User Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts are less well-known but extremely powerful – the kind long-time Mac users swear by.

Finder & File Power Tricks

• Space – Quick Look selected file (works for PDFs, images, videos, text files)
• Command (⌘) + Y – Quick Look slideshow (multiple files)
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + V – Move files instead of copying when pasting
• Command (⌘) + I – Get Info for selected file
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + I – Show Inspector (updates as selection changes)
• Shift + Command (⌘) + . – Show or hide hidden files in Finder
• Return (↩︎) – Rename selected file
• Option (⌥) + Return – Rename file without opening it
• Command (⌘) + Delete – Move to Trash (bypasses confirmation dialogs)

Text, Selection & Editing Power Moves

• Option (⌥) + Arrow Left / Right – Move cursor word by word
• Option (⌥) + Delete – Delete previous word
• Command (⌘) + Delete – Delete to beginning of line
• Fn + Delete – Forward delete (on compact keyboards)

System & App-Level Power Shortcuts

• Control + Command (⌘) + Q – Lock screen instantly
• Option (⌥) + Click menu bar icons – Reveal advanced options (Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, Sound)
• Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Control + Power – Quit all apps and restart
• Shift + Option (⌥) + Control + Power – Sleep display immediately

Finder View & Navigation Shortcuts

• Command (⌘) + 1 – Icon view
• Command (⌘) + 2 – List view
• Command (⌘) + 3 – Column view
• Command (⌘) + 4 – Gallery view
• Command (⌘) + [ / ] – Back / forward in Finder

18. Printable Mac Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheets

Below are quick-reference tables which are ideal for printing, bookmarking, or saving as a PDF on your Mac.

Essential macOS Shortcuts (Cheat Sheet)

Action	Shortcut
Spotlight Search	Command (⌘) + Space
Switch Apps	Command (⌘) + Tab
Force Quit	Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Esc
Mission Control	F3 or Control + ↑
Lock Screen	Control + Command (⌘) + Q
Screenshot (Full)	Command (⌘) + Shift + 3
Screenshot (Area)	Command (⌘) + Shift + 4

Finder & File Management (Cheat Sheet)

Action	Shortcut
New Finder Window	Command (⌘) + N
New Folder	Command (⌘) + Shift + N
Move to Trash	Command (⌘) + Delete
Empty Trash	Command (⌘) + Shift + Delete
Move Instead of Copy	Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + V
Show Hidden Files	Shift + Command (⌘) + .

Text Editing (Universal)

Action	Shortcut
Select All	Command (⌘) + A
Copy	Command (⌘) + C
Cut	Command (⌘) + X
Paste	Command (⌘) + V
Undo	Command (⌘) + Z
Redo	Command (⌘) + Shift + Z

Final Tip: Learn in Layers

Don’t try to memorise everything at once. Start with navigation shortcuts, then file management, then text editing, and finally power-user shortcuts.

Once these shortcuts become muscle memory, macOS feels dramatically faster – and you’ll rely on the trackpad and mouse far less.