Perhaps something like "Commonly-used" keyboard shortcuts... might be closer..

Nice list. The last two (regarding image capturing) are news to me! Thanks! It's certainly not complete (how could it be, when every app has its own shortcuts?), but it covers most of the common global shortcuts and Finder shortcuts.

Here are some more shortcuts you may find useful.

In the Finder:
Apple+Up Arrow: Open the currently selected folder's parent folder (i.e., move UP one level in the folder hierarchy)
Apple+Down Arrow: Open the selection (pretty much the same as Apple+O, or double-clicking)

Plus, if you hold down the Option key while performing any such command in the Finder, it will close the active folder behind you. So if you option-double-click a file, it will open the file and close the folder. If you press Apple+Option+Up Arrow, it will close the current window and open its parent. I personally can't live without this behavior.

When in list view in the Finder:
Apple+Right Arrow: Expand the selected folder
Apple+Option+Right Arrow: Expand the selected folder AND one more level of sub-folders. This can be done repeatedly to open more and more levels. Very handy!
Apple+Left Arrow: Collapse the selected folder
Apple+Option+Left Arrow: Collapse the selected folder and its sub-folders (so that the next time you expand it, the sub-folders will be collapsed)

System-wide:
Apple+Tab: Switch to the next application (holding down the Apple key after pressing tab will display a list, which you can continue to tab through)
Apple+Shift+Tab: Same as above, only in the reverse order.
Apple+` (that's the key to the left of the 1 key): Cycle through the open windows of the active application. (This is defined in the Keyboard and Mouse preference pane, and might be disabled.)
Apple+Option+Shift+Escape: Force-quits the current application without bringing up a dialog. More dangerous than useful, IMO, especially since it never works on the rare occasions when you actually need it.

In most text-editing programs:
Apple+I: Italic
Apple+B: Bold
Apple+U: Underline
Apple+G: Find Again


I noticed a mistake in your list: you have the "Close All Windows" shortcut listed as Apple+Command+W (Apple and Command are the same key!) when it should be Apple+Option+W. By the way, holding down the Option key when clicking the close box has the same effect.

When you press Apple+Option+ctrl+* the screen briefly switches to a negative before going to black and white.

I once found a shortcut that would change the screen to negative but cannot remember or figure it out. Any shortcut gurus have it?

This is a great list. Now Nancy can you put these into a downloadable PDF for us? copying & pasting these out of the website is cumbersome (at best) and time consuming to get them formatted on to one page at worst.

Just my 2¢
John
Lovin the mud season in Fairbanks

First of all, the key which you've referred to as the "Apple" key is called by Apple and most Mac users the "Command" key. I know many users new to the Mac think of it as the "Apple" key (the little icon of the Apple being the tip-off!), but some will undoubtedly become confused if they learn this as the "Apple" key, then read about the "Command" key elsewhere.

Secondly, you've erroneously posted the "Close All Windows" shortcut as "Apple+Command+W", when you meant "Apple+Option+W", and which should appear as "Option+Command+W", based on my first point in the above paragraph.

Thirdly, you've posted an inconsistent use of shifted characters like "*", and "{" and "}". Since "*" is actually "Shift+8", this is what I tried for the shortcut to turn on zooming in Universal Access. Didn't work. "Command+Option+8" does work. "Command+{" and "Command+}" do work for alignment, and I think most people understand that "{" is equivalent to "Shift+[".

Lastly, this information has been thoroughly documented on Apple's web site in articles which I found in a quick google search from my finder window. The article at <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459> contains most of the shortcuts you mention and more, along with links to other articles on keyboard shortcuts for various applications, during startup, and so on. Considering the inaccuracies and inconsistencies I've pointed out in your own article, I don't think you should be offering these tips for sale. Rather, you should do your readers a favor and point them to the reference documents on Apples own web site which they can obtain for free.

Quote

Anonymous wrote:
First of all, I'm a Mac fanboy.

And Thirdly, you are bags of mostly water.
I don't think you should be offering these tips for sale. Rather, you should sell them to me and I'll take the credit.

I'll remember that.

Quote

egarc wrote:
When you press Apple+Option+ctrl+* the screen briefly switches to a negative before going to black and white.

I once found a shortcut that would change the screen to negative but cannot remember or figure it out. Any shortcut gurus have it?

