SYMBOLS CHART

This is a little chart to help you understand what the symbols on the keyboard and references in the keyboard shortcuts
mean. You also will find these symbols in the menus.

Symbol Definition Symbol Definition

⎋ Escape ⇲ End

⇥ Tab ⇞ Page up

⇪ Caps lock ⇟ page down

⇧ Shift ↑ Up arrow

⌃ Control ↓ Down arrow

⌥ Option (alt, alternative) ← Left arrow

 or ⌘ Command (Apple) ⇠ Left arrow (alternate)

⌘ Command → Right arrow

␣ Space ⌧ Clear

⏎ Return ⇭ Number lock

⌫ Delete back ⌤ Enter

⌦ Delete forward ⏏ Eject

⇱ Home ⌽ Power

The most common keystroke you will need is the ⌘ (command)1 . Certain symbols can be typed in some fonts in text
applications. For instance the character  is the combination: ⌥ ⇧ K in many of the fonts which come with the OS.
This looks awkward so the convention on websites and most manuals is to type this as: Option + Shift + K, (or ⌥ ⇧ K).
You will however see it in the menus so keep this chart handy until you get used to the terms.

Instructions for viewing Keyboard viewer follow below.

1 The most common symbols used in the menus are highlighted in bold italic on the chart.
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 Keyboard Shortcuts
Common key combinations to get around quickly on your Mac. You will see these symbols in the menus of the Finder and
applications. The F Keys are the ones at the top of the Keyboard.

Symbols Shortcut Description

⌘⎋ Command + escape Hide or show Front Row

⌃ ⌘D Control + command + D Look up in dictionary

⇧ ⌘/ Shift + command + / (forward slash) Show help menu

⇧ ⌘3 Shift + command + 3 Save picture of screen as a file

⌃ ⇧ ⌘3 Control + shift + command + 3 Copy picture of screen to clipboard

⇧ ⌘4 Shift + command + 4 Save picture of selected area as a file

⌃ ⇧ ⌘4 Control +shift + command + 4 Copy picture of selected area to the clipboard

⌥⌘8 option + command + 8 Turn zoom on or off

⌥⌘\ Option + command +\ (backward slash) Turn image smoothing on or off

⌥⌘- Option + command + - (minus sign) Zoom in

⌥⌘= Option + command + = (equal sign) Zoom out

⌃⌥⌘. Control + option + command + . (period) increase contrast

⌃⌥⌘, Control + option + command + , (comma) Decrease contrast

⌃⌥⌘8 Control + option + command + 8 Reverse black and white

⌘ F5 Command + F5 Turn voice over on or off

⌃ F1 Control + F1 Turn full keyboard access on or off

⌃ F2 Control + F2 Move focus of menu bar

⌃ F3 Control + F3 Move focus to the Dock

⌃ F4 Control + F4 Move focus to the active window or next window

⌃ F5 Control + F5 Move focus to the floating window

⌃ F6 Control + F6 Move focus to the floating window

⌘~ Command + ~ (tilde, below escape key) Move to the next window in active application

⌃ F7 Control + F7 Move between controls or text boxes and lists

⌥⌘~ Option + command + ~ (tilde) Move focus to the window drawer

⌃ F8 Control + F8 Move focus to status menus in the menu bar

⌥⌘T Option + command + T Show or hide character palette (fonts)

⌥⌘D Option + command + D Automatically hide and show the Dock

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 Symbols Shortcut Description

F9 All windows

F10 Application windows

F11 Desktop

F12 Dashboard

F8 Spaces (In Leopard)

⌘␣ Command + Space Show Spotlight search field

⌥ ⌘␣ Option + command + space Show spotlight window

F14 Decrease display brightness

F15 Increase display brightness

⌃ Click Control click (same as right click) Brings up contextual menu

⌘⇥ Command + Tab Next application. Keep tabbing to cycle through.

⌘~ Command + ~ (tilde, below escape key) Cycles back through apps.

Control + Click and Command + Tab are key combinations you will use every day eventually. These will do most of the
commands for you. When reading on the web or in manuals you will see them referred to as Control Click and Command
Tab (without the plus signs).

Control Click is the same as the Right Click with the mouse. It brings up a Shortcuts menu which is in context to
whichever application you are currently in. Command Tab cycles you through the various applications you have open, such
as Apple Mail and Safari. Command ` (the little tick mark right under the top left Escape key) will cycle you through open
windows in the Finder or Application you are working in. Very useful.

This is an image of a MacBook keyboard which uses a few extra keys to keep it compact. The one you need to know is the
Fn key on the lower left.

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 Keyboard Viewer
To look at the Keyboard Viewer go to → Apple menu → System Preferences → Keyboard and Mouse → International.

Check the box for Keyboard menu. Make sure Show input in menu bar is checked. Then go up to the Menu bar and click
on the little American flag. A menu will drop down. Click on Show Keyboard Viewer.

© Copyright 2008 MacsFit.com :: Mac Newbie Guide Just because I’m a newbie doesn’t mean I’m a complete Idiot!