Here is a list of Windows equivalent Mac keyboard shortcuts that will help you to get things done on both environments easily. Windows Equivalent Mac Shortcuts. Unfortunately, some Windows equivalent shortcuts are not available in Mac. Windows server 2008 mac mini. However, you can setup custom keyboard shortcuts in Mac for that. Feb 08, 2020 Consider using keyboard shortcuts instead. You can use your Mac's keyboard to prompt a right-click menu, copy items, and paste items: Holding Control while clicking an item will prompt a drop-down menu with Copy and Paste options. Pressing ⌘ Command + C while text or an item is selected will copy the text or item.
Humanity should be grateful for the invention of Mac hotkeys. They probably saved us thousand years of time if put together. There is something addictive in using shortcuts - the quickness, the feeling of a keyboard, the geeky confidence in your fingers when you realize “hurray it works!” Once you get hooked on shortcuts, you’ll never go back to clicking again.
May 08, 2020 Or Control-click (or right-click) the item you selected, then choose Cut from the shortcut menu. Paste, or paste and match style First click to place your insertion point, then use one of these steps to paste your copied item at that location. Dec 11, 2020 Right-click on the folder or app name and click on Make Alias. You will see that a shortcut is immediately created for that folder or app. Press enter key. It has the word alias at the end of the name.
Basic Mac hotkeys combinations
1. Quit all apps
Sometimes an app that you thought you quit is still secretly running in the background. When your Mac lags and you need some fresh memory, you may choose to quit all apps. You probably heard of Force Quit (Cmd + Option + Esc), but it’s a too long way to do it.
Quit many apps in a row: Cmd + Tab
Quit many apps in a row: Cmd + Tab
Then, holding down Cmd press Q to cycle between apps you need to close.
2. Delete a file completely
Dragging files to the Trash? Wait, this is not the only option. Here’s a shortcut to quickly delete unwanted files on a Mac, bypassing the Trash. Caution: there’s no way back.
To completely delete a file: Option + Cmd + Delete
Quick fact: ??
Did you know, the Command key ? symbol was borrowed from a road sign that is used across Scandinavia? Its original use is to denote tourist attractions. Early Mac models had Apple key instead of Command, but it later was changed as Steve Jobs feared that there would be too many “apples” in the OS interface.
Did you know, the Command key ? symbol was borrowed from a road sign that is used across Scandinavia? Its original use is to denote tourist attractions. Early Mac models had Apple key instead of Command, but it later was changed as Steve Jobs feared that there would be too many “apples” in the OS interface.
3. Copy and paste a screenshot directly
Cmd + Shift + 4 is an old classic way to make a screenshot on a Mac. But here comes the combination to take your screenshotting skills to the new level. Normally you would make a screenshot, pick it from your desktop, and only then paste it to the new location. It appears, all this time you could do it easier.
To copy-paste a screenshot: Shift + Control + Cmd + 4
To copy-paste a screenshot: Shift + Control + Cmd + 4
4. Quickly switch to the desktop
Sometimes your screen is so obscured by windows it would take years to click through to the desktop. Thank goodness, there is a Mac keystroke combination designed for people like us: the folks who are drowning in an ocean of windows.
To remove window overload: Cmd + F3
5. Open Spotlight
Spotlight, your Mac’s internal search engine, can make your life 1000% easier. It finds files faster than Finder and intuitively predicts what are you after. To open Spotlight right on the spot (sorry for the pun), use this magic combo.
To launch Spotlight search: Cmd + Space bar
To launch Spotlight search: Cmd + Space bar
Cool shortcut keys for Mac
1. Invert display colors
A truly psychedelic key combination. Puffin browser alternative. This shortcut inverts all the colors on your Mac's screen to their opposites. Try it, and your world will never be the same. On the flip side, you can find a few practical applications for this command, for example, to adjust your screen to different lighting.
To invert colors on screen: ?md + Option + F5
2. Restore a recently closed tab
This one can be a real savior if you accidentally closed an important tab in a browser, like that pancake recipe or payment confirmation. There’s an easy Mac keyboard shortcut to restore it.
To restore a closed tab: Cmd + Shift + T
To restore a closed tab: Cmd + Shift + T
3. To shut down your Mac instantly
No, the following Mac shortcut is not about the force shutdown. It’s used when you need to quickly close all dialog windows and shut down your Mac in a legit way. Learn this one, quickly finish your work and finally go outside.