IINM, there is no keyboard shortcut for this, at least not anymore. However, you can access the feature in the Universal Access preference pane. Just click the "Switch to white on black" button. Command-Option-Control-8 doesn't just trigger this button, but also triggers the "switch to grayscale" button that's right next to it (which is why you see the negative effect for an instant before it goes gray). This is poor phrasing on Apple's part, really, since they say the shortcut is for "Switch to white on black", not both. Bad Apple! No cookie!

The two buttons ("white on black" and "grayscale") can be used together in any combination.

Have been using Macs since System 7 and this is very helpful.

Useful. Thanks!

... if using the US-American keyboard

anyone know a keyboard shortcut to quit all applications without restarting?

anyone know this?

Here are a few other useful shortcuts in editing:
Control+Page Up/Down: Move the cursor along with the page

Option+Left Arrow: Go to the beginning of a word
Option+Eight Arrow: Go to the end of a word
Option +Up Arrow: Go to the beginning of a paragraph
Option +Down Arrow: Go to the end of a paragraph
Apple+Left Arrow: Go to the beginning of a line
Apple+Right Arrow: Go to the end of a line
Apple+Up Arrow: Go to the beginning of a file
Apple+Down Arrow: Go to the end of a file
Combining with Shift changes "Go to" to "Select text up to". No more reaching for the mouse when typing!

I know it is off topic but for years I was told this command does NOT exist in Mac version

equivilent to F4 on a windoze Excel

Cycles the absolute $ cell reference commands
A1
$A$1
A$1
$A1

Very handy if you do a lot of excel work

Just what i've been looking for. Great list. Ditto the suggestion for a PDF file on this. That would be another real treat!

Of course you can also press the power button, if configured to sleep the comuter, but I find myself using this key combination all the time.

The closest I can think of to closing all applications is to start with apple-tab to bring up the switcher, then while still holding down apple, cycle through the open apps tapping tab and tapping q for one you want to close.

I can't let go of calling the key "Command" instead of "Apple". Even though it's the primary key for issuing Commands, it's becoming lesser and lesser. The Control and function keys were non-existent in OS 9, and demand them from came from people wanting to use third-party utilities for adding keyboard shortcuts. Now with OS X and the wave of newcomers from other platforms, it's essential and necessary to utilize those keys, and they are being utilized well. I just wonder when the time will come for the "next generation" keyboard. Maybe Apple will break some ice there one day and innovate keyboards to the next level.

The closest I can come to quitting all applications is to log out. That'll do it.

Printed em out, put em on the wall above my desk.

Thanks for catching the error related to "Close All Windows". I've emailed the editor to request a correction and apologize for not catching it myself. Thanks also for the additional hints. The request for a PDF downloadable version is a great idea and I have created one that contains only the charts. You can download it http://home.austin.rr.com/ncg/keyboardhints.pdf.

Nancy Carroll Gravley

Just so you know, the link with the PDF has an extra "period" at the end so you end up with a 404 not found. If anybody wants to download this, remove the period from the end of the URL and life will be good. Thanks Nancy for the great work!!

Andrew

Quote

Nancy With Bifocals wrote:
Thanks for catching the error related to "Close All Windows". I've emailed the editor to request a correction and apologize for not catching it myself. Thanks also for the additional hints. The request for a PDF downloadable version is a great idea and I have created one that contains only the charts. You can download it http://home.austin.rr.com/ncg/keyboardhints.pdf.

Nancy Carroll Gravley

I'm a keyboard shortcut junkie, and it drives me bazonkers that there's no shortcut for the green zoom window button. Anybody know a way to make one?

Not to be uber nerd-boy here or anything, the "Apple" key came from way back in the day when some of the keyboards had open apples and solid apples on them. The solid apple got converted to the option key while the open apple stuck.

The first Apple in my house was an Apple IIgs, which sported this keyboard layout. Alas, that was when I was a wee-lad (4 or 5 years old), and since then I've called it "Open Apple" out of habit. My Mac-using friends with far less Mac experience than myself call it "command" and laugh at me when I call it "Open Apple."

I've found a nice little link: <A href="http://www.lowendmac.com/lab/02/0718.html">History of the Command Key</A>

Well, to all you "Command"-ers out there, now you know, that I'm right, once and for all. You'll never convert me, bwahahaha!

-Clive

ctrl+alt+apple+8

I've never heard of a keystroke for this. There's a utility (Classic OS) called QuitAllApops by Erik C. Thauvin that I've used for years. There are a bunch of these at <http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu>, search on "quit".

