Saving Clicks with Useful Keyboard Shortcuts
How are you going to accomplish your bucket list if you’re spending so much time dragging your mouse around the screen and through deep menus for common tasks? Use keyboard shortcuts instead, and change your life!
Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of keystrokes that, when hit at the same time, perform common tasks or special features. Keyboard shortcuts exist in nearly every program on both Mac and PC.
Why Keyboard Shortcuts?
- They’re easy! With just a little practice, keyboard shortcuts will become second nature.
- They’re faster! Each keyboard shortcut potentially replaces multiple clicks, saving you time.
- They’re nearly universal! Most programs and operating systems have a bevy of keyboard shortcuts in common, which helps you navigate even unfamiliar environments more easily.
The Basics
How to Read Keyboard Shortcuts:
Keyboard shortcuts are usually abbreviated into a short formula. Key+key. Some names of keys are abbreviated: On a PC, Control becomes Ctrl. Others are identified by a symbol: On a Mac, Command becomes ⌘.
The + in the formula just means ‘and at the same time.' It doesn’t mean to hit the + key as well.
How to Perform a Shortcut:
Press and hold all buttons in the command at once.
Common Shortcuts:
| PC | Mac | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+A | ⌘+A | Select everything - text on a page, files in a folder, etc. |
| Ctrl+C | ⌘+C | Copy |
| Ctrl+X | ⌘+X | Cut |
| Ctrl+V | ⌘+V | Paste |
| Ctrl+F | ⌘+F | Search or "Find" |
Browser Shortcuts:
Most internet browsers share some keyboard shortcuts.
| PC | Mac | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+L | ⌘+L | Activate the address bar (so you can search or navigate to a new url) |
| Ctrl+Tab | ⌘+Tab | Toggle between open tabs |
| Ctrl++ | ⌘++ | Zoom in |
| Ctrl+- | ⌘+- | Zoom out |
Global Reach Favorites:
| PC | Mac | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Z | ⌘+Z | Undo - works pretty much everywhere |
| Ctrl+Y | ⌘+Y | Redo |
| Alt+Tab | Alt+Tab | Toggle through open programs and windows on your desktop |
| Ctrl+S | ⌘+S | Save! Save often. |
How to Learn Keyboard Shortcuts:
Practice, practice, practice! At first things might seem clumsy, but if you take a little time to pause and practice using a shortcut, soon you’ll be using them without thinking. Don’t feel like you have to learn all of them at once – just pick out a couple that you think you will use most often.
