Best MacOS Keyboard Shortcuts Every User Should Know

I still remember the first time I switched from Windows to Mac. Everything felt different—the interface, the trackpad gestures, and most of all, the keyboard shortcuts. I had been a pro at using Windows shortcuts, but on my new MacBook, I felt like a beginner all over again. The copy-paste commands were different, closing apps didn’t work the same way, and even taking a screenshot required a whole new approach.

But after spending a few weeks exploring and experimenting, I realized that MacOS is designed to be incredibly efficient—if you know how to use its shortcuts properly. Over time, I mastered a set of keyboard shortcuts that completely transformed the way I worked. Now, I barely touch the trackpad for common tasks, and my workflow is smoother than ever.

If you’re a Mac user, whether new or experienced, knowing these essential shortcuts will save you time, reduce frustration, and help you work smarter. Let me share some of my absolute favorite MacOS keyboard shortcuts that I use daily.

The Basics – Cut, Copy, and Paste

When I first started using my Mac, I instinctively hit Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V, only to realize they didn’t work. Mac uses Command instead of Control for most shortcuts.

• Command + C – Copy

• Command + X – Cut

• Command + V – Paste

• Command + Z – Undo

• Command + Shift + Z – Redo

These are the fundamental shortcuts that I use every few minutes, whether I’m working on a document, sending emails, or copying links.

2. Navigating Apps Faster

One of my biggest frustrations as a new Mac user was switching between apps. The traditional way—clicking on the dock—was slow and inefficient. Then I discovered these shortcuts:

• Command + Tab – Quickly switch between open applications.

• Command + ~ – Toggle between windows of the same app.

• Command + W – Close the current window.

• Command + Q – Quit an application completely.

• Command + H – Hide the current app.

• Command + M – Minimize a window.

Once I memorized these, moving between apps became effortless. No more searching for minimized windows or clicking around needlessly.

Mastering Finder

Finder is the heart of file management on MacOS, and knowing how to navigate it quickly made my life much easier.

• Command + Space – Open Spotlight Search (my go-to shortcut for launching apps and searching files).

• Command + N – Open a new Finder window.

• Command + Shift + N – Create a new folder.

• Command + Delete – Move selected file to Trash.

• Command + Shift + Delete – Empty the Trash.

• Command + Up Arrow – Go up one folder level.

I use Spotlight Search so much that it has almost replaced my need to manually open Finder and look for files.

4. Screenshot Like a Pro

As someone who writes a lot of tutorials and emails, taking screenshots is a daily necessity. Thankfully, MacOS has built-in shortcuts that make this incredibly convenient.

• Command + Shift + 3 – Capture the entire screen.

• Command + Shift + 4 – Capture a selected portion of the screen.

• Command + Shift + 5 – Open the screenshot menu for screen recording options.

• Command + Shift + 6 – Capture the Touch Bar (on MacBooks that have one).

Once I mastered these, I no longer needed third-party screenshot apps.

Mastering Finder

Finder is the heart of file management on MacOS, and knowing how to navigate it quickly made my life much easier.

• Command + Space – Open Spotlight Search (my go-to shortcut for launching apps and searching files).

• Command + N – Open a new Finder window.

• Command + Shift + N – Create a new folder.

• Command + Delete – Move selected file to Trash.

• Command + Shift + Delete – Empty the Trash.

• Command + Up Arrow – Go up one folder level.

I use Spotlight Search so much that it has almost replaced my need to manually open Finder and look for files.

4. Screenshot Like a Pro

As someone who writes a lot of tutorials and emails, taking screenshots is a daily necessity. Thankfully, MacOS has built-in shortcuts that make this incredibly convenient.

• Command + Shift + 3 – Capture the entire screen.

• Command + Shift + 4 – Capture a selected portion of the screen.

• Command + Shift + 5 – Open the screenshot menu for screen recording options.

• Command + Shift + 6 – Capture the Touch Bar (on MacBooks that have one).

Once I mastered these, I no longer needed third-party screenshot apps.

Text Editing and Formatting Shortcuts

When I’m working on documents, emails, or notes, using shortcuts helps me type faster and keep my hands on the keyboard.

• Command + A – Select all.

• Command + B – Bold.

• Command + I – Italicize.

• Command + U – Underline.

• Command + Left Arrow – Move to the beginning of a line.

• Command + Right Arrow – Move to the end of a line.

• Option + Left Arrow – Move one word left.

• Option + Right Arrow – Move one word right.

I used to reach for my mouse to format text, but now I barely touch it when working on documents.

6. Managing Multiple Desktops with Mission Control

One of my favorite MacOS features is Mission Control, which allows you to have multiple desktops open at once. This is incredibly useful when I’m multitasking.

• Control + Up Arrow – Open Mission Control.

• Control + Left Arrow – Switch to the desktop on the left.

• Control + Right Arrow – Switch to the desktop on the right.

• Control + Down Arrow – See all open windows of the current application.

This makes it easy to separate workspaces—for example, one desktop for writing and another for research.

Browser Shortcuts for Safari (or Chrome)

Most of us spend a lot of time in a web browser, so mastering these shortcuts is a game-changer.

• Command + T – Open a new tab.

• Command + W – Close the current tab.

• Command + Shift + T – Reopen the last closed tab.

• Command + L – Highlight the URL bar.

• Command + R – Refresh the page.

• Command + Option + Left Arrow – Go back in browsing history.

• Command + Option + Right Arrow – Go forward.

These make web browsing much more efficient.

8. System Shortcuts for Efficiency

To truly master MacOS, I had to learn system-wide shortcuts that help me manage my machine.

• Command + Option + Esc – Force quit an app (useful for unresponsive apps).

• Command + Shift + G – Go to a specific folder in Finder.

• Control + Command + Q – Lock the screen instantly.

• Fn + Left Arrow – Jump to the beginning of a document.

• Fn + Right Arrow – Jump to the end of a document.