MyFAQ: MacBook Pro Mac OS useful keyboard shortcuts for PC users

I’m not a big fan of Apple. But, sometimes you don’t have a choice – (Thanks J!), so now trying to make it work like my good old PC.

Here is a selection of keyboard shortucts (FYI – Mac users call them Quick-keys) that I use on a daily basis and allow me to be efficient on my MacBook Pro, almost as good as PC and Windows combo. Hopefully you will find it useful if you are migrating from PC to MacBook Pro.

1) Creating a folder in current view list-view not root directory without touching the mouse.

Step 1: With enclosing folder highlighted, type command-O. (The Finder view changes.)
Step 2: Type command-shift-N to create a new folder.
Step 3: Type the name of the folder followed by Enter or Return.
Step 4: Type command-[ to return to the previous Finder view.

Source: MAC OS X Hints.

2) Show desktop: fn + F11

3) Edit the web adress in any internet browser: cmd + l
works in Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

4) Navigate/switch between the windows of the same application (e.g. when you have more than one Firefox windows opened): cmd+~

5) Select screen grab and save on desktop: cmd+shift+4

6) Select screen grab and copy to clipboard: cmd+shift++ctrl+4

7) Excel – add new line within a cell: alt+cmd+enter

8) Excel – cell format properties: cmd+1

9) Excel – edit cell: ctrl+u

10) Excel – toggle between Excel worksheets: haven’t found it yet!

11) Internet browser – toggle between tabs: alt+cmd+arrows (L or R)

12) Where’s the hashtag character? alt + 3

13) Where’s Page up/Page Down FN + Down/Up Arrow

14) useful screen capture shortcuts:

screen shot + crop CMD + Shift + 4
screen shot no crop CMD + Shift + 3

15) how to move to the menu bar (same as Alt +F on PC: Fn-Control-F2

16) how to disable horizontal scrolling (used to drive me nuts!)
Run this command in the terminal window and reconnect the mouse
defaults write com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse MouseHorizontalScroll -bool NO

Categorized in: FAQ

2 thoughts on “MyFAQ: MacBook Pro Mac OS useful keyboard shortcuts for PC users

  1. Another good one to add to 5 is:
    Select screen grab and save on desktop: cmd+shift+4 and then press the Space Bar.
    That will screen shot the active window only and put a nice drop shadow on it. One of the nice things that a Mac actually does.

  2. Also.. another good one here:
    http://lifehacker.com/5803041/the-mac-os-x-delete-key-it-goes-both-ways

    Makes the delete key on a Mac work like it should…
    “Deleting text in front of the cursor with the regular Delete key can be done by holding down the Function, or fn key while pressing it.

    You can also do this by pressing Control + D.

    You can delete the entire word behind the cursor by pressing Control + Delete or Option + Delete.

    You can delete the entire line of text or paragraph behind the cursor by pressing Command + Delete.”

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