Appendix C — Keyboard shortcuts

Modifier symbols, as printed on Apple keyboards and used throughout this guide: ⌘ Command · ⌥ Option (Alt) · ⌃ Control · ⇧ Shift · fn / 🌐 Globe · ⇪ Caps Lock · ⎋ Escape · ⌫ Delete (Backspace) · ⌦ Forward Delete (fn ⌫) · ↩ Return · ⇥ Tab · ⇞⇟ Page Up/Down (fn ↑↓) · ↖↘ Home/End (fn ←→).

Everything below is a default unless marked (set up in ch. N). Change any system shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts; add app-menu shortcuts under App Shortcuts (type the exact menu item name).

System#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘Space`	Spotlight (or Raycast/Alfred if you swapped them — ch. 4)
`⌘⇧Space`	Visual Intelligence (macOS 27) / Siri type-to
`⌘Tab`, `⌘⇧Tab`	Next / previous app (hold ⌘, tap Tab, `Q` to quit the highlighted app, `H` to hide, `↑`/`↓` to see its windows)
⌘`, ⌘⇧`	Next / previous window of the current app
`⌘Q` / `⌘W` / `⌘⇧W`	Quit / close window or tab / close all windows
`⌘H` / `⌘⌥H`	Hide app / hide all others
`⌘M` / `⌘⌥M`	Minimize / minimize all
`⌘N` / `⌘T` / `⌘O` / `⌘S` / `⌘P`	New window / new tab / open / save / print
`⌘,`	App settings
`⌘?` (`⌘⇧/`)	Help menu with search — finds any menu item by name and points at it
`⌥⌘⎋`	Force Quit dialog
`⌃⌘Q`	Lock screen
`⌥⌘⏏` / `⌃⇧⏻`	Sleep / put displays to sleep (no eject key: `⌃⇧` + power)
`⌃⌘⏻`	Force restart (hold)
`⌘⌥⌃⏻`	Quit all apps and shut down (hold)
`fn` / 🌐	Tap: emoji picker or Dictation or nothing (configurable). Hold + letter: `fn E` emoji · `fn Q` Quick Note · `fn C` Control Center · `fn N` Notification Center · `fn D` Dictation · `fn F` fullscreen · `fn A` Dock · `fn M` menu bar · `fn H` desktop
`⌃⌘Space`	Character viewer (emoji & symbols)
`⌘⌥D`	Toggle Dock hiding
`⌃F2` / `⌃F3` / `⌃F8`	Focus menu bar / Dock / status menus (then arrows + Return)
`⌘⌥⌃T`	(App Shortcut you can add) — e.g. new Ghostty window
`⌥` + volume/brightness key	Open Sound / Displays settings
`⇧⌥` + volume/brightness key	Quarter-step adjustments
`⌥` + click Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Sound menu icon	Diagnostic details
`⌘⌥⌃8`	Invert colors (enable in Accessibility → Keyboard → Shortcut)
`⌥⌘F5`	Accessibility shortcuts panel
`⌃⌥⌘⇧` (hyper) + key	Your Hammerspoon/Karabiner layer (set up in ch. 5, ch. 21)

Windows, Spaces, tiling#

Shortcut	Action
`⌃↑` / `⌃↓`	Mission Control / App Exposé (current app's windows)
`⌃←` / `⌃→`	Previous / next Space
`⌃1`…`⌃9`	Jump to Space N (enable in Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control)
`F11` (or `fn F11`)	Show desktop
`⌃⌘F` / `fn F`	Full screen toggle
Green button hover / `fn ⌃F`	Tiling menu / fill
`fn ⌃←` / `fn ⌃→`	Tile left / right half (macOS 15+ built-in)
`fn ⌃↑` / `fn ⌃↓`	Tile top / bottom
`fn ⌃⇧←` / `fn ⌃⇧→`	Arrange left & right (two windows)
`fn ⌃R`	Return to previous size
`fn ⌃C`	Center
`⌥` + green button	Zoom (maximize without full screen)
`⌘` + drag	Move a background window without focusing it
`⌃⌘` + drag anywhere in a window	Move window (with `NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture` from the defaults script)
Double-click title bar	Zoom or minimize (Desktop & Dock setting)
`⌥⌘W` on a window edge	(Rectangle) — defaults are `⌃⌥←` `⌃⌥→` halves, `⌃⌥↩` maximize, `⌃⌥C` center, `⌃⌥⌘←/→` next display
`⌥H/J/K/L`	(AeroSpace default) focus left/down/up/right; `⌥⇧` + same to move; `⌥1–9` workspaces; `⌥/` toggle tiles/accordion — ch. 6

