Keyboard commands are an essential part of working efficiently. Even if you do not type very fast (I don't), keyboard commands will save you much time and effort, and at least make you look like a power user. If a menu item has a keyboard command, it can be found to the right of the menu item, in a pull-down menu.
These are for Mac OS…
| key | symbol |
|---|---|
| command | ⌘ |
| option | ⌥ |
| shift | ⇧ |
| tab | ⇥ |
| left arrow | ← |
| up arrow | ↑ |
| right arrow | → |
| down arrow | ↓ |
General Commands
General commands are system-wide, and usually work the same in most applications. These are the most used.
| command | action |
|---|---|
| ⌘ s | save |
| ⌘ ⇧ s | save as… |
| ⌘ c | copy |
| ⌘ x | cut |
| ⌘ v | paste |
| ⌘ o | open file |
| ⌘ w | close file or window |
| ⌘ n | new file or window |
| ⌘ q | quit application |
| ⌘ f | find |
| ⌘ ⇥ | Application Switcher |
Text Editing
These work for most text editors and word processors. I use BBEdit, and these all work for it.
| command | action |
|---|---|
| * from insertion point | |
| → | move one character right |
| ⌥ → | move one word right |
| ⌘ → | move to the right end of line |
| ⇧ → | select one character right |
| ⌥ ⇧ → | select one word right |
| ⌘ ⇧ → | select to the right end of line |
| ← | move one character left |
| ⌥ ← | move one word left |
| ⌘ ← | move to the left end of line |
| ⇧ ← | select one character left |
| ⌥ ⇧ ← | select one word left |
| ⌘ ⇧ ← | select to the left end of line |
| ↑ | move up one line |
| ⌥ ↑ | move to top of window |
| ⌘ ↑ | move to top of document |
| ⇧ ↑ | select up one line* |
| ⌥ ⇧ ↑ | select to top of window* |
| ⌘ ⇧↑ | select to top of document* |
| ↓ | move down one line* |
| ⌥ ↓ | move to bottom of window* |
| ⌘ ↓ | move to bottom of document* |
Browsers
Like the text editing commands, these seem to work for most browsers.
| command | action |
|---|---|
| ⌘ r | reload page |
| ⌘ t | new tab |
| ⌘ [ | back (in history) |
| ⌘ ] | forward (in history) |