shortcuts.md

macOS shortcuts.md

This is an annexe to the macUP macOS setup process that offers:

• Keyboard combinations
• recipe ideas for the macOS Shortcuts.app

see also:

• misc.md
  • keyboard quick combos
  • generic tips for smooth running
  • and help for troubleshooting

keyboard shortcuts

These 'kbd combo tips' were correct in High Sierra (version 10.13)

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201236

Legend:

⌘ = cmd ≍ Win  
⌥ = opt ≍ Alt   
^ = Ctrl  
⇧ = Shift

Feature	Shortcut
Symbols	⌃ ⌘ space (Settings / add Technical Symbols)
Lock Screen	⌃ ⌘ Q
Spotlight	⌘ space
Filer search	⌥ ⌘ space
Screenshot	⇧ ⌘ 3
Crop shot	⇧ ⌘ 4

See also Mac startup key combinations

Selection

Feature	Shortcut
Multiple select	⌘ click

App Windows

Shortcut	Feature
⌘ ⇥	Switch apps
⌃ ← or →	Switch ‘desktops’ (maximised apps)
⌘ `	Switch instances of app (only if neither minimised nor maximised)
F11	Show Desktop (Exposé)
?	http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html#vboxmanage-guestcontrol
⌘ ⌥ ⎋ (Esc)	Force Quit Applications
⌃ space	for Spotlight to search "Activity Monitor"

If you really want to make a shortcut directly into Activity Monitor then see https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/14/how-to-create-keyboard-shortcuts-to-launch-apps-in-macos-using-automator

in many apps

• ⌘ , open current application's Preferences or Settings dialog

in Finder

• Enter Rename the selected file

• ⌘ ⌥ C Copy file path as UNC

• ⌘ ⇧ . Show / Hide hidden items

• ⌘ ⇧ C Computer folder

• ⌘ ⇧ H Home folder

• ⌘ ⇧ G Go to Folder

  • this will also work when you are in an app that uses the File Open dialog
  • It will allow you to paste in a path, from the clipboard, to go straight to that location

touchpad

Multi-touch gestures https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204895 Force click examples https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204352

Characters and accents

An easy way that usually works is to hold the key for a second and release it before it starts repeating.

Option Key gives the others:

• ` grave
• e acute
• i circumflex
• n tilde
• u umlaut

then type the next letter

For other common characters use Option and the letter (o ø - a å etc)

See the table at https://forlang.wsu.edu/help-pages/help-pages-keyboards-os-x/

suggested tweaks

apple dictate - for TTS, change the key cmd to option+tilde

Shortcuts in Terminal

⌃ space (for Spotlight) then terminal

https://support.apple.com/en-lamr/guide/terminal/keyboard-shortcuts-trmlshtcts

Shortcuts in LibreOffice

https://help.libreoffice.org/Writer/Shortcut_Keys_for_Writer

Generally CTRL becomes ⌘

• Headings
  • ⌘ 1 Heading 1
  • ⌘ 2 Heading 2 etc

Shortcuts in Chrome

• Autofill
  • ⇧ fn ⌫ Shift Fn Backsp remove hightlighted autofill entry
• .

Using the macOS Shortcuts app

System Preferences

on iOS devices there is a prefs:root=Devices&path= etc URL scheme that allows you quickly open the System Preferences app in a particular place. This is not (yet?) present in macOS so you have alternatives.

• You can use x-apple.systempreferences scheme
  • this has been deprecated since 10.13, but still works for some settings sections
  • e.g. open x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Desktop-Settings.extension
  • for a list see https://github.com/bvanpeski/SystemPreferences/blob/main/macos_preferencepanes-Ventura.md
• Or you can use AppleScript

tell application "System Preferences"
    reveal anchor "input" of ¬
        pane id "com.apple.Sound-Settings.extension"
    activate
end tell

• Notes on using AppleScript for System Settings shortcuts
  • See the list of panes in https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/systempreferences
  • see SuperUser for a more robust and varied script that actually tweaks settings for you
  • a more extensive reddit Guide to System Settings with System Events automation templates
  • to identify anchors in the pane use Script Editor to run the following whilst the pane is open:
    • tell application "System Settings" to get anchors of current pane
    • credit https://stackoverflow.com/q/24701362#comment38330235_24703872