Here it is, by popular, frustrated demand: the master list of every secret (or not-so-secret) keystroke in macOS, including all the keys you can press during startup. Clip and post to your monitor (unless, of course, you got this book from the library).
Note
For the most part, the following list doesn’t include the keystrokes already listed in your menus, like -P for Print, -S for Save, and so on.
Keys to hold down at startup
N
Starts up from a NetBoot server
T
Puts the Mac into Target Disk mode
D
Starts up to diagnostic or hardware test mode
Option-D
Starts up to diagnostic or hardware test mode over the internet
-R
Starts Recovery Mode
Option--R
Starts up from Recovery Mode over the internet
Option
Starts up to Startup Manager, which allows you to choose a startup disk
Option--P-R
Zaps the parameter RAM (PRAM) (hold down until you hear the second chime)
-V
Shows Unix console messages during startup, logout, and shutdown
Just after logging in: Prevents Finder windows and startup items from opening (they’ll return the next time you start up)
Speech recognition
Tap fn twice
Begin “speak to type”
Hold down -space
Summon Siri
In the Finder
-space
Opens Spotlight search box
,
Expands or collapses a selected folder in list view
Option-
Expands a folder in a list view and all folders inside it
Option-
Collapses a folder and all folders inside it
-
Opens parent folder
- (or -O)
Opens the selected icon
Option-click the flippy triangle
Expands or collapses all folders within that window
Tab
Selects next icon alphabetically
Shift-Tab
Selects previous icon alphabetically
space bar
Opens Quick Look preview of highlighted icon(s)
space bar
During a spring-loaded folder drag, opens the disk or folder under the mouse immediately
Option-click Zoom button
Enlarges the window (but not into Full Screen mode)
Option-click Close button
Closes all Finder windows
Option-click Minimize button
Minimizes all windows (works in most apps)
Option
Changes Quick Look button to Slideshow button
-drag
Rearranges or removes menulets or toolbar icons
-click window title
Opens a pop-up menu showing the folder path
Menu
Option
Changes “About This Mac” to “System Information”
Shift--Q
Logs out
Shift-Option--Q
Logs out without confirmation box
Finder menu
Option
Eliminates the confirmation box from Empty Trash
Shift--Delete
Empties the Trash
-Delete
Puts back a highlighted icon now in the Trash
Shift-Option--Delete
Empties the Trash without confirmation box
Option-Empty Trash
Empties the Trash without confirmation box
-comma
Opens Preferences (also works in most programs)
-H
Hide this program
Option--H
Hide other programs
File menu
-N
New Finder window
-T
New Finder tab
Shift--N
New folder
Control--N
New folder with selection
-O or -
Open
Control--O
Open in new window
Option-click File menu
Changes “Open With” to “Always Open With”
-W
Close window
Option--W
Close All
-I
Get Info
Option--I
Show Inspector
Control--I
Summary Info (of selected icons)
-D
Duplicate
Control--A
Make Alias
-Y
Quick Look
Option--Y
Slideshow (of selected icons)
Option-Control--A
Show Original (of alias)
Control--T
Add to Sidebar
Shift-Control--T
Add to Dock
-Delete
Move to Trash
-E
Eject
-F
Find
Shift-Control--F
Find by Name
Edit menu
-Z
Undo
Shift--Z
Redo
-C, -X, -V
Copy, Cut, Paste
Option--V
Move item here
-A
Select All
Option--A
Deselect All
Control--space bar
Open Emoji & Symbols panel
View menu
-1, -2, -3, -4
Icon, list, column, gallery views
Control--1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7
Sort by Name, Kind, Date Last Opened, Date Added, Date Modified, Size, Tags
Option--1, -2, -5, -6, -7
Clean up by Name, Kind, Date Modified, Size, Tags
Shift--T
Show/hide Tabs bar
Shift--P
Show/hide preview pane
Option--P
Show/hide Path bar
Option--S
Show/hide Sidebar
-/
Show/hide status bar
-J
Show/hide View Options palette
Control--F
Full Screen mode
Go menu
-[, -]
Back, Forward
-
Enclosing folder
-K
Connect to Server
Control--
Enclosing folder in new window
Shift--F
Recents window
Shift--O
Documents window
Shift--D
Desktop window
Shift--H
Home window
Shift--L
Library window
Shift--C
Computer window
Shift--R
AirDrop window
Shift--K
Network window
Shift--A
Applications window
Shift--G
Go to Folder
Shift--I
iCloud Drive window
Shift--U
Utilities
Option
Makes Library Command Appear
Option--L
Downloads window
Window menu
-M
Minimize
Option--M
Minimize All
-`
Cycle through windows
Help menu
Shift--?
