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Questions tagged [keyboard]

A physical device with buttons that allow characters to be entered

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560 votes
15 answers
665k views

Shortcut for toggling between different windows of same app?

I opened two Google Chrome windows (because I am using multiple Gmails) and when I do the Cmd ⌘ Tab ⇥ shortcut it just shows me other applications that I opened but does not show me the other Chrome ...
deter's user avatar
  • 5,603
545 votes
13 answers
196k views

Remap "Home" and "End" to beginning and end of line

Most of my computing time is spent in Linux (with occasional time in Windows). On these platforms the Home and End keys universally jump to the beginning or end of the current line. I am gradually ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 6,933
279 votes
16 answers
295k views

What do I type to produce the command symbol (⌘) in Mac OS X?

What combination of keys do I press to produce the command symbol (⌘) on Mac OS X? (I copied the above symbol from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_key.)
Daryl Spitzer's user avatar
242 votes
4 answers
147k views

How to increase keyboard key repeat rate on OS X?

I know how to set the key repeat rate using System Preferences > Keyboard but it looks that the fastest settings is not enough. Is there any way to speed up even more? I do not know if others ...
sorin's user avatar
  • 28.9k
232 votes
17 answers
325k views

Is there a keyboard shortcut to move a window from one monitor to another?

Is there a free app that I can use to move a window from one monitor to the other monitor (assuming only two monitors) via the keyboard? I shouldn't have to use the mouse at all (e.g., for selecting ...
volni's user avatar
  • 2,798
221 votes
11 answers
112k views

Keyboard shortcut for restoring applications from the Mac OS X Dock?

Is there a keyboard shortcut to restore a minimised application window from the Dock? Almost all Apple Mac OS X applications respond to the Apple + M command which minimises the current application ...
Andrew's user avatar
  • 3,174
213 votes
8 answers
95k views

I included emoji in my password and now I can't log in to my Account on Yosemite

I wanted to check if it's possible to use emoji in a password for my Account on OS Yosemite. It worked but I didn't realize that the login screen has only native keyboards, so I can't type emoji there....
Artiom Dashisnky's user avatar
193 votes
20 answers
302k views

Override iTunes "media" keys (play, pause, etc) for Spotify?

Is it possible to set Spotify as the default program when the "media" keys (play, pause, previous, next, etc) are pressed on the Mac keyboard? For the most part when Spotify is open, the "media" ...
Josh Foskett's user avatar
  • 1,988
183 votes
26 answers
61k views

Is there a quick way to lock my Mac?

On Windows you can hit the keys Windows+L to lock your computer if you step away. I don't want to have to remember if sleep currently asks for a password, if there is a time out where my screen isn't ...
longda's user avatar
  • 3,225
157 votes
7 answers
288k views

Keyboard shortcut to switch focus between multiple displays on OS X 10.9+

The fact that each monitor acts on its own in OS X Mavericks is pretty cool. However, I find that I have to use my mouse and click on the unfocused monitor before I can actually slide back and forth ...
abbood's user avatar
  • 2,604
152 votes
20 answers
291k views

How to switch between different Chrome windows with keyboard shortcuts?

Switching between applications is easy with command-tab. Switching between tabs is easy with command-} or control-tab. Switching between separate windows within an application is easy with command-`....
Kris Anderson's user avatar
142 votes
11 answers
81k views

Can home and end keys be mapped when using Terminal?

The Home and End keys on a MacBook Pro can be emulated with Fn + ← or fFn + →. Or when certain settings are changed, with the ⌘ Command key instead of Fn. None of these works in Terminal. As I ...
at01's user avatar
  • 5,485
137 votes
15 answers
110k views

How to disable command-Q for Quit?

Is there any way to disable command+Q for quitting apps? I tried adding this menuitem to the "Keyboard Shortcuts" preference pane (as suggested here), and remapping it to command+option+Q (slightly ...
Ken's user avatar
  • 1,413
131 votes
11 answers
522k views

Unable to modify the volume with the keyboard

Sometimes, when I connect an external set of headphones/speakers, I am unable to change the volume. When I press one the volume keys, I see the image below. Why does this happen? Interestingly, if I ...
Amelio Vazquez-Reina's user avatar
127 votes
11 answers
1.6m views

Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Mac Equivalent?

Ctrl + Alt + Delete on Windows provides a variety of functions, the main one of interest being the Task Manager. Is there an equivalent keyboard shortcut & indeed Task Manager for carrying out ...
Simon's user avatar
  • 7,361
126 votes
17 answers
71k views

How do I open the context menu from a Mac keyboard?

In Windows, one can hit Shift+F10 to access the "Context Menu." But a similar keyboard action doesn't seem possible on Mac. One potential application... When I make a spelling error in a document, ...
emmby's user avatar
  • 4,055
123 votes
5 answers
52k views

Where can I find the unicode symbols for Mac functional keys? (Command, Shift, etc.)

Is there a list of key-symbols that I could reference?
Patrick Perini's user avatar
118 votes
8 answers
29k views

How do I disable the Minimize (command-M) shortcut?

