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I was on Windows for a long time and switched to Mac about year ago. Some things still looks strange and confuses me:

  1. How to remove a file without mouse in Finder?
  2. How to move (cut) a file without mouse in Finder? (Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V in Windows)
  3. How to get common info about several selected files (for example their size)?
  4. How to go back to previous folder in Finder without mouse? (Backspace in windows)
  5. How to open one image and be able to move between pictures with keyboard (without another picture viewer software)?
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3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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You can find many answers here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343

Specifically:

Cut (for cut copy paste, indeed for almost all windows shortcuts that use CTRL simply use Command instead): Command+X

Move to Trash: Command+Delete

Open Get Info Window: Command+I

Open an aggregate Get Info Window for multiple files: Option+Command+I

Show Inspector: Command+Option+I

Get Summary Info: Command+Control+I

Goto Previous Folder: Command+[

Goto Next Folder: Command+]

Quicklook (Preview): Spacebar (or Command+Y)

As for this "why Apple decided not to do such obvious operations in Mac OS X?" you just need to remember that what you are used to in Windows isn't necessarily obvious, it's just what you are used to. Everything has an equivalent in OS X, you just need to learn what is different, and eventually you might even come to think that the OS X equivalents are actually more obvious than what you use now (Command+R instead of F5 for Refresh, for example...)

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  • And, surprisingly, I have learned something new. Command-I with multiple items selected has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Sometimes, one info window would open with aggregated information for the entire selections, and other times, multiple windows would open (one for each selected item). Looks like Command-Control-I is a way to force the aggregation.
    – Kent
    Commented Aug 14, 2013 at 6:35
  • Command-Delete - mac wireless keyboard don't have the "Delete" key. Command-X not works for files. But anyways going to set as correct answer, will look for keyboard shortcuts from your link. Thanks.
    – Vadim
    Commented Aug 14, 2013 at 8:09
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    The key that is called backspace on other platforms is called delete on Mac, and the key that is called delete on other platforms is called forward delete on Mac. And the keyboard shortcut for moving files is option-command-V, not shift-command-V.
    – Lri
    Commented Aug 14, 2013 at 10:00
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  • Command-delete (where delete is the key called backspace on other platforms) moves the selected items to the trash.
  • You can move files in 10.7 and later by copying them with command-C and then moving them with option-command-V.
  • Option-command-I shows the combined size of the selected files.
  • Command-[ goes back to the previous folder.
  • You can view images by opening a Quick Look window by pressing space and then changing the image with the arrow keys. I mostly use Sequential though.
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  • Have my upvote for ⌘C & ⌘⌥V. This behaves like CTRL + X & CTRL + V on Windows.
    – jmm
    Commented Jul 7, 2022 at 7:06
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To delete files you may also need to press alt. So it is:
alt + cmd + backspace
Or that's how it is with 15" mac book pro (retina) with FI keyboard.

Also to move to the previous/next folder in finder you have to use:
alt + cmd + (
alt + cmd + )
Though I guess this is quite apparent since FI keyboard does not have a dedicated button for block quotes and to make a block quote you need to use:
alt + ( and alt + )

Also nobody mentioned that to open folders/files use:
cmd + o

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