To quickly shut down a Mac: Control + Option + Command + Eject
4. Mac hot keys to invoke Siri
Among all Mac keyboard commands, this is the easiest. Since Siri’s arrival to macOS we got used to talk to Siri about weather and even ask her to play our favorite tracks on Mac. If you are using macOS Sierra or higher, you’ll enjoy the ability to summon Siri using just one hand.
To launch Siri: Cmd + Space bar
To launch Siri: Cmd + Space bar
A shortcut to free up space on your Mac
Well, not exactly a shortcut, but indeed the quickest way to get more storage on your Mac.
Download CleanMyMac + Install + Click Smart Scan
This combination of actions will free up dozens of gigabytes of space taken by garbage: unwanted files, system junk, app leftovers, etc. CleanMyMac removes about 54 GB of junk on an average Mac. Try and see how it cleans your Mac.
This combination of actions will free up dozens of gigabytes of space taken by garbage: unwanted files, system junk, app leftovers, etc. CleanMyMac removes about 54 GB of junk on an average Mac. Try and see how it cleans your Mac.
CleanMyMac is available for a free download here.
Finder shortcuts
Finder is quite a resource-demanding tool. When you open a new Finder window it usually takes some time. For quicker access to your main destinations like Applications or Desktop, you can use the following shortcut combinations.
To quickly access Finder folders:
To quickly access Finder folders:
Cmd + Shift + A (for Applications)
Cmd + Shift + U (for Utilities)
Cmd + Shift + D (for Desktop)
Cmd + Shift + U (for Utilities)
Cmd + Shift + D (for Desktop)
Chrome shortcuts
Having hundreds of opened tabs in a browser has become a widespread syndrome nowadays. Closing tabs with a mouse is not only frustrating but also may freeze up your browser. Using a direct shortcut makes this job easy as a morning walk.
To close a current tab in Chrome: Cmd + W
To close a Chrome window: Cmd + Shift + W
To open a new Chrome tab: Cmd + T
To close a Chrome window: Cmd + Shift + W
To open a new Chrome tab: Cmd + T
How to memorize Mac shortcuts: ??
Psychologists say you have to do something at least 3 times to put it in your long-term memory. Attach small sticky notes to the outlines of your Mac’s screen with 3 or 4 shortcuts you really want to master. Then, leave it all to your fingers.
Psychologists say you have to do something at least 3 times to put it in your long-term memory. Attach small sticky notes to the outlines of your Mac’s screen with 3 or 4 shortcuts you really want to master. Then, leave it all to your fingers.
Mac shortcuts for documents
1. Copy text without formatting
You want to copy a piece of the text, but the old formatting drags along with it. Now you spend more time formatting rather than actually creating a text. To strip the text from old styling, use the following Mac hotkeys combination. A very good one to stretch your fingers.
To paste text without formatting:
Hold down Shift + Option + Command and hit V
Hold down Shift + Option + Command and hit V
2. Paste special symbols and emojis
Probably this is the easiest documented shortcut key for a Mac. To enter special symbols, like those lamdas, tildas, and alfas, you need to press just one key. For instance, if you need to type a modified E, hold down the E key for one second and then choose among available variations that appear.
To enter an alternate character: Hold down the character key
To paste emojis in the text: Press Control + Command + Space
To paste emojis in the text: Press Control + Command + Space
3. Enter a strikethrough text on a Mac
You won’t believe, but 8000 people are googling how to do a strikethrough text on a Mac everyday. Although some applications don’t support it, this combination well works in TextEdit and Word. Now you can use it in every second line to add some roughness to your writing.
To apply strikethrough formatting: Cmd + Shift + X
4. Quickly print documents
The next combination works for most apps that allow printing. You don’t need to figure out where the print dialogue is located in every case. Just memorize this quick combination and send your files to print from anywhere.
To invoke a print dialogue: Cmd + P
To invoke a print dialogue: Cmd + P
Mac shortcuts to delete many files at once
There comes a time when you need to do a spring cleaning on your Mac: sort out old garbage, move photos to an external drive, or clean up your old downloads. It is time-consuming and takes an immense willpower simply to start. But lucky you are: there are a few shortcuts to remove large heaps of files as quickly as if you had a machete.