I want to unset the Cmd+M shortcut but I can't seem to find it. I've checked System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts but no luck there. I've even tried running defaults write -g ...
Chance's user avatar
  • 1,283
115 votes
5 answers
40k views

How do I negotiate dialogue boxes using the keyboard only?

On Windows based machines, whenever a dialogue box pops up with multiple choice options (ie 'Abort', 'Continue', 'Retry'), you can use the 'Tab' key to cycle through those options without using the ...
tomdot's user avatar
  • 1,358
113 votes
17 answers
669k views

How do I type the euro value sign € on a Mac?

I've tried bashing on my keyboard with the ⌥ alt/option key pressed with the ⇧ shift key pressed but I do not seem to be able to find how I can get the euro value sign. ⇧ shift+4 gives the dollar ...
FLY's user avatar
  • 3,504
112 votes
10 answers
845k views

How to add a line break in a cell in Excel for Mac

What key combination do I have to press to create a line break in a cell in Excel for Mac 2011? The Windows combination of Alt+Enter does not work on the Mac.
nwinkler's user avatar
  • 8,696
107 votes
11 answers
103k views

How to make right click for the selected content using only keyboard on a Mac?

Is there way to set a keyboard shortcut or key to simulate a mouse right click but without touching trackpad or mouse? Specifically, I am interested in the right click happening away from where the ...
Preetam Jadakar's user avatar
104 votes
4 answers
94k views

How can I type unicode characters without using the mouse?

I want to type unicode characters with the keyboard. I'm looking for a solution with no mouse usage. For example, below I have a line with the unicode "PILE-OF-POO" character: 💩 The codepoint for ...
wim's user avatar
  • 1,394
101 votes
16 answers
129k views

Is there a keyboard shortcut to bring up Finder?

Is there a default keyboard shortcut to start a new Finder window? If not, is there a way to assign one? I tried System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts and created a new item for ...
Victor Grazi's user avatar
  • 2,033
99 votes
7 answers
40k views

How can I activate buttons with just the keyboard?

Many user interface (UI) elements or dialog boxes have buttons. I would like to be able to activate a button with just the keyboard, without the mouse. How can I do this?
fgm2r's user avatar
  • 1,093
98 votes
5 answers
298k views

Shortcut key for fullscreen mode

I am new to Mac OS (2014 Macbook Air). I am looking at the arrow on top right corner of windows, when I click it, it maximizes window over the top menu and in order to switch back I need to hold mouse ...
adrianTNT's user avatar
  • 1,189
95 votes
3 answers
331k views

Difference between US English QWERTY and International English QWERTY Apple keyboards?

What exactly is the difference between US English QWERTY and International English QWERTY Apple keyboards? I'm talking about the hardware keyboards specifically, not about keyboard layouts (in System ...
Mathias Bynens's user avatar
91 votes
12 answers
415k views

How to type a NORMAL tilde sign (~) in Mac?

I have switched to macOS recently. The only thing that's disturbing me now is the missing the tilde sign (~). The closest thing I achieved to this sign is the accent tilde (˜). This accent tilde won't ...
aborted's user avatar
  • 1,023
91 votes
1 answer
144k views

How do I get F11 and F12 to behave like normal function keys?

I have a 2013 MacBook Pro Retina 15" and I'm trying to set the function keys to perform as normal function keys. So I want the behaviour to be inverted from the standard behaviour where I need to ...
conorgriffin's user avatar
  • 15.9k
90 votes
9 answers
76k views

How to set to open folder with enter in finder?

I want to set to open a folder in finder with Enter. I know it's possible to open a folder with ⌘ Command + ↓ Down Arrow but I don't like it and I never use it because it's easier to use the trackpad,...
Adam Halasz's user avatar
  • 1,243
89 votes
8 answers
135k views

I've somehow enabled overtype mode in Slack and I can't get back to insert mode

No, dear readers, as the Internet might have you believe, none of these things work on a 2017 Macbook Pro, the kind with the touchbar: Fn+Enter Fn+M Fn+. Fn+Option+Enter Somehow, someway, when I was ...
Wayne Werner's user avatar
  • 1,051
87 votes
5 answers
101k views

How do I remap a key in macOS Sierra, e.g., Right Alt to Right Control?

I used to use Karabiner to remap Right Alt to Right Control (as an Emacs user I use Control MUCH more that Alt) but updating to Sierra broke this. Downgrading is not an option. How do I manually ...
Steven C. Howell's user avatar
85 votes
8 answers
32k views

Disable Command-W in the terminal

Is there any way to disable Command+W in the terminal? On several occasions I have accidentally closed a terminal window containing important information when I meant to close a Safari tab and did ...
Ralph's user avatar
  • 1,675
84 votes
10 answers
1.0m views

How do I type ² or ³ on an Apple keyboard (International English layout)?

