Keyboard shortcuts for macOS that you will definitely use when working with files

A number of Apple computer owners mostly "click" through the graphical interface of their Mac. However, the macOS operating system offers a number of useful keyboard shortcuts that make it easier, more efficient and faster for you to work across the entire system. You can use keyboard shortcuts on your Mac, for example, when working with files and folders.

Spotlight and Finder

The keyboard shortcut Cmd + spacebar, with which you start the Spotlight search utility, certainly needs no introduction. You can also launch the Finder application by pressing the keyboard shortcut Cmd + Option (Alt) + Spacebar. If you want to quickly preview a selected file with basic information in the Finder, first highlight the file with a mouse click and then simply press the space bar.

To mark, copy and move files, shortcuts are used, formed by a combination of the Command key + other keys. You can select all displayed items in the Finder by pressing Cmd + A, for copying, cutting and pasting use the old familiar shortcuts Cmd + C, Cmd + X and Cmd + V. If you want to create duplicates of the selected files, use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + D. Search to display a field in the Finder environment, use the shortcut Cmd + F, to display another Finder tab, press the keyboard shortcut Cmd + T. To open a new Finder window, use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + N, and to display Finder preferences, use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + ,.

More actions with files and folders

To open the home folder of the currently logged in user, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + H. To open the downloads folder, use the shortcut Option (Alt) + Cmd + L, open the documents folder using the key combination Shift + Cmd + O. If you want to create a new folder on on your Mac's desktop, press Cmd + Shift + N, and if you want to start a transfer via AirDrop, press Shift + Cmd + R to launch the relevant window. To view information about the currently selected item, use the shortcut Cmd + I, to move selected items to the trash use the Cmd + Delete shortcuts. You can empty the Recycle Bin by pressing the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + Delete, but first make sure you haven't accidentally thrown a file into it that you might actually need.