To select folder contents: Cmd + A
To delete a group of files after selection: Cmd + Delete
To empty the Trash: Cmd + Shift + Delete
If you’ve got many files left after backing up, this will save you a good deal of time moving them to the Trash bin.
To delete a group of files after selection: Cmd + Delete
To empty the Trash: Cmd + Shift + Delete
If you’ve got many files left after backing up, this will save you a good deal of time moving them to the Trash bin.
To save you from a headache, there are apps that will do the mundane deletion job in an instant. CleanMyMac is perhaps the most reliable one. It has a tool that specifically searches for Large & Old files on your drive for a quick cleanup. Make foxfire my default browser. CleanMyMac is available for a free download. So, check it out.
This was our take on most useful keyboard shortcuts for Mac. Thanks for reading. Below you'll find a few more links about Mac and productivity.
These might also interest you:
Website and copywriting tasks are much quicker if you know how to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts.
You can save yourself a huge amount of time if you know how to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts.
In this blog post you will find step-by-step instructions, as well as a video to show you how to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts.
Common things you might want to copy and paste include:
- Sending a website address (URL) in an email, or putting it in a document.
- Someone’s contact details, such as their website address or phone number, from their email signature.
- Information from an old document (e.g. a proposal, letter, or fact sheet) into a new document.
- Keywords you’ve brainstormed into a keyword research tool.
… There are limitless ways in which copying and pasting is useful!
And if you know how to do it quickly and efficiently, it can save you a lot of time.
Note: Giving instructions on how to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts might seem quite basic to some readers here… If that’s the case, give yourself a pat on the back from being so smart. I know for a fact that there are a lot of people out there who don’t know how to copy and paste at all – let alone with keyboard shortcuts!
We all have to begin somewhere, and this video and article will make it nice and easy for you to learn…
Why use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste?
You don’t have to use the keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste… you can use your mouse and go to Edit > Copy and then Edit > Paste. But this method is very time-consuming. If you do a lot of copying and pasting in your day (like I do), then using the keyboard is far more efficient, and it will save you time for more important things.
Paste Shortcut Macbook
You’ll still need your mouse to highlight the text and position the cursor, but by using keyboard commands for copying and pasting (instead of navigating to the Edit menu), it’ll be quicker for you.
First things first: how to select the text you want to copy
You use your mouse to control the cursor on screen to select the text you want to copy. There are a number of different ways to select the text:
- Click the left mouse button and drag the mouse to select the text you want to copy.
- To select a whole word, double-click on it with the left mouse button.
- If you want to select a whole paragraph or website address (URL), triple-click on it with the left mouse button.
You can tell which text you have selected, as it will be higlighted, as per this example:
How to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts: on a PC
To copy and paste using the keyboard on a PC you need to locate the following 3 keys on the keyboard:
- Control (often labelled as ‘Ctrl’)
- The letter ‘C’
- The letter ‘V’
Step-by-step instructions for PC:
- Select the text you want to copy (as per the instructions above).
- Press down the ‘Control’ and letter ‘C’ buttons together at the same time: this is the ‘Copy’ command, which puts the data on your computer’s clipboard.
- Then navigate to where you want to paste the information: place your cursor with the mouse.
- Press down the ‘Control’ and letter ‘V’ buttons together at the same time. This is the ‘Paste’ command, and the text you selected should now be inserted.
How to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts: on a Mac
To copy and paste using the keyboard on a Mac you need to locate the following 3 keys on the keyboard:
- Command key (the one with the squirly pattern on it)
- The letter ‘C’
- The letter ‘V’
Step-by-step instructions for Mac:
- Select the text you want to copy (as per the instructions above).
- Press down the ‘Command’ button and letter ‘C’ buttons together at the same time: this is the ‘Copy’ command, which puts the data on your computer’s clipboard.
- Then navigate to where you want to paste the information: place your cursor with the mouse.
- Press the ‘Command’ button and letter ‘V’ buttons together at the same time. This is the ‘Paste’ command, and the text you selected should now be inserted.
Video tutorial on how to copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts:
Voila! It’s that easy!
Paste Shortcut On Keyboard
There are many more keyboard shortcuts, and many are universal between apps.
Mac Copy Paste Shortcut Keys
But copying and pasting is the one keyboard shortcut I use the most – and it’s likely to be the shortcut you’ll use the most too.