Finder#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘N` / `⌘T` / `⌘⇧N`	New window / new tab / new folder
`⌘↑` / `⌘↓` / `⌘O`	Enclosing folder / open selection
`⌘[` / `⌘]`	Back / forward
`⌘⇧G`	Go to Folder — type or paste a path; `~`, `/`, and Tab-completion work
`⌘⇧.`	Toggle hidden files
`⌘⇧H` / `⌘⇧D` / `⌘⇧O` / `⌘⌥L` / `⌘⇧A` / `⌘⇧U` / `⌘⇧C` / `⌘⇧K` / `⌘⇧I` / `⌘⇧R`	Home / Desktop / Documents / Downloads / Applications / Utilities / Computer / Network / iCloud Drive / AirDrop
`⌘1` / `⌘2` / `⌘3` / `⌘4`	Icon / List / Column / Gallery view
`⌘J`	View options for this folder (set as default here)
`⌘⌥P` / `⌘/` / `⌘⌥S` / `⌘⌥T`	Toggle path bar / status bar / sidebar / toolbar
`Space` / `⌥Space`	Quick Look / full-screen Quick Look
`⌘Y`	Quick Look (alternate)
`⌘I` / `⌘⌥I`	Get Info / Inspector (updates with selection)
`⌘D`	Duplicate
`⌘L`	Make alias
`⌘⌫` / `⌘⇧⌫` / `⌘⌥⇧⌫`	Move to Trash / empty Trash / empty without confirmation
`⌘⌥V`	Move (after `⌘C`) — cut-and-paste files
`⌘⌥C`	Copy pathname of selection
`↩`	Rename selection
`⌘E`	Eject
`⌘F`	Search (current folder first — set in Finder settings)
`⌘⌃N` (with selection)	New Folder with Selection
`⌘⇧P`	Preview pane
`⌥` + double-click	Open in new window and close current
`⌘` + double-click folder	Open in new tab
`⌥⌘` + drag	Make alias; `⌥` + drag = copy; `⌘` + drag = move (across volumes)
Drag file onto the title-bar icon of an Open dialog	Jump the dialog to that file's folder
Drag any file into a Terminal window	Inserts its quoted path

Text editing (works in every Cocoa text field)#

These come from the Cocoa text system (Emacs bindings via ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict, ch. 5). They work in Safari's address bar, Mail, Notes, Xcode, Slack, VS Code (mostly), and the Terminal.

Shortcut	Action
`⌘←` / `⌘→`	Start / end of line
`⌥←` / `⌥→`	Word left / right
`⌘↑` / `⌘↓`	Start / end of document
`⌥↑` / `⌥↓`	Start of paragraph / end of paragraph
`⌥⌫` / `⌥⌦`	Delete word backward / forward
`⌘⌫`	Delete to start of line
`⌃A` / `⌃E`	Start / end of line (Emacs)
`⌃F` / `⌃B` / `⌃N` / `⌃P`	Forward / back / next line / previous line
`⌃D` / `⌃H`	Forward delete / backspace
`⌃K`	Kill to end of line (into the Emacs kill buffer, separate from the clipboard); `⌃Y` yank
`⌃O`	Insert newline after cursor
`⌃T`	Transpose characters
`⌃L`	Center cursor line in view
`⇧` + any motion	Extend selection
`⌘⇧V`	Paste and match style
`⌘⌥⇧V`	Paste plain text (some apps)
`⌘Z` / `⌘⇧Z`	Undo / redo
`⌘;`	Next misspelling; `⌘:` spelling panel
`⌃⌘D`	Look up word under cursor (dictionary/Wikipedia popover); also force-click
`fn fn` (or `fn D`)	Dictation
`⌥E` + vowel, `⌥N` + n, `⌥U` + vowel, `⌥\` `+ vowel,` ⌥C`,` ⌥I` + letter	Accents: é ñ ü è ç î — or hold the key (unless `ApplePressAndHoldEnabled` is off)
`⌥8` / `⌥-` / `⌥⇧-` / `⌥;` / `⌥[` `⌥⇧[` / `⌥]` `⌥⇧]` / `⌥⇧K` / `⌥G` / `⌥R` / `⌥2` / `⌥⇧8` / `⌥=` / `⌥<` `⌥>` / `⌥/`	• – — … " " ' ' ©® ™ ° ≠ ≤ ≥ ÷

