mac OS Tips, Tricks, Tweaks and Hacks

macOS is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc since 2001. It is a proprietary operating system is a Unix-based graphical user interface (GUI) operating system that provides a high level of integration between hardware and software.

It is the second most widely used desktop operating system, right behind Microsoft Windows, but in front of ChromeOS. It powers Mac Pro, MacBook, Mac Mini, and iMac. MacOS is not available on any other type of device and is exclusive to Apple’s Macintosh computer.

With plenty of features you may never stumble upon. Make the most of your Mac with these great tips, tricks tweaks and keyboard shortcuts

Set Up Your Own Keyboard Commands

Navigate to the system preferences menu, then to keyboard, then shortcuts, then app shortcuts. From here you can create keyboard shortcuts to open up any app you want, which is useful if you don’t want to spend time looking through your file systems for different programs that perform different functions.

Reset Your Password Without Logging In

Make sure that your Mac is turned off, and then hold down the command and R keys at the same time. Holding down these keys press the power button so that your Mac boots up into recovery mode - you will know when to let go of the keyboard keys once you see the loading bar appear below the Apple logo.
Once you are in recovery mode, head into Utilities in the menu bar, and then click on the Terminal option. Just type resetpassword into the window that pops up, and hit the enter/return key. From here you are going to be met with a list of all the users on the Mac, from which you can choose one to reset a password for.

Right Click on Mac

For enabling right-click on macOS using the Magic Mouse or the Mac Trackpad, just navigate to the Apple icon menu
"System Preferences", and then select Trackpad or Mouse. In the pop-up Trackpad or Mouse window, check the secondary click option under the Point & Click tab. Then, you can set up your Magic Mouse or Trackpad to enable the right-click function according to your preferences.

The Emoji Picker

The first option is that when you are in any kind of text app to head to edit, then click emoji and symbols and you will be met with a list of different emojis all ready to insert into your document. The other way of getting the emojis into your document is to open up the emoji selection using the keyboard command - space, control, and command all pressed at the same time. This is potentially the speedier option, and might be more useful if you are looking to insert emoji into your text quickly.

Install Apps on Mac

To open App Store, just click the Apple logo from the top menu and then pick App Store from the drop-down list. Now, you can input the app name you want to download in the search box after a successful log-in. Alternatively, you can also download and install the desired application from its official web if this program is not available on Apple Store, but you need to allow apps downloaded from App Store and identified developers first by going to the Apple Menu
System Preferences » Security & Privacy » General

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Screenshot on Mac

To quickly take a screenshot on Mac, here are some hotkeys you can use:
Command + Shift + 3: Implement a full screen capture on Mac.
Command + Shift + 4: Do a selected part capture on Mac.
Command + Shift + 4 + Space: Capture a screen of a single window or menu.

Transfer Files Quickly

Boot up your Mac, but as it is turning on hold down the T key on your keyboard. Why?
Well, this is going to put your Mac into target disk mode, which will allow you to transfer files very quickly between two separate Mac devices using a thunderbolt 3 cable. Its quicker and simpler than doing it via the traditional desktop route.

SMS Messages On Your Mac

First, make sure that you are signed in to the same Apple ID account on both your MacOS device and your mobile device that you are wanting to forward SMS messages from.
Then, on your MacOS device navigate to messages, then preferences, and then click on iMessage. Then, on your mobile device (probably an iPhone) go to settings, messages and then text message forwarding. From here you can choose which devices you want your SMS messages forwarded to. Once you select your MacOS device on your iPhone, your iPhone will automatically forward all SMS messages to your MacOS system as long as its connected to a network via cellular connection or WiFi.

The Inbuilt Password Manager

With macOS Monterey, there is a Dedicated Password Section in System Preferences and a Built-In Authenticator. You can find this in the system preferences which has a new section called Passwords that houses all of your ‌iCloud‌ Keychain logins and passwords so they’re easier to get to, edit and manage. You can also import and export passwords. Monterey also brings an in-built authenticator for sites that use codes as 2FA, the in-built feature will now automatically fill the backup codes when you log in and are stored in the iCloud keychain.

