20 essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac to boost productivity

If you spend most of your work time in front of the computer, you are always looking for ways to make things faster and easier. If you haven’t utilized the power of keyboard shortcuts, you’re missing out on a serious productivity booster. These shortcuts are designed to streamline common and repeated tasks, and each one can save you a few seconds at a time. That may not seem like much, but over a year that can equal several or even dozens of hours.

Here are 20 of the most common keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac. These shortcuts will give you a much-needed boost in efficiency so you can get your work done faster.

Keyboard shortcuts for Windows

1. Ctrl + Z: Undo your last action. This is great if you’re editing a document and accidentally delete a whole paragraph (or the whole document).
2. Ctrl + A: Select everything in sight, from text to files.
3. Ctrl + C: Copy the chosen content, ready to paste it elsewhere.
4. Ctrl + V: Paste copied content.
5. Ctrl + X: Cut the chosen content, removing it from its original location.
6. Alt + Tab: Switch between open apps in the taskbar.
7. Windows Key + Tab: Open Task View and show all your open apps.
8. PrtScn: Capture the entire screen.
9. Windows Key + L: Lock your computer.
10. Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Bring up Task Manager.

11. Ctrl + F: Search for a specific word or phrase within a document or webpage.
12. Ctrl + Home/End: Go to the beginning or end of a line/document.
13. Ctrl + Shift + Up/Down Arrow: Select and highlight text up or down.
14. Ctrl + B/I/U: Format your text to bold, italic, or underline.
15. F5: Refresh a webpage or file.
16. Ctrl + D: Bookmark the current webpage for future reference.
17. Alt + Space: Open the system menu in any app.
18. Windows Key + E: Open File Explorer.
19. Windows Key + R: Open the Run dialog box.
20. Win + Shift + S: Take a screenshot of a specific area, capturing just what you need.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac

1. Command + Z: Undo your action.
2. Command + A: Select all items.
3. Command + C: Copy selected content.
4. Command + V: Paste the copied items.
5. Command + X: Cut the selected items.
6. Option + Tab: Switch between open apps.
7. Command + Space: Bring up Spotlight for quick searching.
8. Command + Option + Esc: Force Quit unresponsive apps.
9. Command + L: Lock your Mac, keeping your data safe and sound.
10. Command + Option + Shift + Q: Log out of your Mac.

11. Command + F: Search text in a document or webpage. If you’re on the home screen, it will pull up a Finder window.
12. Command + Home/End: Go to the beginning or end of a line/document.
13. Shift + Command + Down/Up Arrow: Select text up or down.
14. Command + B/I/U: Format your text to bold, italic, or underline.
15. Command + R: Refresh a webpage or file.
16. Command + D: Add the current webpage to your Bookmarks for later savoring.
17. Control + Click: Open the context menu for the selected item, equivalent to right-clicking an item.
18. Control+Command + 3: Take a screenshot.
19. Control+Left/Right Arrow: Switch between desktop views/fullscreen apps.
20. Command + Shift + 4: Take a screenshot of a specific area.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you know some of the best keyboard shortcuts you can use, here are some frequently asked questions related to using them.

Do Mac keyboard shortcuts work on iPad?

Yes, basically all of the keyboard shortcuts for Mac apply to iPad.

Can keyboard shortcuts be assigned to macro keys?

Yes! If you have a keyboard that has macro keys, you can assign a shortcut command to it. This will save you even more time and further increase productivity. You can check out our recommendations for the best mechanical keyboards to get the most out of your keyboard during the workday.