MacBook keyboard shortcuts you need to know

Whether you’ve been a Mac user for years or have just purchased your first MacBook, there are many handy shortcuts you can use. As the name suggests, shortcuts allow you to quickly perform functions that would otherwise require a few mouse clicks. Many tasks become easier because you control the mouse with your right hand, while using certain keyboard shortcuts with your left hand.

Force Quit programs

When a program freezes, sometimes the only option is to force quit the application. Most people are familiar with Ctrl + Alt + Delete, which opens Task Manager on a Windows computer. On a Mac, however, the shortcut is slightly different. On a (refurbished) Mac, you use Command + Option + Escape to perform a force quit. After restarting the program, there’s a good chance everything will work again. Note: Force quitting will result in losing any unsaved data.

Move files to Trash

Are you cleaning up your desktop or another folder with files? Instead of dragging files to the trash or right-clicking to move them, you can do this much faster! The shortcut for this is Command + Delete (also known as Backspace).

Take a screenshot

Taking a screenshot on your Mac can be done in several ways. Press Command + Shift + 3 to capture the entire screen. If you press Command + Shift + 4, you can select a portion of the screen for your screenshot. With Command + Shift + 5, you get a menu for different screenshot options, including capturing the entire screen, a selected area, or a specific window. You can also record your screen using this shortcut, which is perfect for tutorials or capturing your gameplay.

Quickly switch between tabs

Your web browser is also easy to control using only the keyboard. You can use the arrow keys to scroll, but did you know you can also switch between tabs with a shortcut? There are several ways to do this:

1. Use Command + Option + left/right arrow to move between tabs.
2. Use Control + Tab to move forward (right) through tabs, or Control + Tab + Shift to move back (left). Note: You use the Control key here, not the Command key.
3. Use Command + 1/2/3/4/ (the tab number) to switch to a specific tab. Note: This works well as long as you have no more than 9 tabs open.

Quickly switch between programs

Want to quickly switch between different programs? You can do that too. The shortcut for this is Command + Tab. If you have multiple windows of the same program open, like your browser, use Command + ~ to switch between them. The ~ is located to the left of the Z (QWERTY NL) or to the left of the 1 (QWERTY INT), depending on your keyboard.

Adjust the volume in smaller steps

Your Mac keyboard already has three keys to control volume: mute, lower volume, and raise volume. You can also combine these with another shortcut. Use Option + Shift + Volume up or Volume down to adjust the volume in smaller increments.

Quickly navigate to another page

As mentioned earlier, there are many shortcuts that help you work faster in your browser. In Chrome or Safari, you can also use a shortcut to select the address bar. This is done by pressing Command + L. You won’t even need your mouse if you want to quickly search or type in another website.

Emoji keyboard

If you’re chatting on your Mac, you’ve probably used emojis. Like on the iPhone and iPad, the Mac has a special emoji keyboard. You can summon it in several ways. Use the shortcut Command + Control + Spacebar (Space), and a menu with your most-used emojis will appear, for quick access and all emojis by category. You can type a word to search for a specific emoji or scroll with your mouse. In the end, you’ll still need your mouse to select the emoji you want.

Close a tab in the browser

The browser shortcuts aren't over yet! Here's another handy one. Use Command + W to close the current tab in Chrome, Safari, or another web browser.

Go to the desktop

Want to clear your screen of all open programs to access your desktop? You can easily do this by pressing Command + F3. This will move all the programs away from your desktop. If you're using multiple screens, this will happen on all screens. When you open a file or program from your desktop, all your open windows will reappear.

Can’t get enough of shortcuts?

You can also create your own keyboard shortcuts on a Mac for certain apps or actions you regularly use. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts > + to add an app. Then enter the desired shortcut and the corresponding command. Be sure the command exactly matches a menu item, or your Mac won’t recognize it. You can set the shortcut for a specific app or apply it to all programs.