Mac OS X Keystroke List
This list of every keystroke in Mac OS X, including all of the keys you can press during startup. Clip and post to your monitor—unless, of course, you got this book from the library.
Startup Keystrokes
Keys to Hold Down Effect
C Start up from a CD
D Start up from the first partition
N Start up from network server
T Puts the Mac into FireWire Target Disk mode
X Starts up in Mac OS X (if 9 is on the same disk)
Shift Prevents startup items from opening
Option Shows icons of all startup disks, so you can choose one for starting up.
Cmd-Option-Shift-Delete Starts up from external drive (or CD)
Cmd-Option-P-R Zaps the parameter RAM (PRAM). (Hold down until second chime.)
Cmd-Option-O-F Brings up Open Firmware screen.
Cmd-V Show Unix console messages during startup
Cmd-S Start up in single user mode
mouse down Ejects a stuck CD or DVD
Shift Just after powering up: turns off kernel extensions (see Section B.10)
Shift Later, after logging in: Prevents Finder windows from opening and startup items from opening. (They'll return the next time you start up.)
In the Finder
Cmd-Option-W Closes all Finder windows
right arrow, left arrow Expands or collapses a selected folder in list view
Option-right arrow Expands a folder in a list view and all folders inside it
Option-left arrow Collapses folder and all folders inside it
Cmd-up arrow Opens parent folder
Cmd-Option-Shift-up arrow Selects the Desktop
Cmd-down arrow Opens the selected icon
Option-click the flippy triangle Expands or collapses all folders within that window
Tab Selects next icon alphabetically
Shift-Tab Selects previous icon alphabetically
Cmd-Delete Moves highlighted icons to the Trash
Space bar Opens the disk or folder under mouse immediately (during a spring-loaded folder drag)
Option (when inserting a CD) Show each session (on a multisession, ISO-9660 CD) as a separate icon
Power Keys
If the keyboard lacks an Eject key, substitute F12. In all of these keystorkes, hold the Eject or F12 key for a moment- don't just tap it.)
Control-Eject Brings up dialog box for shutdown, sleep, or restart
Option-Cmd-Eject Puts the Mac to sleep
Control-Option-Cmd-Eject Shut down
Control-Cmd-Power Force a restart
Managing Programs
Cmd-H Hide this program's windows (works in most apps)
Option-N-H Hide all other programs' windows (most apps)
Cmd Shrinks and tiles all windows in all programs (Expose)
Shift-F9 Shrinks and tiles all windows in slow motion
F10 Shrinks and tiles all windows in frontmost program
F11 Flings all windows in all programs to edges of screen, revealing desktop
F12 Summons the Dashboard widgets (Chapter 5)
Cmd-Tab Press and release: Switches back and forth between current and previous open program
Cmd-Tab Hold down Cmd: Displays floating icons of open programs. Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through them. (Add Shiftto cycle backwardthrough open programs on the Dock.)
Cmd-~ Switches to next open window in this program (add Shift to cycle in the opposite direction)
Option-Cmd-Esc Opens the Force Quit dialog box (to close a stuck program)
Shift-Option- Cmd-Esc Force quits frontmost program (no dialog box)
Shift-Cmd-3 Captures the screen image as a PDF file on your desktop
Shift-Cmd-4 Produces a crosshair; drag to capture a selected portion of the screen as a PDF graphics file. (Press Space to get the "camera" cursor that snips out just a menu, icon, or window.)
Cmd-Space Opens Spotlight menu
Cmd-Space Switches keyboard layout (if more than one is installed). (If you use Spotlight, you must choose a different keystroke for it.)
Option-click a Dock icon Switches to new program and hides previous one
Option-click in a window Switches to new program and hides previous one
Cmd-drag Rearranges or removes menulets or toolbar icons
Cmd-click window title Opens a pop-up menu showing the folder path
Option-click the Minimize button Minimizes all windows (works in most programs)
Shift-click Displays the animation in slow motion (works when minimizing a window, triggering Expose, opening Dashboard, and so on)
Option-Cmd-D Hides/shows the Dock
Cmd-click a Dock icon Reveals its actual Finder icon
Option-Cmd-click a Dock icon Switches to this program and hides all others
Control-click a Dock icon Opens a shortcut menu
Cmd-drag an icon onto a Dock icon Prevents Dock icons from moving, so you can drop your icon onto one of them
Cmd-drag a Dock icon Drags the actual item
Option-Cmd-drag an icon onto the Dock Forces a Dock program icon to open the icon you're dropping
Dialog Boxes
Cmd-comma Opens Preferences dialog box (any Apple program)
Esc "Clicks" the Cancel button in a dialog box
Enter "Clicks" the OK button (or other blue, highlighted button) in a dialog box
Option-Cmd-F Moves insertion point to the Search box in most Apple programs
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