By pressing several keys, so-called key combinations, you can save a lot of time when working on the PC or laptop. The practical shortcuts can also replace the mouse if necessary. TECHBOOK reveals the most important key combinations for Apple users who work with a MacBook or a Mac.
Dashes, screenshots for the clipboard, Spotlight search or just normal work – key combinations simplify everyday life with notebooks and stationary computers, regardless of the operating system. Sometimes the key commands are the same for both Windows and macOS, but in many cases they differ significantly from each other. The following article provides a list of the most useful and commonly used keyboard shortcuts for MacBook and Apple Mac.
Are you a Windows user? Check out the linked article for the 25 most common combinations for Windows!
Key explanation:
cmd:command
old: option
ctrl: control
shift: Shift key
Would you rather watch than read? We also reveal the practical key combinations for the MacBook and the Mac in our video:
Same keyboard shortcuts for Windows and macOS
Switchers who switch from Windows to Apple do not have to say goodbye to all known keyboard shortcuts. Some functions, such as copying and pasting objects, remain the same. Here is a selection of these shortcuts that apply to both Windows and macOS:
- cmd + X: Delete selected object and copy to clipboard
- cmd + C: Copy selected object to clipboard
- cmd + V: Paste object from clipboard
- cmd + Z: Undo previous action (Shift + cmd + Z to undo previous action again)
- cmd + A: Select all
- cmd + F: Open search window
- cmd + P: Print document
- cmd + S: save document
- cmd + T: Open a new tab of an app
Also interesting: How to type faster on the iPhone keyboard
Commonly used shortcuts on macOS
Other shortcuts that are used just as often only apply to macOS, as they sometimes have system-internal functions that do not exist in this form in Windows:
- cmd + W: Close only the front window
- alt + cmd + W: Close all windows
- alt + cmd + esc: Force quit an app
- cmd + spacebar: Show Spotlight search field
- ctrl + cmd + spacebar: Show Character Viewer
- old + – (minus): long dash
Photo: Getty Images
Take screenshots with Apple
In order to take entire screenshots or just parts of the screen, Apple basically has the function by additionally pressing the controlbutton not to save the screenshot as a file, just copy it to the clipboard:
- cmd + shift + 3: Saves the entire screen as a file.
- cmd + ctrl + shift + 3: Saves the entire screen to the clipboard.
- cmd + shift + 4: Saves a selected area (selection crosshairs appear and area activates when cross is released) as a file.
- cmd + ctrl + shift + 4: Saves a selected area (selection crosshairs appear and area is activated when the cross is released) to the clipboard.
- cmd + shift + 4 + spacebar: The crosshairs become a camera icon that can be used to click on an open window and save it as a file.
- cmd+shift+5: Saves an adjustable range as a file. The area stays the same size and position until you change it again.
- cmd + ctrl + shift + 5: Saves an adjustable range to the clipboard.
In some cases, taking a screenshot does not work. This usually has something to do with the program you want to take a screenshot of. For example, if you activate the DVD player, you cannot create screenshots of the displayed content or of other windows for copy protection reasons.
Log off, Hibernate, and Power off
The power button is also used here:
- alt + cmd + power button/alt + cmd + “eject” key: hibernation
- ctrl + shift + power button/ctrl + shift + “eject” key: idle state for the display
- ctrl + power button/ctrl + “eject” key: Opens a dialog window that offers the options “Restart”, “Hibernate” and “Turn off”.
- Shift + cmd + Q: De-register