Screenshots and recording#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘⇧3`	Full screen → file
`⌘⇧4`	Selection → file. Then: `Space` window mode (click a window; hold `⌥` for no shadow); hold `Space` while dragging to move selection; `⇧` locks an edge; `⌥` resizes from center; `⎋` cancels
`⌘⇧5`	Screenshot/recording toolbar: options for timer, save location, mic, show cursor
`⌘⇧6`	Touch Bar (legacy)
`⌃` + any of the above	To clipboard instead of file
`⌘⇧4` then `Space` then `⌘` + click menu	Capture a menu with its title
Click the floating thumbnail	Markup; drag it into any app
`⌘⇧C` in Shottr (if installed)	Capture area with pixel measurement/OCR — ch. 19

Spotlight (macOS 26/27)#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘Space`	Open. Type to search; results are mixed
`⌘1` / `⌘2` / `⌘3` / `⌘4`	Applications / Files / Actions / Clipboard views
`⌘↩`	Reveal in Finder
`⌘I`	Info about result
`⌘C`	Copy result (file or answer)
`⌘L`	Jump to the definition/first result
`⇥`	Preview pane / expand
`⌘B`	Search the web instead
`⌥⌘Space`	Finder search window
Type a quick key, e.g. `sm` → Send Message	Quick keys for actions (assign in Spotlight → Actions)
`=` or just type math	Calculator; unit/currency conversion (`100 usd in eur`)

Raycast defaults (if installed): ⌥Space (or swapped with Spotlight) open · ⌘K actions on a result · ⌥⌘C clipboard history · ⌥⌘N notes · ⌃⌥←/→ window halves · ⌘, settings.

Safari#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘L`	Address bar
`⌘T` / `⌘W` / `⌘⇧T`	New / close / reopen closed tab
`⌃Tab` / `⌃⇧Tab` or `⌘⇧]` / `⌘⇧[`	Next / previous tab
`⌘1`–`⌘9`	Jump to tab N (or bookmarks if that setting is on)
`⌘⇧N`	New private window
`⌘⇧\`	Tab overview
`⌘⇧L`	Sidebar (Tab Groups, bookmarks, reading list)
`⌘⇧R`	Reader view
`⌘⌥R`	Reload ignoring cache
`⌘⌥I`	Web Inspector (Develop menu on — defaults script)
`⌘⌥C`	Console
`⌘⌥U`	View source
`⌘⌥E`	Empty caches
`⌘⇧D`	Add bookmark
`⌘D`	Add to Reading List (varies)
`⌘⇧F`	Full screen
`⌘F` / `⌘G`	Find / find next
`Space` / `⇧Space`	Page down / up
`⌘↑` / `⌘↓`	Top / bottom
`⌘+` / `⌘-` / `⌘0`	Zoom
`⌘⌥F`	Search Google from anywhere
`⌘⇧I`	Email link
`⌥` + click link	Download
`⌘` + click	Open in background tab
`⌘⇧` + click	Open in foreground tab

Chrome/Firefox share most; Firefox uses ⌘⌥I for DevTools too, Chrome ⌘⌥J for console.

Terminal.app / Ghostty / iTerm2#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘T` / `⌘W` / `⌘N`	Tab / close / window
`⌘D` / `⌘⇧D`	Split right / down (Ghostty: `⌘D` `⌘⇧D`; iTerm2: `⌘D` `⌘⇧D`; Terminal.app: `⌘D` only splits the same session)
`⌘⌥←→↑↓`	Focus split (Ghostty)
`⌘K`	Clear scrollback
`⌘F`	Search scrollback
`⌘+` / `⌘-` / `⌘0`	Font size
`⌘1`–`⌘9`	Tab N
`⌘⇧↩`	Zoom split (Ghostty)
`⌘⇧,`	Reload config (Ghostty)
`⌘⌃F`	Fullscreen
`⌘⇧Q` (Ghostty)	Toggle quick terminal (set up in ch. 9)
`⌥←` / `⌥→`	Word jump (Option as Meta / `macos-option-as-alt = true`)
`⌥` + click	Move cursor in the shell line
`⌘` + double-click URL / `⌘` + click	Open link
`⌘⇧P`	Command palette (Ghostty 1.2+)
Shell (zsh): `⌃R`	fzf history search (ch. 9)
`⌃T` / `⌥C`	fzf file / directory picker
`⌃A` `⌃E` `⌃U` `⌃K` `⌃W` `⌃Y` `⌃L` `⌃C` `⌃D` `⌃Z`	Line start/end · kill to start/end · kill word · yank · clear · interrupt · EOF · suspend (`fg` to resume)
`⌃X ⌃E`	Edit the current command line in `$EDITOR`
`⌃_`	Undo (zsh line editor)
`⎋ .` (or `⌥.`)	Insert last argument of previous command
`!!`, `!$`, `!*`, `^old^new`	History expansion: last command / its last arg / all args / substitute
tmux (prefix `⌃B` or `⌃A`): `c` `n` `p` `%` `"` `o` `z` `d` `[` `s`	new window · next · prev · split v · split h · next pane · zoom · detach · copy mode · session list

