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Mac keyboard shortcuts worth learning

The Command-key shortcuts that save time every day on a Mac: open any app, take a screenshot, bring back a closed tab and get out of a frozen app.

  1. How to use the screenshot toolbar on a Mac

    Press Command + Shift + 5. The toolbar lets you capture a selection, a window or the whole screen, or start a screen recording. Options lets you save to the clipboard instead of the desktop.

    Use it when: You get a choice of what to capture, and you can send it to the clipboard instead of the desktop.

    Mac · Easy · 1 min · Full steps

  2. How to force quit a frozen app on a Mac

    Press Command + Option + Escape, select the stuck app and click Force Quit. Anything unsaved in that app is lost.

    Use it when: You do not have to restart the Mac because one app stopped drawing.

    Mac · Easy · 1 min · Full steps

  3. How to open an app on a Mac with the keyboard

    Press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type the first few letters of the app, and press Return.

    Use it when: You stop scanning the Dock and the Launchpad for a name you already know.

    Productivity · Easy · 1 min · Full steps

Questions people ask

How do I record my screen on a Mac?

Press Command + Shift + 5, choose one of the recording buttons, then click Record. Stop it from the button in the menu bar.

What if the whole Mac is frozen?

Hold the power button for about ten seconds until it turns off, then turn it back on. Only do this when the pointer won't move at all.

What if Command + Space doesn't open Spotlight?

Another app has probably taken the shortcut. Check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Spotlight.

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