Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of simultaneous key strokes that perform a particular task. Using these shortcuts (which often involve modifier keys such as command, option, control and shift) typically saves time because you don’t need to move your hand from the keyboard to the mouse. I use the following 23 shortcuts almost everyday and find they save me both time and mouse clicks. Even if a shortcut only saves you a few seconds, those seconds soon add up to minutes, especially when you perform the task frequently. Below I focus mostly on shortcuts that can be performed with the left hand, allowing you to activate them even when using the mouse — sorry, lefties 
. Leave me a comment to let me know what shortcuts you find helpful.
Shortcut |
Result |
All Applications |
|
|---|---|
| command-Q | Quit |
| command-S | Save |
| command-W | Close |
| command-option-esc | Force Quit |
| command-A | Select All |
| command-C | Copy |
| command-V | Paste |
| command-Z | Undo |
| command-shift-Z | Redo |
| command-comma | Preferences |
| command-H | Hide |
Apple Mail |
|
| command-N | New Message |
| command-R | Reply |
| command-shift-D | Send (tough to remember but saves time) |
Safari |
|
| command-T | New Tab |
| command-click (with mouse) | Open Link in New Tab (this is a must use) |
| command-left (arrow) | Back |
| command-right (arrow) | Forward |
Finder |
|
| command-I | Get Info |
| command-shift-4 | Screen Capture |
Other |
|
| command-option-control-8 | Invert Screen Colors (this works on Riley every time) |
| command-tab | Switch Applications |
| command-spacebar | Spotlight (easiest way to launch applications) |
That’s all for now, but be sure to let me know if you find these shortcuts useful or know of an important one I overlooked.
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February 5, 2008 at 4:35 pm
[...] to scroll through a menu or use the mouse. Franklin gave a pretty comprehensive list for OS X users ...