Use keyboard shortcuts for commands you repeat, Spotlight to find items and launch available actions, and Finder and window-management features to reduce everyday navigation. Here are 18 built-in Mac tips to try; which ones help most depends on your tasks, macOS version, display, and preferred way to work.
Start with faster ways to issue commands
1. Learn a small set of common shortcuts
These common shortcuts cover frequent tasks:
- Command-C copies the selected item.
- Command-V pastes.
- Command-Z undoes the last action in many apps.
- Command-Tab switches between open apps.
- Command-Space opens Spotlight.
Shortcuts can vary by app, and an app may assign different commands to familiar keys. Check the app’s menus for the shortcut shown beside each command.
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2. Find app-specific commands in the menu bar
When you know what you want to do but not the shortcut, open the relevant menu in the app and look beside the command. Apple also documents creating shortcuts for menu commands in Keyboard settings; the available controls can vary by macOS release.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →3. Use Spotlight to search
Press Command-Space to open Spotlight, then enter a name or search term. Select a result and press Return to open it. Press Space on a selected result to preview it with Quick Look. Spotlight results can be narrowed by category or app, depending on the options shown on your Mac.
#1 Best Overall
- WIRELESS, RECHARGEABLE CONVENIENCE — Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad connects wirelessly to your Mac, iPad, or iPhone via Bluetooth. And the rechargeable internal battery means no loose batteries to replace.
- WORKS WITH MAC, IPAD, OR IPHONE — It pairs quickly with your device so you can get to work right away.
- ENHANCED TYPING EXPERIENCE — Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience. Its extended layout features document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys. The numeric keypad is ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- GO WEEKS WITHOUT CHARGING — The incredibly long-lasting internal battery will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges. (Battery life varies by use.) Comes with a Lightning to USB Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB port on your Mac.
- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS — Requires a Bluetooth-enabled Mac with macOS 10.12.4 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later, or an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 10.3 or later.
4. Try Spotlight actions and quick keys
Spotlight may also show actions or shortcuts, not just files and apps. When a useful action appears, check whether Spotlight displays a quick key for it. Available actions depend on the system and features enabled on that Mac.
5. Preview a file with Quick Look
In Finder, select a file and press the Space bar to inspect it without opening it in its full application. This is useful when you need to check a document, image, or other file before deciding what to do with it. If the shortcut differs on your macOS version or keyboard setup, consult Apple’s current keyboard shortcut guide.
6. Take a screenshot from the keyboard
Common macOS screenshot shortcuts include Shift-Command-3 for the whole screen, Shift-Command-4 to select an area, and Shift-Command-5 to open screenshot and screen-recording controls. Check the current keyboard guide if a shortcut behaves differently on your Mac.
Rank #2
- Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It’s also wireless and rechargeable, with an incredibly long-lasting internal battery that’ll power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
- It pairs automatically with your Mac, so you can get to work straightaway.
- It features a USB-C port and includes a woven USB-C Charge Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac.
Find windows and arrange your workspace
7. Open Mission Control to find a buried window
Mission Control gives you an overview of open windows and desktop Spaces. Open it using the keyboard, trackpad, or mouse method available on your Mac. If a gesture does not work as expected, check the related settings: gestures can be changed or turned off.
8. See every window in the front app
When one app has several windows open, press Control-Down Arrow to show the windows for the front app. This view can be more direct than searching for a particular window in the Dock.
9. Separate tasks with desktop Spaces
Use separate desktop Spaces to keep work contexts apart—for example, one desktop for communication and another for creative work. Spaces are an organizational option, not a required workflow. Mission Control provides a way to view and move among them.
Rank #3
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
10. Try Stage Manager for a prominent main app
Stage Manager keeps one app front and center while other open apps appear at the side. It may suit a task where you want a clear foreground workspace but still want related apps nearby. Whether that layout feels useful is a matter of preference.
11. Use full-screen for one app
Full-screen gives a single app the display for a more focused view. It can suit work that benefits from fewer visible distractions, but may be less convenient when you need to compare material across apps.
12. Use Split View when two apps need to stay visible
Split View places two apps side by side. It can help when you are referring to one item while working in another, although the fit depends on the display size and the space each app needs.
Rank #4
- Ultra Thin Wired Keyboard: Constructed with aluminum backing, the slim keyboard's height is less than that of a penny.
- Broad Compatibility: Able to work with Apple and compatible with Windows PC operating systems
- Full Sized Extended Keyboard: Easy access to media with 20 Apple shortcut keys (cut/copy/paste, iTunes control, Volume up/down, etc.) and multimedia shortcuts for Windows PC. Also, contains a ten-key numeric keypad for easy data entry.
- Plug and Play (No Drivers Required): No need to continually change or recharge batteries of wireless keyboards
- Long Cord: 4'7" (140 cm) USB cable to connect your external keyboard to the computer
13. Tile windows for side-by-side work
Apple’s Mac tips guidance describes dragging a window to a screen edge and releasing it when a placement highlight appears. This is another way to put windows beside each other; the exact behavior and available options can depend on macOS and the device.
14. Move windows aside to reveal the desktop
macOS provides keyboard and trackpad ways to show the desktop without closing your open windows. Use the method available in your system’s settings; if a gesture is not comfortable or configured, choose the keyboard route instead.
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15. Choose the window view that suits the task
These features solve different problems:
- Mission Control: locate one buried window or move between Spaces.
- Stage Manager: keep a main app prominent while retaining access to other open apps.
- Spaces: separate work contexts across desktops.
- Split View or tiled windows: keep two tasks visible together.
Consider the display size and whether you prefer keyboard controls, gestures, or a simpler single-window view. Apple documents these options but does not rank them as universally best.
Best Value
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
Make Finder and the desktop easier to navigate
16. Save recurring searches as Smart Folders
A Smart Folder saves search criteria so you can return to items matching those rules. In Finder, create a new Smart Folder, set the criteria you need, and save it. Apple’s Mac tips guide documents this feature; interface wording and steps may vary by macOS version.
17. Put frequent folders in Finder Favorites
Drag a frequently used folder into the Favorites section of the Finder sidebar. It then has a direct place in the sidebar instead of requiring you to navigate to it each time.
18. Show the Finder Path Bar
The Path Bar shows where the selected item sits in the folder hierarchy at the bottom of a Finder window. Turn it on from Finder’s View menu. It is useful when you need to understand a file’s location or navigate back through its folders.
19. Group desktop items with stacks
Choose Use Stacks from the desktop context menu to group items on the desktop. This can make a crowded desktop easier to scan; check the wording and behavior on your macOS version.
Quick Recap
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