Oops, that should be "QuitAllApps", NOT "QuitAllApops"

I want to know shortkey for Photoshop and Quarkexpress software use for macintosh machine

COuld u help me plzs by send on mail : bloan.tran@gmail.com

thank so much

on previous mac OS versions there was a very cool shortcut which was showing the picture of the team who designed my Mac. After some time all the pics were moving in a crazy way. I cannot find this shortcut in OS X. Can U help? It was sooooo funny.

on previous mac OS versions there was a very cool shortcut which was showing the picture of the team who designed my Mac. After some time all the pics were moving in a crazy way. I cannot find this shortcut in OS X. Can U help? It was sooooo funny.

Hi, Great list, just wondering where you got the Shift and Option Keyboard Icons? No probs getting the Apple Icon but I can't find them anywhere.
Thanks,
MissBee

In System Preferences, choose International, then the 'Input Menu' tab. At the bottom, you can choose to show the input menu in the menu bar.

It will show up as the flag of whatever country you're in, on the right of the menu bar. Click it, then choose 'Show Character Palette'.

Make sure you have selected View: All Characters, and chosen the 'by Category' tab. On the left, choose Symbols > Techhnical Symbols. You can insert any of these characters by drag and drop.

If you don't like where the input menu is in the menu bar, you can move it around (you might know this already) by holding the Command key and dragging it from side to side.

Hope this helps.

ctrl + opt + apple + 8

what is the short cut for the cents symbol?

what should someone do when it is only their first time to use a mac powerbook 12".. been a windows user and now just ordered the powerbook 12".. i really need help..

I switched a year ago. It is a fairly easy transition. I found the Mac's OSX interface to be very much like the XP interface (but a whole lot better of course). Here is what I would recommend doing to get started. First read this tutorial by Apple. http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/tour/
Then do these things.
1.Download The Himmel Bar application from here (http://softbend.free.fr/himmelbar/download.html) to function as the "Start Menu" button in XP.
2.Think of the right side of the menu bar as the systray in XP.
3.Think of the left side of the menu bar as the "tool bar" in any given program in XP.
4. Think of the dock as sort of a supped up "task bar". It shows you what programs are open and like the "task bar's" quick launch section - is a short cut to your most frequently used applications.

That should get you started. Apple also has a tutorial on how to migrate your files (MS office docs, music files etc.) over. I just hooked up my external 250gb HD I had been using with my PC to store all my files to my Mac and off I went. No conversions needed! That should get you started. Enjoy...

I am new to iMac (but not to computing) and like using shortcuts. I struggled a bit to find out about them but once I had found ctrl+F2 I could find my way round most of the rest.
However I have a problem with navigating around iCal. The specific problem I have is when I want to add a new event or to do. I click on Apple+N and I can then tye in the event title but I can not work out how I get to the information panel to add in the rest of the details.
Any help gratefully received.

Could you please tell me if there exists a keyboard shortcut for PUBLISHED (P in a circle)?
Appreciate it,
Darius

A couple of days ago Apple provided a hint from its RSS News feed for this and similar symbols:

http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/symbols.html

what is command+E? i am new to a imac and I just "ejected" a file I downloaded from the internet. If someone could explain, i'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

Hi,

What is the keyboard shortcut for the Command Shamrock symbol (not the apple) pls?

Thanks

Ctrl-Option-Cmd-8

Quote

Mikuro wrote:

Quote

egarc wrote:
When you press Apple+Option+ctrl+* the screen briefly switches to a negative before going to black and white.

I once found a shortcut that would change the screen to negative but cannot remember or figure it out. Any shortcut gurus have it?

IINM, there is no keyboard shortcut for this, at least not anymore. However, you can access the feature in the Universal Access preference pane. Just click the "Switch to white on black" button. Command-Option-Control-8 doesn't just trigger this button, but also triggers the "switch to grayscale" button that's right next to it (which is why you see the negative effect for an instant before it goes gray). This is poor phrasing on Apple's part, really, since they say the shortcut is for "Switch to white on black", not both. Bad Apple! No cookie!

The two buttons ("white on black" and "grayscale") can be used together in any combination.

--------------------

try Ctrl-Option-Cmd-8

I activated a strange command that turns all my media downloads into "php.txt." files....and now i cant switch it back.... the command was (option+mouse click) for a media download.

If you do command + option + ctrl + 8, it reverses all of the colors!!! woo hoo!