Since many people often ask how to maximize their productiveness and I always try to give them information about the keyboard shortcuts in the system I thought a more structured explanation might be useful.

I’ve been a Mac-user since more than 10 years now, and I’ll most likely continue to do so for another 10 years. The robustness and the simple fact that it gets things done without problems are reasons enough to motivate the choice. And starting to use the keyboard shortcuts are probably the easiest way to maximize your productivity and streamline your computer experience.

The most important fact to remember is that the keyboard shortcuts on the Mac platform are universal. That is, the basic commands are always the same between applications, as stipulated by Apple in their developer guidelines, giving the user the advantage of always being able to use the same commands, in Safari, Apple Mail, Firefox, Skype or any other application based on the Apple graphical user interface.

In the following list I’ve been ordering the most useful shortcuts in categories.

Note: on newer Macs the -key is marked “⌘ Cmd”.

Most important

 + Z
Undo. Will save you more than once.

Basic navigation

 + tab
Brings up the application switcher which lets you change application.

Keep  pressed and click tab ones to bring up a window with all open applications visible. Keeping the  key selected while “tabbing” lets you cycle to the next application. The application selected when you let up the  key will open up as active application

 + shift + tab
As above but in reversed direction

 + tab (+ mouse)
As above but lets you navigate the open applications using the mouse. Remember to keep  pressed and to just “tab” once to bring up the window. The application under the mouse pointer when you let go of the -key will open up as active application

 + Q
Quits the active application

 + W
Closes the active Window

 + alt + W
Closes all windows (in the active application)

 + H
Hides the active application

 + alt + H
Hides all applications except the active application

 + S
Saves the current document

 + P
Prints the current document

 + ,
Opens preferences for the active application

tab
Usually navigates between input fields. For example when filling out a form on an internet page. You enter your name, and press tab. The cursor will now be in the next (surname) text field, and you can continue typing.

shift + tab
Navigates to the previous input field

Advanced navigation

 + space bar
Opens the spotlight search field and lets you perform a search immediately.

I use this to open applications since it’s faster to open the field and start typing the first letters of an application name than to find the application in the dock or in the applications folder. While typing spotlight will suggest the most likely file corresponding to your search. Normally it finds it after 3 letters, and then pressing return/enter will open the application (or document).

Probably the fastest way to open applications.

 (+ shift) + tab (+ mouse) + Q
If you press Q while cycling the active applications window you will Quit the selected application automatically. If there are any unsaved documents opened the application will ask you if you want to save them before proceeding.

Probably the fastest way to quit multiple applications.

Text editing – basic

 + C
Copies the selected text/item/file into the memory

 + X
Cuts the selected text/item/file and stores it in the memory

 + V
Pastes / inserts the copied / cutted text/item/file

Text editing – really useful

alt + –> (right arrow)
Moves the cursor one word forward in a text

alt + <– (left arrow)
Moves the cursor one word backward in a text

alt + arrow up
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current paragraph

alt + arrow down
Moves the cursor to the end of the current paragraph

alt + shift + any arrow
Moves the cursor and selects the word/paragraph from the current position

 + –> (right arrow)

Moves the cursor to the end of the current line in a text

 + <– (left arrow)
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line in a text

 + arrow up
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current document

 + arrow down
Moves the cursor to the end of the current document

 + shift + any arrow
Moves the cursor and selects the line/paragraph from the current position

Safari

Safari is Apples web browser, and my preferred choice since it’s well integrated in the system, extremely fast and has a clean interface.

 + T
Opens a new tab

 + mouse click
Opens a link in a new tab instead of in the same window

 + shift + A
Auto compile text fields. Will fill in a web form with the most used data, for example your name in the name-field, e-mail address in the mail field and so on.

Various

 + alt + shift + 8
Inverts the colours of the screen. Perhaps seems stupid, but it’s actually very nice for reading longer texts since your eyes will not have to stare for a longer time on a white background, since this will become black. Try it.