macOS Monterey is the eighteenth major release of macOS released on October 25, 2021, for Apple’s desktop computers. It gets its name from Monterey Bay. If you have a MacBook or iMac, you need to know the keyboard shortcuts of macOS Monterey to do different tasks quickly. Like other preview macOS versions, macOS Monterey also offers a set of keyboard shortcuts. I am making a list of the best macOS Monterey keyboard shortcuts that you need to remember.
In Windows, most keyboard shortcuts use CTRL and ALT keys, but macOS keyboard shortcuts use CMD and Option keys. In Windows, you need to use CTRL+C for copy but macOS uses CMD+C for copy. In most keyboard shortcuts, macOS uses CMD in place of CTRL. Most keyboard shortcuts are similar to Windows, but use CMD in place of Command and ALT in place of Option.
Also see: How to Capture Screenshot on Mac
Monterey Keyboard Shortcuts Finder Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Command + 1 View as Icon Command + 2 View as List Command + 3 View as Columns Command + 4 View as Cover Flow Command + [ Go to the previous folder Command + ] Go to the next folder Command + ↑ Navigate up one level Command + ↓ Navigate down one level Command + Control + N Open folder that contains the current folder in the new window Option + Double click Open the selected folder in a new window + close current window Command + Double click Open the selected folder in the new tab Command + Click window title See folder’s path Command + Tab Cycle through opened applications (forward) Command + Shift + Tab Cycle through opened applications (backward) Space Launch Quick Look Command + Y Launch Quick Look Command + A Selects all items in Finder Command + Option + A Deselects any selected items Command + Shift + A Go to the Application folder Command + Shift + U Go to Utilities folder Command + N New Finder window Command + K Connect to Server Command + Shift + K Open Network Window Command + I Get info of the item Command + J Show view options Command + Option + Esc Force quit an application
Finder (List view)
Shortcut Actions → Open selected folder ← Close selected folder
Files and Folders Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Command + Delete Move to trash Command + Shift + Delete Empty Trash Command + Shift + Option + Delete Empty Trash (Silence mode) Command + drag file/folder Move item to another location Option + drag file/folder Copy item to another location Command + Option + drag file/folder Make an alias of dragged items Command + L Make an alias of selected items Command + D Duplicate selected item Command + C Copy selected item Command + X Cut selected item Command + V Paste copied item Command + Z Undo action Command + Shift + N New folder Command + Option + N New Smart folder Command + O Open selected item
Shortcuts for screen displays Shortcut Actions F1 Decrease brightness F2 Increase brightness
Desktop Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Control + ↑ Launch/Quit Mission Control F3 Launch/Quit Mission Control Control + ↓ Application windows (See all) Command + F3 Show Desktop Option + Command + D Toggle Dock On/Off
Mission Control (Inside Mission Control)
Shortcut Actions Control + ← Move to space on left Control + → Move to space on the right Control + # Switch to a specific (#n) desktop. Example: To switch to desktop 3, use Control + 3
Dashboard Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Fn + F12 Launch Dashboard Command + R Reload current widget Command + = Show/hide widget bar Command + ← Scroll widget bar left Command + → Scroll widget bar right
Screenshots
Shortcut Actions Shift + Command + 3 Screenshot the entire screen. Saves as the picture. Shift + Command + Control + 3 Screenshot entire screen. Copies to clipboard. Shift + Command + 4 Screenshot a designated area. Saves as a picture. Shift + Command + Control + 4 Screenshot a designated area. Copies to clipboard. Shift + Command + 4, then Space Screenshot a designated window.
Spotlights Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Command + Space Spotlight on/off Option + Command + Space Show Spotlight window
Accessibility Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Command + F5 VoiceOver on/off Option + Command + F5 Display Accessibility controls Command + Option + 8 Zoom On/Off Command + Option + + Zoom in Command + Option + + Zoom out
Common for various applications
Note: This may not work for some applications
Shortcut Actions Shift + Command + / Show Help Menu Command + , Open App’s Preference Command + ` Cycle through opened Apps (of the same type) windows Command + Shift + ? Open App’s Help Search Command + H Hide current window Command + Option + H Hide all running windows Command + M Minimize current window Command + Option + M Minimize all windows Command + W Close selected window Command + Option + W Close all windows Command + Shift + W Close file with its associated windows
Shortcuts for Sleep Mode and Shutdown Shortcut Actions ⎋ (once) Put Mac to sleep ⎋ (again) Wake Mac up ⎋ (hold) Force Mac shut down Command + Control + ⎋ Force Mac to restart Control + ⎋ Show restart/ sleep/ shutdown dialog Command + Option + Control + ⎋ Quit all opened applications Shift + Control + ⎋ Put dispplays to sleep Command + Shift + Q Log Out Command + Shift + Option + Q Log Out (immediately)
Mac Booting Shortcuts Shortcut Actions Option (hold) Display bootable volumes Shift (hold) Start in Safe Mode Left Shift (hold) Bypass automatic login C (hold) Boot from other media T (hold) Start in FireWire target disk mode N (hold) Start from NetBoot server X (hold) Force macOS startup Command + R (hold) Start in Recovery Mode