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Mac is one of the most popular operating systems in America. With its sleek design and minimalistic approach, it’s very user friendly. With that said, even users who have been using Mac for years might not know some of the shortcut symbols.
If you’re new to using Mac or if you want to know a little more about it, this guide will help you get acquainted with the less known mac shortcut symbols. This is sure to make navigating your computer a lot easier.
Keep reading to know more about Mac keyboard symbols.
Understanding Mac Symbols
If you’re coming from Windows, the differences in keyboard shortcuts and symbols might be confusing. Before looking at the shortcuts, it’s important to know the action of the most commonly used symbols on a Mac.
To use a keyboard shortcut, hold one or more of the modifier keys then press the last key of the shortcut. So, to use an example of a shortcut everyone knows, Command-C. This is used to copy text.
You hold the command key and then press the C key. Then you let go. This applies to all of the shortcuts that will be mentioned.
Mac keyboards will use different symbols for particular keys:
- Command (or cmd) key: ⌘
- Shift key: ⇧
- Option (or Alt) key: ⌥
- Control (or Ctrl) key: ⌃
- Caps Lock key: ⇪
So when you look for a shortcut, you’ll be able to understand what keys to press down. The great thing about most computers too is that you’re able to switch modifiers places as you prefer. This type of customization caters to your personal preferences to simplify your workflow.
Some of the most basic commands that you should know include: learning how to select all on Mac and how to copy and paste the text.
To select all, you’ll need to press the window you want to select and press ⌘ + A. This will select everything in whatever document you have opened up. It’s perfect for copying big blocks of text.
Speaking of copying, one of the most common shortcuts you’re likely to use is copy and paste. While most people are familiar with this, it still might be confusing for new Mac users. Use ⌘ + C to copy and ⌘ + V to paste.
1. Create an Email (⌘ + Shift + I)
Have an urgent email you need to send? There’s a keyboard shortcut you might not know about. Press ⌘ + Shift + I to quickly compose a new email.
This will immediately open a new email window where you can begin to create an email. Perfect for removing the additional steps of launching mail and clicking the compose new message button.
2. Quick Desktop Glance (⌘ + F3)
You are probably familiar with how simple it is to save files on your desktop. These tend to be some of the most accessible files since they’re right there, easy to see once you minimize everything. There might be times though, where you want to quickly glance at your desktop.
Instead of having to delete or drag your applications, you can just use ⌘ + F3 which just reveals your desktop. Say you’re writing an email and need to reference a file that you saved on your desktop, just use this shortcut to quickly get your desktop and then go back to your email.
3. More Specific Screenshots (⌘ + Shift + 4)
You probably already know how to take a mac screenshot (⌘ + Shift + 3) but did you know that you can choose a more specific screenshot? Meaning, if you aren’t interested in capturing the entire screen, you can select a particular section of the screen. You’ll have to press ⌘ + Shift + 3 then click, drag, and select the section.
You can use this for a variety of things. If you don’t want the details of your web browser to get in the screenshot (all those tabs!) or if you want to select a specific text from an article without going through the additional step of cropping the image.
4. Quit a Safari Window (⌘ + W)
Let’s say you have a big task that has left your computer full of different windows and applications open. If you have a Safari window open and you want to only quit Safari without any other applications closing, use ⌘ + W. If you want to quit any application you’re in, then you can use ⌘ + Q.
5. Rapid Shut Down (Control + Option + ⌘ + Eject)
There might be a time when you need to shut your computer down quickly. If this is the case, you can do so by pressing Control + Option + ⌘ + Eject. This is one of the more complicated shortcuts.
This is for a good reason. Once this is activated, you won’t have much time to save any documents you’ve been working on. This is why you want to make sure that you have everything saved beforehand.
There are times when your computer will save those documents for you even if you forget but it isn’t a guarantee every time so be sure to think ahead.
Mac Shortcut Symbols
Computers are here to make everyone’s lives easier. Not only are they capable of incredible things but there are ways within the computer itself to simplify tasks. Mac computers are growing in popularity so there’s no doubt that you might own one or have to use one at some point in time.
If that’s the case, it’s good to be familiar with the mac shortcut symbols to make your life easier. Erasing any unnecessary extra steps will save you time so you can focus on the real task at hand!
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