Use Your Computer Without a Mouse

If you don’t like using a mouse or feel like it’s slowing you down, there are hundreds of keyboard shortcuts you can use instead. Here are some keyboard workarounds to use on the web, in Windows, and in Mac OS X.

Steps

Windows

  1. If your operating system has Mouse Keys, Go to Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access to activate it. This will allow you to use the arrow keys to control your cursor in lieu of the mouse.
  2. Use these Windows system key combinations.
    • F1 -- Help
    • Window Button -- Open Start menu
    • Alt+Tab ↹ -- Switch between open programs
    • Alt+F4 -- Quit program
    • ⇧ Shift+Delete -- Delete item permanently
    • ⊞ Win+L -- Lock the computer (without using Ctrl+Alt+Del)
  3. Use these key combinations while writing on Windows.
    • Ctrl+C -- Copy
    • Ctrl+X -- Cut
    • Ctrl+V -- Paste
    • Ctrl+Z -- Undo
    • Ctrl+B -- Bold
    • Ctrl+U -- Underline
    • Ctrl+I -- Italic
    • Ctrl+- -- Strikethrough
    • CTRL + = -- Subscript
    • Ctrl+↑↓←→ -- Skip Words
  4. Use these general keyboard-only commands.
    • F1 -- Starts Windows Help
    • F10 -- Activates menu bar options
    • ⇧ Shift+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object
    • Ctrl+Esc -- Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
    • Ctrl+Esc or Esc -- Selects the Start button (press Tab ↹ to select the taskbar, or press ⇧ Shift+F10 for a context menu)
    • Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc -- Opens Windows Task Manager
    • Alt+↓ -- Opens a drop-down list box
    • Alt+Tab ↹ -- Switch to another running program (hold down the Alt key and then press the Tab ↹ key to view the task-switching window)
    • ⇧ Shift -- Press and hold down the ⇧ Shift key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the automatic-run feature
    • Alt+SPACE -- Displays the main window's System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
    • Alt+- -- Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
    • Ctrl+Tab ↹ -- Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program
    • Alt+underlined letter in menu -- Opens the menu
    • Alt+F4 -- Closes the current window
    • Ctrl+F4 -- Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window
    • Alt+F6 -- Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, Alt+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)
  5. Use these shortcuts for shell objects and desktop shortcuts. For a selected object:
    • F2 -- Rename object
    • F3 -- Find all files
    • Ctrl+X -- Cut
    • Ctrl+C -- Copy
    • Ctrl+V -- Paste
    • ⇧ Shift+Del -- Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin
    • Alt+↵ Enter -- Open the properties for the selected object
  6. Use these general folder/shortcut controls.
    • F4 -- Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
    • F5 -- Refreshes the current window.
    • F6 -- Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
    • Ctrl+G -- Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)
    • Ctrl+Z -- Undo the last command
    • Ctrl+A -- Select all the items in the current window
    • ← Backspace -- Switch to the parent folder
    • ⇧ Shift+click+Close button -- For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders
  7. Use these key combinations to control properties.
    • Ctrl+Tab ↹ / Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Tab ↹ -- Move through the property tabs
  8. Use these shortcuts for accessibility.
    • Press ⇧ Shift five times -- Toggles StickyKeys on and off
    • Press down and hold the right ⇧ Shift key for eight seconds -- Toggles FilterKeys on and off
    • Press down and hold the Num ⇩ key for five seconds -- Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
