Yesterday, we covered some basic Mac keyboard shortcuts. Today, we’ll check out some more useful options.
Option-Command-Esc | Force Quit: Choose an app to force quit. Or press Command-Shift-Option-Esc and hold for 3 seconds to force just the front app to quit. |
Command–Space bar | Spotlight: Show or hide the Spotlight search field. To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window, press Command–Option–Space bar. If you use multiple input sources to type in different languages, these shortcuts change input sources instead of showing Spotlight. |
Space bar | Quick Look: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item. |
Command-Tab | Switch apps: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps. |
Shift-Command-Tilde (~) | Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the front app. |
Shift-Command-3 | Screenshot: Take a screenshot of the entire screen. |
Command-Comma (,) | Preferences: Open preferences for the front app. |
Log Out & Shutdown Options
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Power button | Press to turn on your Mac or wake your Mac from sleep.Press and hold for 1.5 seconds while your Mac is awake to display a dialog asking if you want to sleep, restart, or shut down. If you don’t want to wait 1.5 seconds, press Control–Power button or Control–Media Eject ![]() |
Control–Command–Power button | Force your Mac to restart.* |
Control–Shift–Power button or Control–Shift–Media Eject ![]() |
Put your displays to sleep.* |
Control–Command–Media Eject ![]() |
Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you’ll be asked whether you want to save them.* |
Control–Option–Command–Power button or Control–Option–Command–Media Eject ![]() |
Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you’ll be asked whether you want to save them.* |
Shift-Command-Q | Log out of your macOS user account. You’ll be asked to confirm. |
Option-Shift-Command-Q | Log out of your macOS user account immediately, without being asked to confirm. |
~ Cynthia