Macbook Shortcut Change Keyboard



Open TextEdit or another text editing application to test it out, then hit your keyboard shortcut (or ours; Command+Shift+Option+Spacebar) to switch the keyboard and/or language being typed Close out of System Preferences once confirmed to be working Switching the Keyboard Languages with the Keystroke. And based on your preference, you can change the keyboard layout on your Mac to type faster in a specific language. So, whether you want to write comfortably in Dutch or Chinese, there is a suitable layout for you. Let me walk you through the quick steps! Quick links: How to Change Mac Keyboard Layout; Switch Between Keyboard Layouts on Mac.

Control accessibility options with your keyboard and Siri

You can use these keyboard shortcuts to control accessibility options, or ask Siri to perform these functions. For example, ask Siri to ”Turn VoiceOver On.”

ActionShortcut
Display Accessibility OptionsOption-Command-F5
or triple-press Touch ID (power button) on supported models1
Turn VoiceOver on or off2Command-F5 or Fn-Command-F5
or hold Command and triple-press Touch ID on supported models1
Open VoiceOver Utility, if VoiceOver is turned on2Control-Option-F8 or Fn-Control-Option-F8
Turn zoom on or off3Option-Command-8
Zoom in3Option–Command–Plus sign (+)
Zoom out3Option–Command–Minus sign (-)
Invert colors4Control-Option-Command-8
Reduce contrastControl-Option-Command-Comma (,)
Increase contrastControl-Option-Command-Period (.)

1. MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2016), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

2. To use VoiceOver and VoiceOver Utility, you might need to turn on 'Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys' in Keyboard preferences. You might also need to make VoiceOver ignore the next key press before you can use some of the other Mac keyboard shortcuts.

3. To use the zoom shortcuts, you might need to turn on 'Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom' in Accessibility preferences.

Keyboard Shortcuts Macbook Pro

4. To enable this shortcut, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Keyboard. In the Shortcuts tab, select Accessibility on the left, then select ”Invert colors” on the right.

Keyboard

Use your keyboard like a mouse

You can use your keyboard like a mouse to navigate and interact with items onscreen. Use the Tab key and arrow keys to navigate, then press Space bar to select an item.

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Keyboard.
  2. Click Shortcuts.
  3. From the bottom of the preferences window, select ”Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls.” In macOS Mojave or earlier, this setting appears as an ”All controls” button instead.
ActionShortcut
Switch between navigation of all controls on the screen, or only text boxes and listsControl-F7 or Fn-Control-F7
Move to the next controlTab
Move to the previous controlShift-Tab
Move to the next control when a text field is selectedControl-Tab
Move the focus to the previous grouping of controlsControl-Shift-Tab
Move to the adjacent item in a list, tab group, or menu
Move sliders and adjusters (Up Arrow to increase values, Down Arrow to decrease values)
Arrow keys
Move to a control adjacent to the text fieldControl–Arrow keys
Choose the selected menu itemSpace bar
Click the default button or perform the default actionReturn or Enter
Click the Cancel button or close a menu without choosing an itemEsc
Move the focus to the previous panelControl-Shift-F6
Move to the status menu in the menu barControl-F8 or Fn-Control-F8
Activate the next open window in the front appCommand–Grave accent (`)
Activate the previous open window in the front appShift–Command–Grave accent (`)
Move the focus to the window drawerOption–Command–Grave accent (`)

Navigate menus with your keyboard

To use these shortcuts, first press Control-F2 or Fn-Control-F2 to put the focus on the menu bar.

ActionShortcut
Move from menu to menuLeft Arrow, Right Arrow
Open a selected menuReturn
Move to menu items in the selected menuUp Arrow, Down Arrow
Jump to a menu item in the selected menuType the menu item's name
Choose the selected menu itemReturn

Use Mouse Keys to move the mouse pointer

When Mouse Keys is turned on, you can use the keyboard or numeric keypad keys to move the mouse pointer.

ActionShortcut
Move up8 or numeric keypad 8
Move downK or numeric keypad 2
Move leftU or numeric keypad 4
Move rightO or numeric keypad 6
Move diagonally down and to the leftJ or numeric keypad 1
Move diagonally down and to the rightL or numeric keypad 3
Move diagonally up and to the left7 or numeric keypad 7
Move diagonally up and to the right9 or numeric keypad 9
Press the mouse buttonI or numeric keypad 5
Hold the mouse buttonM or numeric keypad 0
Release the mouse button. (period)

Learn more

  • Change the behavior of the function keys or modifier keys

This is the ultimate guide for working with MacBook keyboards, including accessing special functions, characters, accents, and using keyboard shortcuts in Mac OS system. Click on the list below to jump to an appropriate section.

MacBook Keyboard Diagram / Map

MacBook keyboard has few distinctive sections: Function keys (in light blue), which provides access to various functions in MacBook itself or Mac OS system. By combining them with the FN key, you'll get access to F1 - F12 keys, which can be associated with particular application features (useful in Photoshop for example).