    • Left Alt+left ⇧ Shift+Num ⇩ -- Toggles MouseKeys on and off
    • Left Alt+left ⇧ Shift+⎙ Print Screen -- Toggles high contrast on and off
  9. Use these dialog box keyboard commands.
    • Tab ↹ -- Move to the next control in the dialog box
    • ⇧ Shift+Tab ↹ -- Move to the previous control in the dialog box
    • SPACEBAR -- If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
    • ↵ Enter -- Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
    • Esc -- Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
    • Alt+underlined letter in dialog box item -- Move to the corresponding item
  10. Use these shortcuts if you have a Microsoft Natural Keyboard.
    • ⊞ Win -- Start menu
    • ⊞ Win+R -- Run dialog box
    • ⊞ Win+M -- Minimize all
    • ⇧ Shift+⊞ Win+M -- Undo minimize all
    • ⊞ Win+F1 -- Help
    • ⊞ Win+E -- Windows Explorer
    • ⊞ Win+F -- Find files or folders
    • ⊞ Win+D -- Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
    • Ctrl+⊞ Win+F -- Find computer
    • Ctrl+⊞ Win+Tab ↹ -- Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use → or ← to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
    • ⊞ Win+Tab ↹ -- Cycle through taskbar buttons
    • ⊞ Win+Pause -- System Properties dialog box
    • ≣ Menu -- Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
  11. Use these shortcuts if you have a Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType software installed.
    • ⊞ Win+L -- Log off Windows
    • ⊞ Win+P -- Starts Print Manager
    • ⊞ Win+C -- Opens Control Panel
    • ⊞ Win+V -- Starts Clipboard
    • ⊞ Win+K -- Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
    • ⊞ Win+I -- Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
    • ⊞ Win+A -- Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
    • ⊞ Win+SPACEBAR -- Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcut keys
    • ⊞ Win+S -- Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off

Mac OS X

  1. If you have Universal Access, use these keyboard shortcuts to manipulate your cursor in lieu of using your mouse. To set this up, go to your Universal Access preferences and activate Mouse Keys.
    • 8 -- Move Up
    • 2 -- Move Down
    • 4 -- Move Left
    • 6 -- Move Right
    • 1 -- Move Diagonally Bottom Left
    • 3 -- Move Diagonally Bottom Right
    • 7 -- Move Diagonally Top Left
    • 9 -- Move Diagonally Top Right
    • 5 -- Press Mouse Button
    • 0 -- Hold Mouse Button
    • . (period on number pad) -- Release Hold Mouse Button
  2. Use these keyboard shortcuts to initiate processes during Startup.
    • ⌥ Option -- Display all bootable volumes (Startup Manager)
    • ⇧ Shift -- Perform Safe Boot (start up in Safe Mode)
    • C -- Start from a bootable disc (DVD, CD)
    • T -- Start in FireWire target disk mode
    • N -- Start from NetBoot server
    • X -- Force Mac OS X startup (if non+Mac OS X startup volumes are present)
    • ⌘ Command+V -- Start in Verbose Mode
    • ⌘ Command+S -- Start in Single User Mode
  3. Use these “finder” keyboard shortcuts.
    • ⌘ Command+A -- Select all items in the front Finder window (or desktop if no window is open)
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+A -- Deselect all items
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+A -- Open the Applications folder
    • ⌘ Command+C -- Copy selected item/text to the Clipboard
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+C -- Open the Computer window
    • ⌘ Command+D -- Duplicate selected item
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+D -- Open desktop folder
    • ⌘ Command+E -- Eject
    • ⌘ Command+F -- Find any matching Spotlight attribute
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+F -- Find Spotlight file name matches
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+F -- Navigate to the search field in an already|open Spotlight window
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+G -- Go to Folder
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+H -- Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account
    • ⌘ Command+I -- Get Info
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+I -- Show Inspector
    • Ctrl+⌘ Command+I -- Get Summary Info
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+I -- Open iDisk
    • ⌘ Command+J -- Show View Options
    • ⌘ Command+K -- Connect to Server
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+K -- Open Network window
    • ⌘ Command+L -- Make alias of the selected item
    • ⌘ Command+M -- Minimize window
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+M -- Minimize all windows
    • ⌘ Command+N -- New Finder window
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+N -- New folder
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+N -- New Smart Folder
    • ⌘ Command+O -- Open selected item
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Q -- Log Out
    • ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Q -- Log Out immediately