VS Code (macOS keymap)#

Shortcut	Action
`⌘⇧P` / `F1`	Command Palette
`⌘P`	Quick Open file; type `:` for line, `@` for symbol, `>` for command, `#` for workspace symbol
`⌘⇧O`	Go to symbol
`⌘T`	Go to symbol in workspace
`⌘B` / `⌘J` / `⌘⇧E` / `⌘⇧F` / `⌘⇧G` / `⌘⇧D` / `⌘⇧X`	Sidebar / panel / Explorer / Search / Source Control / Debug / Extensions
⌃` / ⌃⇧`	Terminal / new terminal
`⌘\` / `⌘1` `⌘2`	Split editor / focus group
`⌘K ⌘W` / `⌘W`	Close all / close
`⌘⇧T`	Reopen closed editor
`⌃-` / `⌃⇧-`	Navigate back / forward
`F12` / `⌥F12` / `⇧F12` / `⌘F12`	Definition / peek / references / implementation
`F2`	Rename symbol
`⌘.`	Quick fix / code actions
`⌘⇧K` / `⌥↑↓` / `⇧⌥↑↓`	Delete line / move line / copy line
`⌘D` / `⌘⇧L` / `⌘U`	Add selection to next match / select all matches / undo last cursor
`⌥` + click / `⌥⌘↑↓`	Multiple cursors
`⌘⇧\`	Jump to matching bracket
`⌘K ⌘F` / `⇧⌥F`	Format selection / document
`⌘/` / `⇧⌥A`	Toggle line / block comment
`⌘K ⌘0` / `⌘K ⌘J`	Fold all / unfold all
`⌘K Z`	Zen mode
`⌘⇧V` / `⌘K V`	Markdown preview / to the side
`⌘K ⌘S`	Keyboard shortcuts editor
`⌘K ⌘T`	Color theme
`⌘I` / `⌘⇧I` / `⌃⌘I`	Inline chat / agent panel / chat (Copilot/Cursor vary — ch. 12)
`F5` / `F9` / `F10` / `F11`	Debug start / breakpoint / step over / step into
`⌘⇧M`	Problems panel
`⌘K M`	Change language mode

Cursor: same base, plus ⌘K inline edit, ⌘L chat, ⌘I composer/agent. Zed: ⌘⇧P palette, ⌘T project symbols, ⌘P files, ⌘⇧R inline assist, ⌘? AI panel. JetBrains: ⇧⇧ search everywhere, ⌘O class, ⌘⇧O file, ⌥↩ intention, ⌘⌥L reformat, ⇧F6 rename, ⌘E recent.

Startup (Apple silicon)#

Do	Result
Press and hold power until "Loading startup options"	Recovery / startup disk chooser
From options: select disk → hold `⇧` → Continue in Safe Mode	Safe Mode
From options: `⌘D`	Apple Diagnostics
Options → Continue → Utilities → Terminal	Recovery Terminal (`resetpassword`, `diskutil`)
`⌘R`, `⌘⌥R`, `⌘⌥P R`, `⇧⌃⌥`+power	Do nothing on Apple silicon (Intel-era key combos) — see ch. 22

Making your own#

System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts → +: pick an app (or All Applications), type the exact menu item text (including … via ⌥;), press keys. This is how you give any menu command a shortcut without a third-party tool.
Shortcuts app → any Shortcut → ⓘ → Add Keyboard Shortcut: global hotkeys for automations (ch. 21).
Karabiner-Elements: Caps Lock → Escape when tapped / Hyper when held; swap ⌥/⌘ for PC keyboards; per-device rules (ch. 5).
Hammerspoon: hs.hotkey.bind(hyper, "t", …) for anything Lua can do (ch. 21).
Conflict check: ⌘Space (Spotlight vs Raycast vs input source switch), ⌃Space (input source vs editor completion), ⌘⇧Space (Visual Intelligence vs Raycast defaults), ⌃←→ (Spaces vs terminal word jump — use ⌥←→ in the terminal instead), F11 (Show Desktop vs debugger step) — disable the system side in Keyboard Shortcuts if an app needs the key.