To undo on a Mac, press Command (⌘) + Z, and to redo an action you’ve just undone, press Command (⌘) + Shift + Z. These shortcuts work in most Mac apps, including Finder, Notes, Safari, and word processors like Pages and Microsoft Word. You can also access undo and redo options from the Edit menu in the top menu bar. Read below for more details.
How to Undo on Mac
1. Use the Keyboard Shortcut
The fastest way to undo your last action is by pressing:
⌘ Command + Z
This works in almost every Mac app, including TextEdit, Pages, Microsoft Word, Photoshop, Safari (for reopening closed tabs), Finder (for file actions), and more.
For example:
- Accidentally deleted a line of text? Press ⌘ + Z to bring it back.
- Moved a file to the Trash? Press ⌘ + Z in Finder to undo the move.
2. Use the Edit Menu
If you prefer using your mouse or trackpad:
- Click Edit in the top menu bar.
- Select Undo [Action] (e.g., Undo Typing, Undo Move, etc.)
The Undo option will usually mention the specific action you’re undoing, so you know exactly what’s being reversed.
How to Redo on Mac
If you changed your mind and want to reapply an action you just undid, you can use the Redo command.
1. Use the Keyboard Shortcut
⌘ Command + Shift + Z
This shortcut redoes the last undone action in most macOS apps.
For example:
- If you undo a sentence but then change your mind, press ⌘ + Shift + Z to redo it without having to type it all out again.
- Undid a shape in a design app? Hit the shortcut to bring it back.
2. Use the Edit Menu
You can also redo using the menu:
- Click Edit in the top menu bar.
- Select Redo [Action].
Just like with Undo, the Redo option usually describes what action will be redone.
App-Specific Notes
Most apps on macOS support undo/redo, but some offer additional history or limited undo steps:
- Finder: Undo works for renaming, deleting, or moving files.
- Safari: ⌘ + Z reopens the last closed tab.
- Notes & TextEdit: Support multiple levels of undo and redo.
- Photos & Preview: Allow you to undo edits or markup, but often only in the current session.
- Microsoft Word / Excel: Support undo/redo with the same shortcuts, and offer toolbar buttons too.
What If Undo or Redo Doesn’t Work?
- Some apps don’t support undo for all actions.
- Quit and reopen the app to reset if it freezes or stops recognizing commands.
- In rare cases, the undo stack is lost after saving or quitting, so it’s best to use Undo immediately after the action.
If you’ve still got questions, let me know in the comments below.