Following on from our article in the previous edition about keyboard shortcuts for Windows, we’ve had a few requests to provide a similar article for the ‘enlightened’ Mac users amongst you! We’ll save the ‘enlightened’ argument for another day 
but happy to oblige with a list of useful keyboard shortcuts for Mac OS. So here they are…
If you are not used to using keyboard shortcuts, here are a few tips:
- Most involve pressing a holding a ‘modifier’ key e.g. Command or Option following by a short press and release of the shortcut key usually a letter or number or a combination of keys
- When written down, the combination of keys is shown with a – (hyphen) between them e.g. command-C would mean that you need to press and hold the Command key (or ‘Apple’ key as it’s sometimes known) followed by pressing the letter ‘C’
- Keys should be pressed in the order written down
| Shortcut | Action |
| command-? | help |
| command-; | check spelling |
| command-A | select all |
| command-C | copy |
| command-X | cut |
| command-V | paste |
| command-Z | undo |
| command-shift-Z | redo |
| command-D | duplicate |
| command-E | use selection for find |
| command-F | find |
| command-G | find next |
| command-shift-G | find previous |
| command-M | minimize |
| command-option-M | minimize all application windows |
| command-N | new |
| command-O | open |
| command-P | |
| command-Q | quit |
| command-S | save |
| command-shift-S | save as |
| command-option-S | save all |
| command-W | close window |
| command-shift-: | show spelling window |
And a few more specific to manipulating text…
| Shortcut | Action |
| option-left arrow | move left one word |
| option-right arrow | move right one word |
| option-up arrow | move up one paragraph |
| option-down arrow | move down one paragraph |
| command-up arrow | move to beginning of all text |
| command-down arrow | move to end of all text |
| click then drag | select text |
| drag selection | move text |
| option-drag selection | copy text |
| control-A | move to start of current paragraph |
| control-E | move to end of current paragraph |
| control-B | move left one character |
| control-F | move right one character |
| control-H | delete |
Steph Middleton is an experienced Virtual Assistant and MD of Outhouse
Thank you!
and one I use all the time:
“Fn” then “backspace” to forward delete (no “delete” key on my wireless keyboard!)