10 speedy Finder shortcuts
Quick Mac Tip, 28 November 2010
The menu shows the keystroke for Select All.
There are always many way to do things on a Mac: menu items, keystrokes, clicking … Here are 10 keyboard shortcuts I need and use all the time when I’m working in the Finder.
Command (⌘) Delete (⌫)moves selected items to the Trash.Command (⌘) Oopens the selected items, into their default applications if they’re files.- Press the Spacebar to
Quick Lookat a file. - Select an item and press
Return (↩)to select the filename and edit it. Command (⌘) Nmakes a new window.Command (⌘) Shift (⇧) Nmakes a newwindowfolder.Command (⌘) IGets Info on a selected file or folder.Command (⌘) Shift (⇧) Uopens the Utilities folder.Command (⌘) Shift (⇧) Aopens the Applications folder.Command (⌘) Aselects everything in the window.
Bonus: Command (⌘) Option (⌥) A deselects everything in a window.
Have I missed a Finder shortcut you find absolutely essential? Reveal it in the Comments.
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Command Shift N makes a new folder; you currently have it listed as creating a new window, which is what Command N does. Since you had the repeated result, I tried the shortcut to see what it did; I’ll have to remember Command Shift N!
Also new to me were Command Shift A and Command Shift U; that Applications shortcut shall be quite useful!
Not a big secret, but I love that Command C actually copies the entire file or folder and Command V pastes the created duplicate. Very handy, that. And, of course, when I’m done, good old Command W closes the window.
Thanks for spotting my error Sheryl. I’ve corrected it above.
In my defence: I was interrupted while writing the post…
Cmd+Shift+D opens the desktop folder
Also the bonus tip variation : Opt+A deselects all except the last selected item
Thanks for the helpful article—
A few others that I rely on frequently are:
CMD+Tab and CMD+Shift+ for quickly switching between open applications
CMD+W for closing the active window, and CMD+Opt+W for closing all windows with the active application
CMD+Space for launching Spotlight
and not so frequently used, but very help is CMD+Opt+Esc for force quitting non-repsonsive application.
Thanks Kismet. Those are great reminders.
Ross emailed the following helpful shortcuts:
It may be worthwhile adding one or more of the following ten “not quite so speedy” Finder shortcuts . . .
(Not “absolutely essential” but may be of help to some users.)
Where it is included on a keyboard, the <enter> key can be used instead of the <return> key.
Having used the <return> key to select a filename, and having edited it, press <return> once again to accept the change
OR press <esc> to cancel the change and replace the former filename.
Using <command> – <tab> to display the icons of all open applications is extremely useful, plus the further ability to use <command> – <q> to quit the application.
Use <command> – <esc> to open “Front Row”, and <esc> alone to close “Front Row”.
To assign a keyboard shortcut to a menu command with no shortcut …
Open “System Preferences” -> “Keyboard & Mouse” -> “Keyboard Shortcuts” -> “+”.
Choose the application(s) in which to have the shortcut applied.
Enter the command in the “Menu Title” text box exactly as it appears in the menu.
Enter the keyboard shortcut you wish to use, then click “Add”.
(An example would be using <control> – <b> for “Page Break” in “Microsoft Word”.)
Use <command> – <space bar> to open or close “Spotlight”.
Use <option> – <command> – <d> to show or hide the dock.
Use <command> – <shift> – <c> to show drives and/or disks accessible from the “Go” menu.
Use <command> – <shift> – <h> to open your “Home” folder.
Use <command> – <shift> – <d> to display the Desktop.
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