    • ⌘ Command+R -- Show original (of alias)
    • ⌘ Command+T -- Add to Sidebar
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+T -- Add to Favorites
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+T -- Hide Toolbar / Show Toolbar in Finder windows
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+U -- Open Utilities folder
    • ⌘ Command+V -- Paste
    • ⌘ Command+W -- Close window
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+W -- Close all windows
    • ⌘ Command+X -- Cut
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+Y -- Slideshow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
    • ⌘ Command+Z -- Undo / Redo
    • ⌘ Command+1 -- View as Icon
    • ⌘ Command+2 -- View as List
    • ⌘ Command+3 -- View as Columns
    • ⌘ Command+4 -- View as Cover Flow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
    • ⌘ Command+, (Command and the comma key) -- Open Finder preferences
    • ⌘ Command+` (the Grave accent key++above Tab key on a US English keyboard layout) -- Cycle through open Finder windows
    • ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+? -- Open Mac Help
    • ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Esc (hold for three seconds) -- Mac OS X v10.5, v10.6 or later only -- Force Quit front+most application
    • ⌘ Command+[ -- Back
    • ⌘ Command+] -- Forward
    • ⌘ Command+↑ Up Arrow -- Open enclosed folder
    • Ctrl+⌘ Command+↑ Up Arrow -- Open enclosed folder in a new window
    • ⌘ Command+↓ Down Arrow -- Open highlighted item
    • ⌘ Command+Tab ↹ -- Switch application++cycle forward
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Tab ↹ -- Switch application++cycle backward
    • ⌘ Command+Delete -- Move to Trash
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Delete -- Empty Trash
    • ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Delete -- Empty Trash without confirmation dialog
    • Spacebar (or ⌘ Command+Y) -- Quick Look (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
    • ⌘ Command key while dragging -- Move dragged item to other volume/location (pointer icon changes while key is held++see this article)
    • ⌥ Option key while dragging -- Copy dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held++see this article)
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command key combination while dragging -- Make alias of dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held++see this article)
  4. Use these keyboard shortcuts for Application and other commands.
    • ⌘ Command+Space -- Show or hide the Spotlight search field (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through enabled script systems)
    • Ctrl+A -- Move to beginning of line/paragraph
    • Ctrl+B -- Move one character backward
    • Ctrl+D -- Delete the character in front of the cursor
    • Ctrl+E -- Move to end of line/paragraph
    • Ctrl+F -- Move one character forward
    • Ctrl+H -- Delete the character behind the cursor
    • Ctrl+K -- Delete from the character in front of the cursor to the end of the line/paragraph
    • Ctrl+L -- Center the cursor/selection in the visible area
    • Ctrl+N -- Move down one line
    • Ctrl+O -- Insert a new line after the cursor
    • Ctrl+P -- Move up one line
    • Ctrl+T -- Transpose the character behind the cursor and the character in front of the cursor
    • Ctrl+V -- Move down one page
    • ⌥ Option+Delete -- Delete the word that is left of the cursor, as well as any spaces or punctuation after the word
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+Space -- Show the Spotlight search results window (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through keyboard layouts and input methods within a script)
    • ⌘ Command+Tab ↹ -- Move forward to the next most recently used application in a list of open applications
    • ⇧ Shift+⌘ Command+Tab ↹ -- Move backward through a list of open applications (sorted by recent use)
    • ⇧ Shift+Tab ↹ -- Navigate through controls in a reverse direction
    • Ctrl+Tab ↹ -- Move focus to the next grouping of controls in a dialog or the next table (when Tab moves to the next cell)
    • ⇧ Shift+Ctrl+Tab ↹ -- Move focus to the previous grouping of controls
    • ⌘ Command+Esc -- Open Front Row (if installed)
    • ⌥ Option+Eject -- Eject from secondary optical media drive (if one is installed)
    • Ctrl+Eject -- Show shutdown dialog
    • ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+Eject -- Put the computer to sleep
    • Ctrl+⌘ Command+Eject -- Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then restart the computer
    • Fn+Delete -- Forward Delete (on portable Macs' built-in keyboard)
    • Ctrl+F1 -- Toggle full keyboard access on or off
    • Ctrl+F2 -- Move focus to the menu bar
    • Ctrl+F3 -- Move focus to the Dock
    • Ctrl+F4 -- Move focus to the active (or next) window
    • ⇧ Shift+Ctrl+F4 -- Move focus to the previously active window
    • Ctrl+F5 -- Move focus to the toolbar.