I use ² and ³ a lot in e-mails. When using my Belgian Windows keyboard and a custom keymap it was easy to type this in Mac OS X as I assigned the appropriate key. These are the mathematical symbols ...
Niels R.'s user avatar
  • 1,335
83 votes
19 answers
309k views

Is there a way to start a specific application with a keyboard short cut? [duplicate]

Sort of like the Windows+R command in the windows world? That actually just lets you run a command but you get the idea.
longda's user avatar
  • 3,225
83 votes
2 answers
31k views

Keyboard shortcut to unhide or unminimize a window in OS X

I am asking this question because I feel it belongs on apple, not superuser. Also the perfect answer is not checked off there. You hide a window using ⌘ + M. However even ⌘ + ⇥ to that window does ...
Dmitriy Likhten's user avatar
82 votes
4 answers
155k views

AutoHotkey Equivalent for OS X?

Is there an equivalent product/method for AutoHotkey. For those that don't know, its a product that allows you to program your mouse movements and keyboard. This allows me to "macro" certain functions ...
Meer Borg's user avatar
  • 923
79 votes
4 answers
69k views

How can I show typing keyboard in record screen

When I record the screen on a Mac, how can I show keyboard typing in the same image (as shown below)? Is there particular screen recording software or settings that will do this?
Alpacino's user avatar
  • 1,011
79 votes
6 answers
24k views

How to add characters to the press and hold character picker in OS X Lion?

In OS X Lion, there is a very useful feature for people like me who need to write in multiple languages, which pops up a small menu of additional characters when you hold down a letter. For instance, ...
houbysoft's user avatar
  • 9,022
78 votes
3 answers
153k views

How can I adjust keyboard backlight on the new M1 MacBook Air?

The 2020 M1 Macbook Air lacks keys to adjust keyboard brightness and F5 and F6 don’t appear to have any effect. Is there a way to adjust - especially to turn off - the keyboard backlight?
jimmont's user avatar
  • 1,092
76 votes
7 answers
101k views

How to switch between fullscreen applications in OSX (Mavericks)

I use a lot of different spaces for my fullscreen applications to get me focus on the different tasks I have to do. For example, I have a space with my mail app, subversion app, safari and so on. To ...
MysticEarth's user avatar
73 votes
9 answers
75k views

MacBook Pro lock screen hotkey without sleeping?

I'd like to press a key combo to get my computer to the lock screen. In Windows the shortcut was Windows keyL. On Mac I press CMDALTPower which turns the laptop off and puts it into sleep. I want to ...
eveo's user avatar
  • 942
73 votes
9 answers
31k views

How to prevent Command-I/Command-Shift-I from opening Mac Mail when in browser?

When in a browser (Chrome or Safari), the following keyboard shortcuts both launch the MacOS Mail app, and there doesn't seem to be any way to change or disable them. Command+I Command+Shift+I Cmd-I / ...
Kirk Woll's user avatar
  • 954
70 votes
6 answers
130k views

How can I set up a keyboard shortcut for switching input source?

I have to change my language option very often. It is hard when I write something with combination of both "English" & "Bangla", because I have to change that option rapidly. Is there any way to ...
Tulon's user avatar
  • 1,217
69 votes
4 answers
85k views

Single keypress types repeated characters (MacBook Pro 2016 & 2017)

I previously used a MacBook Pro 2016, and I had problems with the b where the key produced a bb about one third of the time I hit the key. After getting it repaired, several months later, the same ...
Nidupb's user avatar
  • 1,271
68 votes
6 answers
101k views

Are there keyboard shortcuts for Home, End, PageDown, and PageUp in OS X?

How do I set keyboard shortcuts for Home, End, PageDown, and PageUp on a 13" MacBook Pro? Are there default keyboard shortcuts? Or can I do it with Automator (and if so, how)? I want them to work the ...
Am1rr3zA's user avatar
  • 13.1k
68 votes
8 answers
57k views

Display hidden files hot key on Mavericks gone?

On prior versions of OS X, it was possible to display hidden files in a Finder dialog box (Open, Save, etc.) using Command-Shift-Period. In Mavericks, that feature isn't working for me. Is there ...
Boyd's user avatar
  • 681
68 votes
4 answers
47k views

Prevent auto-pairing for certain devices (Bluetooth)

I have a Early 2011 Macbook Pro 13" running OS X 10.10.1 (Yosemite). At work, I have a Apple Magic Trackpad and an Apple Wireless Keyboard, both which use Bluetooth. When I get to work, my Mac ...
Batman's user avatar
  • 1,062
68 votes
5 answers
45k views

Why does the enter/return key rename a file/folder, instead of opening it? [closed]

Is there some sort of known logic behind Apple's choice to make the enter key rename a file/folder, rather than open it as is standard on Windows and Linux? For those of you coming here for the ...
Ricket's user avatar
  • 3,006
66 votes
12 answers
32k views

Can I create a shortcut to open a specific application on OS X?

I want to create a keyboard shortcut to i.e. open Firefox while I am working in another application. I know I can use ⌘ CMD+T when I am in Firefox to open a new tab. I haven't found a way to create ...
politicus's user avatar
  • 1,123

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