In plain words
Moving from Windows to a Mac is like changing cars: the steering wheel and pedals are in the same place, but the indicator and wiper stalks are swapped. The ⌘ key does most of the work of Ctrl, and a dozen combinations are enough to get your reflexes back.
On a Mac, the main key is Command (⌘), on either side of the space bar. It plays the role of Windows' Ctrl key.
| Symbol | Key |
|---|---|
⌘ |
Command (cmd) |
⌥ |
Option (alt) |
⌃ |
Control (ctrl) |
⇧ |
Shift |
The ten you really need
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌘ + Space |
Spotlight: launch an app, find a file, do a calculation |
⌘ + Tab |
Switch from one app to another |
⌘ + Q |
Quit the app (closing the window does not quit it) |
⌘ + W |
Close the window or tab |
⌘ + , |
Settings of the open app |
⌘ + ⇧ + 5 |
Screenshot and screen recording tool |
⌘ + ⌥ + Esc |
Force quit a frozen app |
⌃ + ⌘ + Q |
Lock the screen |
⌘ + H |
Hide the app in front |
⌘ + Z / ⌘ + ⇧ + Z |
Undo / redo |
Screenshots
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌘ + ⇧ + 3 |
Capture the whole screen |
⌘ + ⇧ + 4 |
Capture an area you select |
⌘ + ⇧ + 4, then Space |
Capture a specific window |
⌘ + ⇧ + 5 |
All options, including screen recording |
Tip
Add ⌃ to a screenshot (for example ⌃ + ⌘ + ⇧ + 4) to copy it to the clipboard instead of creating a file on the desktop.
In the Finder
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌘ + N |
New Finder window |
⌘ + ⇧ + N |
New folder |
Space |
Quick Look: preview the file without opening it |
Return |
Rename the selected file |
⌘ + ⌫ |
Move to the Trash |
⌘ + C, then ⌘ + ⌥ + V |
Move a file (the equivalent of "cut and paste") |
⌘ + ⇧ + . |
Show or hide hidden files |
⌘ + ⇧ + G |
Go to a folder by typing its path |
⌘ + I |
Get Info (size, location…) |
Windows habits and their equivalents
| On Windows | On a Mac |
|---|---|
Ctrl + C / V |
⌘ + C / V |
Alt + F4 |
⌘ + Q |
Ctrl + Shift + Esc |
⌘ + ⌥ + Esc (or the Activity Monitor app) |
Windows + E |
⌘ + ⌥ + Space (Finder search window) |
F2 (rename) |
Return |
Delete (delete a file) |
⌘ + ⌫ |
Home / End in text |
⌘ + ← / ⌘ + → |
Good to know
On a Mac keyboard, the ⌫ key deletes to the left. To delete to the right like Windows' Delete, use fn + ⌫.