The Best Keyboard Shortcut Lists For The Mac.

The Mac’s mouse is a natural extension of our hand. Point, click, something happens.

Guess what? The keyboard is faster. Here’s a Mac360 list of the Mac’s Best Keyboard Shortcuts.

Don’t get me wrong. One of the benefits of using a Mac is simplicity. Point and click.

There’s usually a visual cue somewhere on each Mac application or every web page in a browser.

Like it or not, for many uses, the mouse just isn’t efficient. Move hand from keyboard to mouse, reverse, repeat.

We all have our favorite keyboard shortcuts in Mac OS X. For some of us, the number is limited.

Why? Our memory is limited. Unless we’re using Microsoft Word all day, it’s easy to forget the shortcuts.

Apple provides a healthy list of Mac keyboard shortcuts. Where’s your list?

See what I mean? I couldn’t find my list, either. I’d tape it to the Mac’s screen but it’s huge.

Some keyboard shortcuts are essential and seldom forgotten. Command-S to Save. Command-C to Copy.

I’m sure you have a number of keyboard shortcuts in mind already. Command-V to Paste. Command-O to Open.

More? Command-P to Print. Command-N for a new document, but not a new folder in the Finder. Go figure.

Finder Window
Most of us can remember that Command-W closes the currently open Windows. “W” for Window. Get it?

The Option key is handy, too. Option-Command-W closes all the Windows in an application.

It gets complicated, too. Try Option-Command-Right Arrow to expand a folder and nested subfolders in List View in the Finder.

Yes, I had trouble remembering that one. I always have and I always will.

Menu Commands
Shift-Command-Q lets you log out. In case you mistakenly hit those keys, you have two minutes to change your mind.

Shift-Option-Command-Q gives you a lot less time to think about logging out.

Shift-Command-Delete lets you empty the trash, but gives you a dialog box—just to make sure you know what you want.

Other Commands
I didn’t know this, but it’s handy. Option-Command-D will toggle the Dock; show, hide.

Command-T in Safari creates a blank tab. Comman-T elsewhere may show the Font palette.

Taking pictures of the Mac’s screen is a handy feature, especially with email. Do you remember all the keystroke combinations?

Command-Shift-3 takes a picture of the Mac’s whole screen. Command-Shift-4 gives you crosshairs to create a selection on the screen, then save a picture in the clipboard.

Start Up
Some of these are definitely need to know status.

For example, press the C-key during startup (right after the chime) to boot your Mac from a CD.

Press the T-key to put your Mac in Target Disk mode so it will show up on the desktop when linked to another Mac.

One of my favorites, and I keep it on a little card next to my driver’s license in my purse, is press Option-Command-Shift-Delete during startup.

What’s that do for you?

It bypasses the primary startup volume and seeks a different startup volume such as a CD or external disk.

Now you know why I keep that on a card and carry it with me at all times.

No list of Mac keyboard shortcuts would be complete with Apple’s Official Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts.

Have no fear. There are plenty of Unofficial Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcut lists, too, such as MacRumors.

If all you can remember is 10, the try the Top 10 Keyboard Shortcuts from The Unofficial Apple Weblog.

Mac users collect good tips so it’s only fitting that Creative Bits has collected all the Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts.

I’m taking their word for that.

What’s your favorite Mac OS X keyboard shortcut? Share with other readers. I’ll go first. Command-? is Help in most Mac applications. What’s on your list?