The second section is the modifier keys (in light yellow). Shift allows to type uppercase letters and other additional characters. Command and Alt/Option are used in keyboard shortcuts, as well as the Control key, which is used almost exclusively by Mac OS X and Apple programs.

Return and left Shift has two variants, one used in the US and Eastern Asia (horizontal Return and long Shift), and second, used in Europe, Middle East and Africa (vertical Return and short left Shift). On the diagram, this is shown by dashed lines. Of course, MacBook keyboards have lots of localizations, the most common - US English - is shown above. If you're unsure about the localization you have, go and check it with this guide.

MacBook Air 11' has slightly different keyboard, with smaller top and bottom row keys to accommodate smaller laptop size. Newest MacBooks Pro with TouchBar don't have upper F keys row, instead, they have a touchscreen which changes displayed options based on context.

Macbook shortcut change keyboard touchpad

MacBook Keyboard Symbols Chart

SymbolMeaningNotes
Screen brightness down
Screen brightness up
Launches Mission ControlIcon available on MacBooks Unibody
Launches Mission ControlIcon available on MacBooks pre-unibody
Launches DashboardIcon available on MacBooks Unibody
Launches DashboardIcon available on MacBooks pre-unibody
Keyboard backlight down
Keyboard backlight up
Rewind
Play / Pause
Fast Forward
Sound: mute
Sound: volume down
Sound: volume up
EjectAvailable on MacBooks with CD/DVD drive
PowerAvailable on MacBooks without CD/DVD drive
CommandOn MacBooks 1st generation this is replaced by Apple logo
Alt / OptionAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
TabAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
BackspaceAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
ShiftAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
Caps LockAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
ReturnAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts
EnterAvailable on European/ISO keyboard layouts, accessed with FN key
DeleteNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing
ClearNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing
HomeNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing. Can be substituted by CMD + up arrow shortcut.
EndNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing. Can be substituted by CMD + down arrow shortcut.
Page UpNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing
Page DownNot on MacBooks, but worth knowing
ArrowsUsed to move things or pointer

MacBook Keyboard Special Characters and Accents Map

If you want to type special characters or accents, change your keyboard language to US International PC (thanks, Steve!) and use the map below to get them. You can also check out our solution to the two languages on one keyboard problem.

Where is the Print Screen Button?

Unlike PC keyboard, there is no Print Screen key on MacBook keyboard. This functionality is accessed by keyboard shortcuts and - on Mac - you have greater flexibility:

  • Command + Shift + 3 - captures entire screen;
  • Command + Shift + 4 - captures selected region. Your cursor turns to crosshair and by clicking and dragging you can specify which area you want to capture;
  • Command + Shift + 4 + Space - captures selected window. First press the shortcut from above, then - when you have crosshair - hit Space. The cursor will turn to the camera and the active window will have a blue overlay. Click on it to get it captured.

In some apps, like Photoshop, you need to add Control into the mix, to paste the screenshot into the app.

Macbook

MacBook Keyboard Tricks

There's a lot you can do in Mac OS by using the keyboard only. Here's a list of highly useful and not-so-useful keyboard shortcuts:

ShortcutAction
Command + WQuickly closes the active window in Safari or any other browser. Works also with many applications, like Pages, Numbers, Photoshop. Great way to quickly close something when your boss is coming around :)
Command + HHides the active application. Useful for hiding something quickly ;)
Option + Shift + F11/F12Makes tiny changes in volume level instead of standard jumps.
Control + Option + Command + 8Reverses colors on the screen.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9When watching YouTube video, this will advance you to 10%, 20%, 30%... of movie completion.
Option + DeleteDeletes whole word in text editors
Control + Command + VPastes copied text without formatting. Useful when copying something from Pages and pasting into eg. Wordpress :)
Control + Command + Option + Eject/ShutdownShuts down the MacBook without the need to provide username and password.
Command + Shift + AOpens the Applications folder in Finder.
Command + Shift + UOpens the Utilities folder in Finder.
Command + Shift + DOpens the Desktop folder in Finder.
Command + Shift + IWhen in Safari, this shortcut copies the URL, opens Mail app and creates a new email with the copied URL pasted as a link in a message.
Command + Option + MMinimizes all open windows, showing Desktop.
Command + Option + Shift + EscHold for 3 seconds to force quit any app.
Command + TabCycle through opened apps from left to right.
Command + Shift + TabCycle through opened apps from right to left.
Command + `Cycles through active app windows.
Command + QQuit active app.
Command + TOpens a new tab in Finder. Opens a new tab in a web browser.
Command + NCreates new Finder window.
Command + Shift + NCreates new folder in Finder.
Command + SpaceLaunches Spotlight.
Command + Option + SpaceSwitches to next keyboard language (if you have more than one).
Command + Control + SpaceIn some websites and apps this will give you the emoji keyboard.
Command + DeleteSends selected files/folders to trash.
Fn + DeleteDeletes text from left to right.
F10 + ShutdownHold while launching MacBook to get a silent start.
Command + up arrow/down arrowJump to the beginning or end of a page. This is equivalent to PC's Home and End keys.
Command + up arrow + LHighlights the address bar in a web browser.

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