Opens help search box
Power keys
Control-
Brings up dialog box for Shut Down, Sleep, or Restart
Option--
Sleep
Control-Option--
Shut Down
Control--
Restart
The Dock
Shift-Option-click a Dock icon
Switches to new program and hides previous one
Option--D
Hides/shows the Dock
-click a Dock or Stacks icon
Reveals its actual Finder icon
Option--click a Dock icon
Switches to this program and hides all others
Control-click a Dock icon
Opens a shortcut menu
-drag an icon onto a Dock icon
Prevents Dock icons from moving, so you can drop your icon onto one of them
-drag a Dock icon
Drags the actual item
Option--drag an icon onto the Dock
Forces a Dock program to open the icon you’re dropping on it
Managing programs
Shift-Option-click a Dock icon
Switches to new program and hides the previous one
Option-click in a window
Switches to new program and hides the previous one
-H
Hide this program’s windows (works in most apps)
Option--H
Hide all other programs’ windows (most apps)
Control-,
Previous/next Spaces screen
F9
Exposé: Shrinks and tiles all windows in all programs
Shift-F9
Exposé: Shrinks and tiles all windows in slow motion
F10
Exposé: Shrinks and tiles all windows in frontmost program
F11
Exposé: Flings all windows in all programs to edges of screen, revealing desktop
F12
Dashboard widgets
-Tab
Press and release: Switches back and forth between current and previous open programs
-Tab
Hold down : Displays floating icons of open programs. Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through them. (Add Shift to cycle backward through open programs.)
-`
Switches to next open window in this program. (Add Shift to cycle in the opposite direction.)
Option--Esc
Opens the Force Quit dialog box (to close a stuck program)
Shift--3
Captures the screen image as a PNG file on your desktop
Shift--4
Produces a crosshairs; drag to capture a selected portion of the screen as a PNG graphics file. (Press space to get the “camera” cursor that snips out just a menu, icon, or window.)
Shift--5
Opens a sophisticated set of options for screen captures
Control-space
Switches keyboard layout (if more than one is installed)
Dialog boxes
-comma
Opens Preferences dialog box (any Apple program)
Esc
“Clicks” the Cancel button in a dialog box
Return
“Clicks” the OK button (or other blue, highlighted button) in a dialog box
Option--F
Moves the insertion point to the search box in most Apple programs
-D, -R
“Clicks” the Don’t Save or Replace button
Trackpad gestures
You can change many of these gestures, or turn them on and off, in the Trackpad pane of System Preferences. But here are the factory settings:
Two-finger click
Right-click
Two-finger drag up/down
Scroll up/down
Two-finger swipe left-/right
Move among open web or document pages
Two-finger swipe from right edge
Open Notification Center
Two-finger pinch or spread
Zoom in or out of a picture, PDF, or web page
Two-finger rotate
Rotate photo or PDF
Two-finger double-tap (not click)
“Smart zoom” into Safari or Preview page
Three-finger swipe up
Mission Control
Three-finger swipe down
Show all windows in this app (Exposé)
Three-finger swipe left/right
Previous/next Spaces screen or full-screen app
Three-finger drag
Move window
Three-finger tap (not click)
Look up this word in Dictionary
Four-finger pinch
Open Launchpad
Four-finger spread
Reveal desktop (Exposé)
Magic Mouse gestures
A few important gestures also work on the top surface of the Magic Mouse:
-P for Print, 
, 
(or 
