Keyboard shortcuts save time, and after a few days you cannot do without them. It is enough to know the most used ones and working with a computer speeds up. Let us go through the basic shortcuts for both Windows and macOS clearly and in tables.

The most basic shortcuts

This is the absolute basics that work almost everywhere. On Windows you hold Ctrl, on Mac Cmd (⌘):

ActionWindowsmacOS
CopyCtrl + CCmd + C
PasteCtrl + VCmd + V
CutCtrl + XCmd + X
UndoCtrl + ZCmd + Z
RedoCtrl + YCmd + Shift + Z
Select allCtrl + ACmd + A
SaveCtrl + SCmd + S
FindCtrl + FCmd + F
PrintCtrl + PCmd + P

Windows and applications

ActionWindowsmacOS
Switch applicationsAlt + TabCmd + Tab
Close windowCtrl + WCmd + W
Quit applicationAlt + F4Cmd + Q
New windowCtrl + NCmd + N
MinimizeWin + down arrowCmd + M

Working with text

ActionWindowsmacOS
By wordsCtrl + arrowOption + arrow
To start/end of lineHome / EndCmd + arrow
Delete a wordCtrl + BackspaceOption + Backspace
Select by wordsCtrl + Shift + arrowOption + Shift + arrow

System shortcuts

ActionWindowsmacOS
ScreenshotWin + Shift + SCmd + Shift + 4
Lock the screenWin + LCtrl + Cmd + Q
Task manager / force quitCtrl + Shift + EscCmd + Option + Esc
SearchWin (Start)Cmd + space (Spotlight)

Specific to Windows

  • Win + D shows the desktop.
  • Win + E opens the file explorer.
  • Win + arrows snaps a window to half the screen.
  • Win + V opens the clipboard history.
  • Win + number launches an app from the taskbar.

Specific to macOS

  • Cmd + space opens Spotlight search.
  • Cmd + , (comma) opens the settings of the active app.
  • Cmd + Shift + 4 takes a screenshot of a selected area, Cmd + Shift + 5 also offers screen recording.
  • Mission Control (an overview of windows) is invoked by a key or a gesture.

The main difference between Windows and Mac

The most important rule to remember: Mac uses the Cmd key where Windows uses Ctrl. When you move from one system to the other, most shortcuts work the same, you just swap this one key.

Moving between Windows and Mac or want to work more efficiently? Get in touch, we will gladly advise and help with setting up the computer.