Trash Files in Seconds

To easily trash a file, just click on it and then hit the Command-Delete keyboard shortcut and it will move to Trash.
If you want to skip trashing a file and permanently delete it, use the Shift-Command-Delete keyboard shortcut. Remember, this will permanently delete a file and you will not be able to recover it.

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Hot Corners

Using Hot Corners feature, a user can assign different actions to each of the corners of the display. Dragging your mouse pointer to that corner will execute that action. To set-up a Hot Corner all you need to do is to follow the following path:
Apple Menu » System Preferences » Desktop & Screen Saver » Screen Saver » Hot Corners

Update Your Computer’s Name

Go to Apple Menu » System Preferences » Sharing and click inside the computer name field. Change the name as per your preference and close the System Preferences pane to save changes.

Change Mouse Pointer Color

Apple has made it possible to change the color of the mouse pointer from the standard while outline and black fill, to pretty much any color combination you want.
To do so, go to the Settings » Preferences » Accessibility. Then click Display in the left column. Click the Pointer outline color and Pointer fill color settings. Click the color swatch to choose a custom color from the palette that appears. You can always click Reset to revert to the default colors.

Show Full File Path In Finder

Open the Terminal app, copy and then paste the following command, and hit return/enter.
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES; killall Finder
Now you will be able to see the file path in the Finder window
To go back to the original setting just replace the word “YES” with “NO” in the code block.

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Change Screenshot File Type

Using a simple Terminal command, you can tell your Mac to save the screenshots in the format you want. For taking a screenshot in JPG format, use the following command.
defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg
You can also save the screenshot directly in the PDF format. Just replace the word jpg in the command line with PDF or PNG to go back to the default format.

Mac Keyboard Shortcut

Cut, copy, paste, and other common shortcuts

Command-X:

Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard

Command-C:

Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder

Command-V:

Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder

Command-Z:

Undo the previous command

Shift-Command-Z:

reversing the undo command

Command-A:

Select All items

Command-F:

Find items in a document or open a Find window

Command-G:

Find Again:

Shift-Command-G:

Find the next occurrence of the item previously found

Command-H:

Hide the windows of the front app

Option-Command-H:

To view the front app but hide all other apps

Command-M:

Minimize the front window to the Dock

Option-Command-M:

To minimize all windows of the front app

Command-O:

Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open

Command-P:

Print the current document

Command-S:

Save the current document

Command-T:

Open a new tab

Command-W:

Close the front window

Option-Command-W:

To close all windows of the app

Option-Command-Esc:

Force quit an app

Command-Space bar:

Show or hide the Spotlight search field

Command-Option-Space bar:

To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window

Control-Command-Space bar:

Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols

Control-Command-F:

Use the app in full screen, if supported by the app

Space bar:

Use Quick Look to preview the selected item

Command-Tab:

Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps

Shift-Command-5:

In macOS Mojave or later, take a screenshot or make a screen recording

Shift-Command-3:

for screenshots

Shift-Command-N:

Create a new folder in the Finder

Command-Comma:

Open preferences for the front app

Finder and system shortcuts

Command-D:

Duplicate the selected files

Command-E:

Eject the selected disk or volume

Command-F:

Start a Spotlight search in the Finder window

Command-I:

Show the Get Info window for a selected file

Command-R:

(1) When an alias is selected in the Finder: show the original file for the selected alias. (2) In some apps, such as Calendar or Safari, refresh or reload the page. (3) In Software Update preferences, check for software updates again

Shift-Command-C:

Open the Computer window

Shift-Command-D:

Open the desktop folder

Shift-Command-F:

Open the Recents window, showing all of the files you viewed or changed recently

Shift-Command-G:

Open a Go to Folder window

Shift-Command-H:

Open the Home folder of the current macOS user account

Shift-Command-I:

Open iCloud Drive

Shift-Command-K:

Open the Network window

Option-Command-L:

Open the Downloads folder

Shift-Command-N:

Create a new folder

Shift-Command-O:

