Keyboard Shortcuts
Hey motion brain, manifest your knowledge here!
Template: ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + P: Open command palette
Available keys: ⌘ CMD, ⇧ SHIFT, ⌥ OPTION
VS Code
| Command | Key | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
| Open command palette | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + P | P as in Palette |
| Open Markdown preview | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + V | V as in Visual |
Apple Preview
| Command | Key | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
| Highlight text | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + H | H as in Highlight |
| Underline text | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + U | U as in Underline |
| Open Markup toolbar | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + A | A as in Annotation |
| Set bookmark | ⌘ CMD + D | D as in Document |
Figma Shortcuts
Utilize Figma for UI/UX Design, working with components, design systems, design tokens, and more.
| Command | Shortcut Key | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
| Open Floating Prototype | Shift + Space | N/A |
| Use the Scale Tool | K | K as in "Keep" shape when scaling |
| Rename Multiple Layers at Once | CMD + R (Mac) or CTRL + R (Windows) | R as in "Rename" |
| Adjust Opacity | Number Keys (1-9 and 0 for 100%) | N/A |
| Switch to Design Mode from Prototype Mode | Option + 8 (Mac) or Alt + 8 (Windows) | 8 as in "Switch" to Design |
| Switch to Prototype Mode from Design Mode | Option + 9 (Mac) or Alt + 9 (Windows) | 9 as in "Switch" to Prototype |
Chrome
| Command | Key | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
| Open Developer Tools | ⌘ CMD + ⌥ Option + I | I as in Inspect |
| Open Command Palette | ⌘ CMD + P | P as in Palette |
| Open History | ⌘ CMD + Y | Y as in History |
Terminal commands
| Command | Key | Mnemonic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| List all hardware ports | networksetup -listallhardwareports | N/A | The command name is so long, it's like Apple wanted to make sure you really meant it! |
Hidden macOS Gems
| Command | Key | Mnemonic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Force quit any app | ⌘ CMD + ⌥ Option + Esc | Esc as in "Escape" from trouble | The digital equivalent of "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" |
| Screenshot selection | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + 4 | 4 as in "For" a specific area | Much more precise than the full-screen ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + 3 - like using a scalpel instead of a chainsaw |
| Show hidden files | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + . | . as in "dot" files | Reveals the secret world of macOS - like finding the hidden passages in Hogwarts |
| Quick Look preview | Space bar | Space as in "Space to breathe" | The fastest way to preview files without opening them - perfect for when you're not sure if that PDF is actually the receipt you need |
| Mission Control | F3 or ⌘ CMD + ↑ | ↑ as in "Up" to overview | Named after NASA's mission control - because managing your desktop windows is basically rocket science |
Browser Ninja Moves
| Command | Key | Mnemonic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close tab | ⌘ CMD + W | W as in "Window" | The most satisfying shortcut when you accidentally open 47 tabs while "just quickly checking something" |
| Reopen closed tab | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + T | T as in "Tab" back | The digital equivalent of "Wait, I didn't mean to close that!" |
| Hard refresh | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + R | R as in "Really refresh" | Forces the browser to ignore cache - like telling your browser "No, really, I want the NEW version" |
| Focus address bar | ⌘ CMD + L | L as in "Location" | Faster than clicking - because every millisecond counts when you're in a hurry |
| Toggle bookmarks bar | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + B | B as in "Bookmarks" | The shortcut you use when you realize you've been manually typing URLs like a caveman |
Text Editing Secrets
| Command | Key | Mnemonic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move cursor by word | ⌥ Option + ←/→ | ←/→ as in direction | Much faster than holding down the arrow key like you're playing a video game |
| Select by word | ⌥ Option + ⇧ SHIFT + ←/→ | ←/→ as in direction | The precision tool for when you need to select exactly "that word" and not the whole sentence |
| Delete entire line | ⌘ CMD + Delete | Delete as in "Delete" | The nuclear option for text editing - use with caution! |
| Duplicate line | ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + D | D as in "Duplicate" | The lazy programmer's best friend - copy-paste without the paste step |
| Comment/uncomment | ⌘ CMD + / | / as in comment symbol | The shortcut that saves you from typing // or <!-- or # over and over |
System Hacks
| Command | Key | Mnemonic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock screen instantly | ⌘ CMD + ⌥ Option + Power | Power as in "Power off" | The "Oh no, someone's coming!" panic button |
| Spotlight search | ⌘ CMD + Space | Space as in "Space to search" | The Swiss Army knife of macOS - finds files, apps, calculations, and even tells you the weather |
| Switch input source | ⌘ CMD + Space (hold) | Space as in "Space to switch" | Essential for multilingual users - because sometimes you need to type in emoji, sometimes in German |
| Show desktop | F11 or ⌘ CMD + F3 | F3 as in "Focus" on desktop | The "Hide everything quickly" button for when your boss walks by |
| Notification Center | ⌘ CMD + ⌥ Option + N | N as in "Notifications" | Where all your app notifications go to die - or live, depending on how you look at it |
Pro Tips & Anecdotes
The "Oh No" Recovery: Ever accidentally close a browser tab you desperately needed? ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + T is your digital safety net. I once closed a tab with flight confirmation details 5 minutes before boarding - this shortcut saved my vacation!
The "Look Busy" Maneuver: ⌘ CMD + F11 (show desktop) is the ultimate "I'm working on something important" move when someone approaches your desk. Just make sure you remember what you were actually working on.
The "Multilingual Struggle": If you're like me and switch between German and English keyboards, ⌘ CMD + Space becomes muscle memory. Though sometimes I end up typing "Hallo" when I meant "Hello" - the digital equivalent of speaking the wrong language to someone.
The "Cache Conspiracy": ⌘ CMD + ⇧ SHIFT + R (hard refresh) is what you use when you're convinced the website is broken, but it's actually just your browser being stubborn about showing you the old version.
Remember: The best keyboard shortcuts are the ones that become so automatic you forget you're even using them. Practice these until they feel like extensions of your fingers!