Tech Tips: Quick Keys

Quick keys are one of the easiest, most useful functions of the keyboard—outside of standard typing, that is. If you’ve never heard of them, quick keys (also known as keyboard shortcuts) are combinations of keystrokes that result in different commands on your computer. More than just being easy, these shortcuts save time and increase efficiency—and you can do it all without ever taking your hands off they keyboard.

Below is a list of the most common, most essential quick keys for computer that run on the MacIntosh and Microsoft platforms.

Basic Shortcuts

Shortcuts Involving the Clipboard

The clipboard is where the items that you cut, copy, and paste appear.

  • Cut (removes selected material and puts it on the clipboard)
    • Mac: Command-X
    • PC: Ctrl-X
  • Copy (puts the selected material to the clipboard without doing anything to it)
    • Mac: Command-C
    • PC: Ctrl-C
  • Paste (inputs the contents of the clipboard into the current document or folder)
    • Mac: Command-V
    • PC: Ctrl-V

Other Basic Shortcuts

  • Undo (reverses the previous command)
    • Mac: Command-Z
    • PC: Ctrl-Z
  • Redo (undoes a redo command)
    • Mac: Command-Shift-Z
    • PC: Ctrl-Y
  • Select All (selects all material in a document or page)
    • Mac: Command-A
    • PC: Ctrl-A
  • Find (finds entered characters in the current document or page)
    • Mac: Command-F
    • PC: Ctrl-F
  • Create new (creates a new document or window)
    • Mac: Command-N
    • PC: Ctrl-N
  • Minimize (minimizes the current window)
    • Mac: Command-M
  • Minimize all (minimizes all open windows)
    • Mac: Command-Option-M
    • PC: Windows Logo-M
  • Undo minimize all (reopens all open windows)
    • PC: Shift-Windows Logo-M
  • Print (prints current document or page)
    • Mac: Command-P
    • PC: Ctrl-P
  • Save (saves current document or page)
    • Mac: Command-S
    • PC: Ctrl-S
  • Quit program
    • Mac: Command-Q
    • PC: Alt-F4

Document Shortcuts

  • Bold (makes text boldfaced)
    • Mac: Command-B
    • PC: Ctrl-B
  • Italicize (puts text in italics)
    • Mac: Command-I
    • PC: Ctrl-I
  • Underline (underlines text)
    • Mac: Command-U
    • PC: Ctrl-U

What’s YOUR favorite keyboard shortcut?

Leave a Reply