Open the Documents folder

Shift-Command-P:

Show or hide the Preview pane in Finder windows

Shift-Command-R:

Open the AirDrop window

Shift-Command-T:

Show or hide the tab bar in Finder windows

Control-Shift-Command-T:

Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)

Shift-Command-U:

Open the Utilities folder

Option-Command-D:

Show or hide the Dock

Control-Command-T:

Add the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later)

Option-Command-P:

Hide or show the path bar in Finder windows

Option-Command-S:

Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows

Command-Slash (/):

Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows

Command-J:

Show View Options

Command-K:

Open the Connect to Server window

Control-Command-A:

Make an alias of the selected item

Command-N:

Open a new Finder window

Option-Command-N:

Create a new Smart Folder

Command-T:

Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window

Option-Command-T:

Show or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window

Option-Command-V:

Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location

Command-Y:

Use Quick Look to preview the selected files

Option-Command-Y:

View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files

Command-1:

View the items in the Finder window as icons

Command-2:

View the items in a Finder window as a list

Command-3:

View the items in a Finder window in columns

Command-4:

View the items in a Finder window in a gallery

Command-Left Bracket ([):

Go to the previous folder

Command-Right Bracket (]):

Go to the next folder

Command-Up Arrow:

Open the folder that contains the current folder

Command-Control-Up Arrow:

Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window

Command-Down Arrow:

Open the selected item

Right Arrow:

Open the selected folder. This works only when in list view

Left Arrow:

Close the selected folder. This works only when in list view

Command-Delete:

Move the selected item to the Trash

Shift-Command-Delete:

Empty the Trash

Option-Shift-Command-Delete:

Empty the Trash without confirmation dialog

Command-Brightness Down:

Turn video mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display

Option-Brightness Up:

Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key

Control-Brightness Up or Control-Brightness Down:

Change the brightness of your external display, if supported by your display

Option-Shift-Brightness Up or Option-Shift-Brightness Down:

Adjust the display brightness in smaller steps. Add the Control key to this shortcut to make the adjustment on your external display, if supported by your display

Option-Mission Control:

Open Mission Control preferences

Command-Mission Control:

Show the desktop

Control-Down Arrow:

Show all windows of the front app

Option-Volume Up:

Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys

Option-Shift-Volume Up or Option-Shift-Volume Down:

Adjust the sound volume in smaller steps

Option-Keyboard Brightness Up:

Open Keyboard preferences. This works with either Keyboard Brightness key

Option-Shift-Keyboard Brightness Up or Option-Shift-Keyboard Brightness Down:

Adjust the keyboard brightness in smaller steps

Option key while double-clicking:

Open the item in a separate window, then close the original window

Command key while double-clicking:

Open a folder in a separate tab or window

Command key while dragging to another volume:

Move the dragged item to the other volume, instead of copying it

Option key while dragging:

Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item

Option-Command while dragging:

Make an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item

Option-click a disclosure triangle:

Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view

Command-click a window title:

See the folders that contain the current folder

Document shortcuts

Learn how to use Command or Shift to select multiple items in the Finder.

Click the Go menu in the Finder menu bar to see shortcuts for opening many commonly used folders, such as Applications, Documents, Downloads, Utilities, and iCloud Drive.

The behavior of these shortcuts may vary with the app you're using.

Windows Key:

Open or close the Start menu

Command-B:

Boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off

Command-I:

Italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off

Command-K:

Add a web link

Command-U:

Underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off

Command-T:

Show or hide the Fonts window

Command-D:

Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog

Control-Command-D:

Show or hide the definition of the selected word

Shift-Command-Colon (:):

Display the Spelling and Grammar window

Command-Semicolon (;):

Find misspelled words in the document

Option-Delete:

Delete the word to the left of the insertion point

Control-H:

Delete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete

Control-D:

Delete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-Delete

Fn-Delete:

Forward delete on keyboards that don't have a Forward Delete key. Or use Control-D

Control-K:

Delete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or paragraph

Fn-Up Arrow:

Page Up: Scroll up one page

Fn-Down Arrow:

