Up until the last few months, I thought I knew how to use my Macbook. Then, I read a book that challenged me not to use my mouse or trackpad for an entire work week… yikes. That was a pretty painful experience, but amid my struggles, I learned some new Mac commands that helped me navigate my machine more efficiently.
Here are six Mac commands all users can add to their toolkits.
1. Spotlight Search: ⌘ + Space
Spotlight search is an extremely handy tool that most people underutilize. With Spotlight Search, you can quickly find and open applications, files, and folders, or even launch search engines. Add this to your toolkit, and you’ll never have to click around repeatedly to open your apps.
2. Open Finder: ⌥ + ⌘ + Space
Finder is the file management system for Mac, so you can find just about anything on your computer there. If your memory is anything like mine, you’ll use it quite a bit.
3. Show Desktop: ⌘ + Mission Control
Sometimes, you just want to see the beautiful wallpaper set on your desktop. Or maybe you actually have some documents, folders, or photos you need to access. Whether you’re missing your pets or have real work to do, this shortcut will serve its purpose.
4. Toggle the Dock: ⌥ + ⌘ + D
The dock sits on the edge of your screen, giving you easy access to your chosen and recently used applications. Sometimes it can get in the way, so knowing how to show or hide it can help prevent irritation and distraction.
5. Application Switcher: ⌘ + tab
No more are the days where you swipe around between screens, frantically searching for an application! This command offers a lot of flexibility and can make your workflow much more fluid. Holding Command and pressing Tab switches back to the last open application.
Holding ⌘ even longer keeps the switcher active, giving you extra options:
- Select Other Applications: ⌘ + ← or →
- View Application Windows: ⌘ + ↑ or ↓
- Quit Application: ⌘ + Q
6. Same Application Switcher: ⌘ + `
At times, you might have the same application open in two separate windows. In my case, this is usually my web browser. I could click back and forth between windows to switch the focus, but that’s a little too much work for me. Instead, I use this handy command to smoothly transition between application windows while working.
Mac Commands to Increase Your Efficiency
Many of these commands can be changed in your System Preferences. Customize them to fit your specific needs!