macOS Keyboard Shortcuts
The system wide macOS shortcuts for copying, switching apps, taking screenshots, and searching with Spotlight. These work in almost every Mac application.
15 shortcuts across 3 groups
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd + C | Copy the selection |
| Cmd + V | Paste from the clipboard |
| Cmd + X | Cut the selection |
| Cmd + Z | Undo the last action |
| Cmd + Shift + Z | Redo the last action |
| Cmd + A | Select all |
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd + Tab | Switch between open apps |
| Cmd + Q | Quit the current app |
| Cmd + W | Close the current window |
| Cmd + M | Minimize the window |
| Cmd + ` | Cycle windows of the current app |
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd + Space | Open Spotlight search |
| Cmd + Shift + 3 | Screenshot the whole screen |
| Cmd + Shift + 4 | Screenshot a selected area |
| Cmd + Shift + 5 | Open the screenshot toolbar |
Getting these into muscle memory
A cheat sheet only helps if the bindings move from the page into your hands. The fastest way is to pick two or three shortcuts from a single group above, force yourself to use them for a few days even when the mouse feels quicker, and only then add more. Trying to memorize an entire sheet at once rarely sticks, because none of the bindings get enough repetition to become automatic.
The groups here are ordered by how often you reach for them. Openers and palettes come first because they unlock everything else, then editing and navigation, which is where most of a session is spent. Keep this page open in a tab while you learn, and it will quietly work its way out of your sight and into your fingers.