iSightCornwall Picks: Keyboard Shortcuts for Apple Mac’s

For many visually impaired people, the most effective way to use a computer is with keyboard commands.

We have put together a list of useful keyboard shortcuts for the Apple Mac operating system.

Generic Shortcuts

• Command+X: Cut
• Command+C: Copy
• Command+V: Paste
• Command+Z: Undo the previous command
• Shift+Command+Z: Redo the previous command
• Command+A: Select all items
• Command+F: Find items in a document or open a Find window.
• Command+M: Minimize the front window to the Dock
• Command+O: Open
• Command+P: Print
• Command+S: Save
• Command+T: Open a new tab
• Command+W: Close the front window
• Option+Command+Esc: Force quit an app
• Command–Space bar: Show or hide the Spotlight search field
• Control–Command–Space bar: Show the Character Viewer
• Control+Command+F: Use the app in full screen
• Command+Tab: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps.
• Shift+Command+3: Take a screenshot of the entire screen

Finder and System Shortcuts

• 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.
• Shift+Command+C: Open the Computer window.
• Shift+Command+D: Open the desktop folder.
• Shift+Command+I: Open iCloud Drive.
• Shift+Command+K: Open the Network window.
• Option+Command+L: Open the Downloads folder.
• Shift+Command+N: Create a new folder.
• Shift+Command+O: Open the Documents folder.
• Shift+Command+R: Open the AirDrop window.
• Shift+Command+U: Open the Utilities folder.
• Command+J: Show View Options.
• Command+K: Open the Connect to Server window.
• Option+Command+V: Move: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location.
• Command–Left Bracket ([): Go to the previous folder.
• Command–Right Bracket (]): Go to the next folder.
• Command–Down Arrow: Open the selected item.
• Command+Delete: Move the selected item to the Trash.
• Shift+Command+Delete: Empty the Trash.
• Command–Brightness Up: Turn target display mode on or off.
• Command–Brightness Down: Turn video mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display.
• Option–Brightness Up: Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.
• Control–Brightness Upor Control–Brightness Down: Change the brightness of your external display, if supported by your display.
• Option–Volume Up: Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.
• Option–Keyboard Brightness Up: Open Keyboard preferences. This works with either Keyboard Brightness key.
• Command key while double+clicking: Open a folder in a separate tab or window.
• Command key while dragging to another volume: Move the dragged item to the other volume, instead of copying it.
• Option key while dragging: Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
• Option+click a disclosure triangle: Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Command+click a window title: See the folders that contain the current folder.

Document Shortcuts

• Command+B: Boldface the selected text
• Command+I: Italicize the selected text
• Command+U: Underline the selected text
• Command+D: Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialogue or Save dialogue
• Command+Semicolon (;): Find misspelt 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
• Control+D: Delete the character to the right of the insertion point
• Fn–Up Arrow: Page Up: Scroll up one page
• Fn–Down Arrow: Page Down: Scroll down one page
• Fn–Left Arrow: Home: Scroll to the beginning of a document
• Fn–Right Arrow: End: Scroll to the end of a document
• 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+P: Move up one line.
• Control+N: Move down one line
• Command–Left Curly Bracket ({): Left align
• Command–Right Curly Bracket (}): Right align
• Shift–Command–Vertical bar (|): Center align
• Option+Command+F: Go to the search field
• Option+Command+T: Show or hide a toolbar in the app
• Shift+Command+P:  Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings
• Shift–Command–Minus sign (+): Decrease the size of the selected item
• Shift–Command–Plus sign (+): Increase the size of the selected item
• Shift–Command–Question mark (?): Open the Help menu

Download the Keyboard Shortcuts and Hot Keys for future use (Word file)

If you know a helpful shortcut that does not appear on the list above we would love to hear from you. Please email us at info@isightcornwall.org.uk with your suggestions.