David A. Cox: Hey folks today, I'm going to teach you my top 40
keyboard shortcuts for the Mac.
That's coming up next on Tech Talk America.
Hey folks, and welcome to the class.
I realize it can be hard to retain all of the information we're about to cover.
So I'll make you a deal at the end of this video, I'm gonna give
you a free PDF guide that you can print out at home that contains
everything that we're about to cover.
And in exchange, I'm asking for your attention for the next 40 or so seconds.
Deal?
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I'd like to start by teaching you some of the most important shortcuts.
If you are on a Mac and an application becomes unresponsive, you need to know
how to force quit that application.
The keyboard shortcut for that is Command Option and the escape key.
The application that has become unresponsive should be in red.
Just click on it and then select force.
Quit.
It's almost comical, how many different ways you can take a screenshot
these days, but there's only one that you actually need to remember.
And that is Command shift five.
When you tap that at the bottom, you'll see a little toolbar.
These first three Options are for capturing still images.
The first icon is to capture the entire screen.
The second allows you to roll your cursor over a window and take a
screenshot of just that application.
And the third Option is you can select the exact area that you want to capture.
The two Options to the side are for recording video.
This one will capture the entire screen.
Whereas this one allows you to resize.
Another important keyboard shortcut that I use daily is the
shortcut to enable dictation.
This is one of those shortcuts that you can modify to make whatever you want.
So let me show you how to get to those settings.
Let's go to the apple icon here at the top left and click on system preferences.
Next let's click on keyboard and then click on dictation.
And here is where you can create your own shortcut.
I have it set so that I tap the Command key twice.
For those of you who are doing this from one of the newer Macs you may have
a key on your keyboard on the top row.
That does the same thing.
Another keyboard shortcut that you can customize is Siri.
You will find the Option to set that shortcut here in Siri settings, which
is located in system preferences.
Here's a fun little trick.
If I'm on website and I simply tap the space bar that will
scroll down one full page.
If I add the shift key it now scrolls up one full page.
Here's another little trick involving the space bar.
Let's say I'm going through my downloads folder.
And my mission is to clean out all the junk.
If I have a file selected and then tap the space bar, that will
give me a quick preview of the file without actually opening it.
If I tap the down arrow on my keyboard, the preview shifts to the next file.
If you ever want to send one of those files directly to the trash.
Just use Command and the delete key.
Anytime I work with clients who are brand new to the Mac, one of the things
they always like me to do is to change all of those little settings that make
it a little bit more user friendly.
Here are two of those viewing Options that I always recommend enabling open up
a finder window and press Command Option P that will reveal what is referred to
as the path at the bottom of the window.
It basically just shows you where you are in the computer,
which can be really helpful.
Especially if you've got like 50,000 folders, the other shortcut
is Command slash that will reveal the status bar, which shows you how
much free space you have available.
Here's another handy shortcut that you can use when cleaning up junk.
Let's say I'm in the downloads folder and I've got a bunch
of different folders here.
You see how, when I organize the files by file size, it does not actually show
me the totals next to these folders.
This is where Command J saves the.
Command J is view Options.
And if you look here at the very bottom of this list, there's an
option to calculate all sizes.
So now you can see when I check that box, it becomes very clear where
my junk problem actually lives.
Oh, that joke never gets old.
And one thing you should know about that feature, I know it's tempting
to turn it on as a default, it does slow down your computer quite a bit.
So it's one of those things that you might want to know how to do, but
not necessarily leave it on all the.
Speaking of view Options.
If you are in a finder window and you press Command, one that changes to icon
view Command two is list mode Command three is column view and Command four is
gallery view, which I literally never use.
For those of you who go back and forth between wanting to hide
the dock or keep it visible.
You'll like this one Command Option D will hide or reveal the dock.
If you want to quickly access the emoji keyboard, just press
control, Command and the space bar.
Folks, I've got a bunch more shortcuts to go over.
We'll be right back after this brief commercial break, there are several
keyboard shortcuts on the Mac that are very similar to the ones used in windows.
In fact, many times, these are actually almost the same.
It's just instead of using the control or windows key, you're using the Command key.
So let's quickly go through some of.
In alphabetical order starting with of course, Command a Command
a is select all Command B will make any selected text, bold Command.
C is copy.
Sure.
A lot of you knew that one and thanks to universal copy and paste.
You can now copy something on your Mac and paste it on your
iPhone or iPad or vice versa.
Command D is the shortcut to duplicate a file.
If you have one selected.
If you're on a web browser, regardless of which one you use Command D will
allow you to create a bookmark.
If you're on the desktop or in finder and you have an external hard drive, connected
Command, E will eject that attached drive so that you can safely unplug it.
Command F is Find if you're in something like a document or a website, however, if
you're trying to locate a file generally on your computer, you'll probably benefit
much more from Command plus the space bar that will launch spotlight Command H will
hide the current window that you have.
Command, I will launch the inspector, pulling up information about the file
you currently have selected Command.
M will minimize the current window.
You have open into the dock unless you're in full screen mode Command N can be a
couple of different things, depending on what application you're using.
For example, if you're clicked on the desktop Command, N
will open a new finder window.
If you're in something like a.
Command N will prompt you to create a new document Command O will open a file.
Command P is for print Command.
Q will quit the application that you currently have open if you're ever on a
website and things don't load properly.
That's where Command R is your best friend Command R is reload.
Command S is save.
And here's a little bonus trick.
If you're in something like a pages document, you see how it no longer
offers an Option to save as well.
Check this out.
If you hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
Now that Option is visible.
Command T will open a new tab, whether you're on the web or in a finder.
Command V will paste, whatever you currently have copied to the clipboard
Command w will close whatever window you currently have open, but just to be clear,
it is not the same thing as quit Command.
X is cut, which most people don't really need anymore.
Command Z is arguably one of the most important Commands that would be undo.
And the more times you press it, the more it goes back in.
Also important how to redo, which is just to add the shift key.
So Command shift Z will redo another category of shortcuts
allows you to quickly navigate to different parts of the computer.
These usually involve pressing both the Command and shift keys.
Plus one additional letter.
For example, Command shift D will launch a finder window and
take you directly to the desktop.
Command shift.
I takes you to iCloud drive Command shift, H will take you to your home folder.
And since a lot of people don't have a shortcut to their home folder in the
sidebar, that can be a really helpful.
Need to create a new folder.
That's Command shift N shift Command, and the backspace key will empty the trash.
And if you don't wanna see that annoying, are you sure you wanna
empty the trash dialogue box?
If you add the Option key, you won't see it.
If you press Command and the comma key that will take you to the preferences or
settings of whatever application you're in, if you need the accessibility features
in the Mac, you should know there are a ton of different shortcuts just for you.
If you need more information about.
I'll be happy to put all of the information down below
in the video description.
If you would like a free PDF guide of everything we just covered, please
be sure to visit my website tech talk america.com and then navigate to the PDF
guides page while you're on the website.
If you'd ever like to work with me one on one, you can sign up for a one hour
session over on the tech therapy page.
For a limited time, you can save $50 off a one hour.
So be sure to book soon.
Thank you so much for watching everyone.
This is DavidA] Cox with Tech Talk America, class dismissed.