Some Common Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and MacOS

Author

Mehedi Hasan
October 28, 2024

Here’s a list of some of the most useful and commonly used keyboard shortcuts for Windows and macOS to help you work more efficiently:

General Shortcuts (Windows and macOS)

  • Ctrl + C (Windows) / Command + C (Mac): Copy selected text or item

  • Ctrl + X (Windows) / Command + X (Mac): Cut selected text or item

  • Ctrl + V (Windows) / Command + V (Mac): Paste copied text or item

  • Ctrl + Z (Windows) / Command + Z (Mac): Undo the last action

  • Ctrl + Y (Windows) / Command + Shift + Z (Mac): Redo the last action

  • Alt + Tab (Windows) / Command + Tab (Mac): Switch between open applications

  • Ctrl + A (Windows) / Command + A (Mac): Select all items or text in the active window

  • Ctrl + S (Windows) / Command + S (Mac): Save the current document or file

Windows-Specific Shortcuts

  • Win + D: Show or hide the desktop

  • Win + E: Open File Explorer

  • Win + L: Lock the computer

  • Win + R: Open the Run dialog box

  • Win + I: Open Settings

  • Win + (+/-): Zoom in/out using Magnifier

  • Win + PrtScn: Take a screenshot and save it automatically

  • Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager

  • Alt + F4: Close the active window or application

Mac-Specific Shortcuts

  • Command + Q: Quit the active application

  • Command + M: Minimize the active window

  • Command + Space: Open Spotlight search

  • Command + Shift + 3: Take a screenshot of the entire screen

  • Command + Shift + 4: Take a screenshot of a selected area

  • Command + Option + Esc: Open Force Quit menu

  • Command + H: Hide the active application window

  • Command + Tab + Shift: Cycle through open applications in reverse order

Browser Shortcuts (Windows and macOS)

  • Ctrl + T / Command + T: Open a new tab

  • Ctrl + W / Command + W: Close the current tab

  • Ctrl + Shift + T / Command + Shift + T: Reopen the last closed tab

  • Ctrl + L / Command + L: Focus the address bar

  • Ctrl + Tab / Command + Option + Right Arrow: Switch to the next tab

  • Ctrl + Shift + Tab / Command + Option + Left Arrow: Switch to the previous tab

  • Ctrl + D / Command + D: Bookmark the current page

  • Ctrl + H / Command + Y: Open browsing history

Text Editing Shortcuts (Windows and macOS)

  • Ctrl + Right/Left Arrow (Windows) / Option + Right/Left Arrow (Mac): Move the cursor one word to the right or left

  • Ctrl + Backspace (Windows) / Option + Backspace (Mac): Delete the word to the left of the cursor

  • Ctrl + Home/End (Windows) / Command + Up/Down Arrow (Mac): Go to the beginning or end of the document

  • Shift + Arrow Keys: Select text in the direction of the arrow key

  • Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Key (Windows) / Command + Shift + Arrow Key (Mac): Select an entire word in the direction of the arrow key

File and Folder Shortcuts (Windows and macOS)

  • Ctrl + N (Windows) / Command + N (Mac): Open a new window in File Explorer or Finder

  • Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) / Command + Shift + N (Mac): Create a new folder

  • F2 (Windows) / Enter (Mac): Rename selected file or folder

  • Delete / Command + Delete (Mac): Move selected item to Recycle Bin or Trash

These shortcuts help speed up tasks across different applications and systems, whether for basic navigation, text editing, file management, or web browsing.