9 MacBook keyboard shortcuts you need to know first

Keyboard shortcuts give you a significant productivity boost with minimal effort, so they're worth the time to master whether you're on macOS or Windows.

I know because I review PCs for a living here at Tom's Guide, so I'm usually unboxing and getting to grips with a new MacBook or mini PC every week.

I grew up using mostly Windows machines so it took me some time to master keyboard shortcuts on the Mac, but now that I have there are definitely a handful that I use more often than the rest.

With that in mind, I wanted to quickly run down the most useful keyboard shortcuts I think ever Mac owner should use. Even the best MacBook on the market is limited by how effectively you can use it, and these tips will help you be faster and more productive no matter which Mac you're using.

After writing our macOS Sequoia review I've also come to really appreciate some of the new window tiling features Apple released in that upgrade, so I'll share some useful shortcuts for that as well.

Fn + Control + [arrow key]

I really like to use window tiling in macOS to arrange multiple windows side-by-side so I can do things like keep tabs on work chat while I'm writing a story in another window.

It's pretty easy to do this in macOS Sequoia or later, as you can just hit the Function + Control + arrow key to instantly move the active window into the half of the screen that matches whatever arrow key you hit. So hitting up moves your window in the top half of the screen, hitting left moves it into the left half of the screen, and so on.

Fn + Control + Shift + [arrow key]

Once you get the hang of moving your active window around the screen with a single key combo, it's time to get used to moving multiple windows at once.

I really like to use the Function + Control + Shift + Arrow key version because it's a more powerful implementation of the same key combo that lets you move two windows at once instead of just one.

So when you use this key combo, the active window moves to whichever quadrant of the screen you indicate with the arrow key (up moves it into the top half, right moves it into the right half, etc) and then the second window on your Mac moves into the opposite section of the screen.

This allows you to quickly re-orient your windows with a single keypress so that, say, whatever you're focusing on is on the righthand side of the screen while the second window on your desktop (say, your video conferencing window) automatically relocates to the opposite side of the screen.

It takes some time to master, but once you get the hang of using this keyboard combo I find it's one of the most useful in my repertoire.

Command + Tab: Flip between open apps

I use this shortcut all the time because it's a huge time-saver, especially if you (like me) have a bad habit of keeping 3-6 apps open at once. To switch between open apps on your MacBook, simply press Command + Tab to open the switching window and then (while continuing to hold Command) tap Tab to move the cursor between open apps.

Release the keys when you've selected the app you want, and it should immediately pop into the foreground of your desktop. If you're trying to switch to an app that's minimized to the Dock, it will stay minimized unless you also press Option as you are releasing the Tab key to select the app. If you do it right (it can be finicky) the app should pop off the Dock and open itself before you.

Command + Space: Spotlight Search

I think Spotlight Search might be my most-used macOS keyboard shortcut because it helps me launch apps as fast as possible, without having to hunt around for an icon to click. To use it simply press Command + Space to bring up Spotlight Search, then type whatever you're looking for.

Spotlight Search is a great time-saver because it lets you quickly search for apps, documents, emails and more with just a few keystrokes. Once you've found the app or file you're looking for, you just hit one more key (Enter) and it will open right from the Search menu, saving you precious time.

Command + Z/Shift + Command + Z: Undo/Redo

I know this one seems so simple it shouldn't merit mention, but it's also so useful that it has to be included. I'm talking of course about Undo and Redo, which work both in macOS and in many of the apps you'll be using on your Mac.

To undo the last thing you did, just hit Command + Z. If you change your mind and want to redo the thing you just undid, it's easy enough — just hit Shift + Command + Z.

If you're lucky, the app you're using these in will allow you to undo and redo multiple steps backwards or forwards, which can be really useful when you're editing long documents or doing intensive photo/video work.

Shift + Command + 3-5: Capture screenshots

I use this combo all the time, but then I write about screenshots for a living. Even if you don't need to use it quite as often, being able to capture screenshots of your whole desktop or specific parts of it can be a huge time-saver when you're trying to show someone what's happening on your Mac or how to find something.

There are a few key useful keyboard shortcuts for capturing screenshots on Macs. The most important one to know is Shift + Command + 3 because it will instantly capture a screenshot of your entire Mac desktop, which will then appear on your desktop ready to be used. If you'd rather capture just a portion of the desktop, you can do that by pressing Shift + Command + 4 and then clicking and dragging a selection box around the area you want to screenshot.

If you want even more granular control over what you screenshot, press Shift + Command + 5 to bring up the Screenshot app. From here you can choose to capture a screenshot or video of the whole screen, just a portion of the screen, or a selected app/window. You can also access the Options menu to change details like whether you want a timer on your screenshots, where screenshots are saved and more.

In fact, I use the Screenshot app so often that I just dragged it to my Dock for easy access. If you find yourself using it all the time, I recommend you try the same!

Command + W: Close active window

Master this shortcut and you'll quickly become an app murderer, obliterating windows that are no longer useful as you burn through your task list. Rather than reaching down to grab your mouse or use the trackpad to click the big red "close app" button, simply press Command + W to close whatever app or window is currently active.

Option + Command + Esc: Force a program to close

Ever have a program that just won't play nice, and you have to close it? There's a key combo for that.

If you want to force a program to close you can do so pretty simply by pressing Option + Command + Esc, selecting the app from the list of running programs and hitting the Force Quit button (though sometimes it says Relaunch if the app is something key, like Finder).

This is effectively the macOS equivalent to Alt + F4 on Windows 11, and it's a good way to shut down a troublesome program that you can't close by other means.

Ctrl + Command + Q: Lock your Mac

If you're concerned about coworkers and family members messing around with your machine when you get up to use the bathroom, no worries. You can instantly lock your Mac by hitting Ctrl + Command + Q, which is a bit faster and easier than finding and clicking on the appropriate option in the File menu.

This is a good habit to get into if you work in a public area where someone (say, a child or a childish coworker) might be tempted to mess around with your machine while you're not around.

Even more Mac keyboard shortcuts

These shortcuts are so handy I use them almost daily while on a Mac, and there are lots more to learn. I've gone ahead and compiled a brief list of 11 more macOS keyboard shortcuts that are also worth mastering once you've got these down. To see the full list, head on over to Apple's Mac keyboard shortcut page.

And if you're also trying to get more done on a Windows machine, don't miss our guide to the 11 Windows 11 shortcuts worth knowing!