Page Down: Scroll down one page

Fn-Left Arrow: Home:

Scroll to the beginning of a document

Fn-Right Arrow:

Scroll to the end of a document

Command-Up Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the document

Command-Down Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the end of the document

Command-Left Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line

Command-Right Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the end of the current line

Option-Left Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word

Option-Right Arrow:

Move the insertion point to the end of the next word

Shift-Command-Up Arrow:

Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document

Shift-Command-Down Arrow:

Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the document

Shift-Command-Left Arrow:

Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line

Shift-Command-Right Arrow:

Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the current line

Shift-Up Arrow:

Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line above

Shift-Down Arrow:

Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line below

Shift-Left Arrow:

Extend text selection one character to the left

Shift-Right Arrow:

Extend text selection one character to the right

Option-Shift-Up Arrow:

Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again

Option-Shift-Down Arrow:

Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again

Option-Shift-Left Arrow:

Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again

Option-Shift-Right Arrow:

Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again

Control-A:

Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph

Control-E:

Move to the end of a line or paragraph

Control-F:

Move one character forward

Control-B:

Move one character backward

Control-L:

Center the cursor or selection in the visible area

Control-P:

Move up one line

Control-O:

Insert a new line after the insertion point

Control-N:

Move down one line

Control-T:

Swap the character behind the insertion point with the character in front of the insertion point

Command-Left Curly Bracket ({):

Left align

Command-Right Curly Bracket (}):

Right align

Shift-Command-Vertical bar (|):

Center align

Option-Command-F:

Go to the search field

Option-Command-T:

Show or hide a toolbar in the app

Option-Command-C:

Copy Style - Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard

Option-Command-V:

Paste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item

Option-Shift-Command-V:

Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content

Option-Command-I:

Show or hide the inspector window

Shift-Command-P:

Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings

Shift-Command-S:

Display the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document

Shift-Command-Minus sign (-):

Decrease the size of the selected item

Shift-Command-Plus sign (+):

Increase the size of the selected item. Command-Equal sign (=) performs the same function

Shift-Command-Question mark (?):

Open the Help menu

Other shortcuts

For more shortcuts, check the shortcut abbreviations shown in the menus of your apps. Every app can have its own shortcuts, and shortcuts that work in one app might not work in another.

Accessibility shortcuts from Apple

Safari shortcuts

Spotlight shortcuts from Apple

Startup shortcuts from Apple

Apple Music shortcuts: Choose Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the menu bar in the Music app.

Other shortcuts: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts

Learn more about macOS from Apple

Type emoji, accents, and symbols

Create your own shortcuts and resolve conflicts between shortcuts

Change the behavior of the function keys or modifier keys

Use a spoken command for a keyboard shortcut

Conclusion

MacOS is the computer operating system (OS) for Apple desktops and laptops. It is a proprietary graphical OS that powers every Mac. The OS was introduced in 1984 to run personal computers developed by the company Macintosh, which heralded the era of graphical user interface systems. As Apple grew and strengthened the ecosystem through the years, macOS operating system version history evolved too.

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Tips Tricks and Tweaks for macOS

For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced UsersBoost Your Productivity - Make Tasks Faster

Short Cut Keys - Productivity Hacks

Updated: July 27 2025By: RSH Web Editorial Staff

macOS

Related Posts

Set Up Your Own Keyboard Commands

Reset Your Password Without Logging In

Right Click on Mac

The Emoji Picker

Install Apps on Mac

Screenshot on Mac

Transfer Files Quickly

SMS Messages On Your Mac

The Inbuilt Password Manager

Trash Files in Seconds

Hot Corners

Update Your Computer’s Name

Change Mouse Pointer Color

Show Full File Path In Finder

Change Screenshot File Type

Mac Keyboard Shortcut

Finder and system shortcuts

Document shortcuts

Other shortcuts

Learn more about macOS from Apple

Conclusion

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Composed by our masterful copywriters

For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Users
Boost Your Productivity - Make Tasks Faster

Updated: July 27 2025
By: RSH Web Editorial Staff