    • Ctrl+F6 -- Move focus to the first (or next) panel
    • ⇧ Shift+Ctrl+F6 -- Move focus to the previous panel
    • Ctrl+F7 -- Temporarily override the current keyboard access mode in windows and dialogs
    • F9 -- Tile or untile all open windows
    • F10 -- Tile or untile all open windows in the currently active application
    • F11 -- Hide or show all open windows
    • F12 -- Hide or display Dashboard
    • Command+` -- Activate the next open window in the frontmost application
    • Shift+Command+` -- Activate the previous open window in the frontmost application
    • Option+Command+` -- Move focus to the window drawer
    • Command+ -- (minus) -- Decrease the size of the selected item
    • Command+{ -- Left+align a selection
    • Command+} -- Right+align a selection
    • Command+| -- Center+align a selection
    • Command+: -- Display the Spelling window
    • Command+; -- Find misspelled words in the document
    • Command+, -- Open the front application's preferences window (if it supports this keyboard shortcut)
    • Option+Control+Command+, -- Decrease screen contrast
    • Option+Control+Command+. -- Increase screen contrast
    • Command+? -- Open the application's help in Help Viewer
    • Option+Command+/ -- Turn font smoothing on or off
    • Shift+Command+= -- Increase the size of the selected item
    • Shift+Command+3 -- Capture the screen to a file
    • Shift+Control+Command+3 -- Capture the screen to the Clipboard
    • Shift+Command+4 -- Capture a selection to a file
    • Shift+Control+Command+4 -- Capture a selection to the Clipboard
    • Command+A -- Highlight every item in a document or window, or all characters in a text field
    • Command+B -- Boldface the selected text or toggle boldfaced text on and off
    • Command+C -- Copy the selected data to the Clipboard
    • Shift+Command+C -- Display the Colors window
    • Option+Command+C -- Copy the style of the selected text
    • Control+Command+C -- Copy the formatting settings of the selected item and store on the Clipboard
    • Option+Command+D -- Show or hide the Dock
    • Command+Control+D -- Display the definition of the selected word in the Dictionary application
    • Command+D -- Selects the Desktop folder in Open and Save dialogs
    • Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in Mac OS X v10.6.8 and earlier --
    • Command+Delete -- Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in OS X Lion
    • Command+E -- Use the selection for a find
    • Command+F -- Open a Find window
    • Option+Command+F -- Move to the search field control
    • Command+G -- Find the next occurrence of the selection
    • Shift+Command+G -- Find the previous occurrence of the selection
    • Command+H -- Hide the windows of the currently running application
    • Option+Command+H -- Hide the windows of all other running applications
    • Command+I -- Italicize the selected text or toggle italic text on or off
    • Option+Command+I -- Display an inspector window
    • Command+J -- Scroll to a selection
    • Command+M -- Minimize the active window to the Dock
    • Option+Command+M -- Minimize all windows of the active application to the Dock
    • Command+N -- Create a new document in the frontmost application
    • Command+O -- Display a dialog for choosing a document to open in the frontmost application
    • Command+P -- Display the Print dialog
    • Shift+Command+P -- Display a dialog for specifying printing parameters (Page Setup)
    • Command+Q -- Quit the frontmost application
    • Command+S -- Save the active document
    • Shift+Command+S -- Display the Save As dialog
    • Command+T -- Display the Fonts window
    • Option+Command+T -- Show or hide a toolbar
    • Command+U -- Underline the selected text or turn underlining on or off
    • Command+V -- Paste the Clipboard contents at the insertion point
    • Option+Command+V -- Apply the style of one object to the selected object (Paste Style)
    • Option+Shift+Command+V -- Apply the style of the surrounding text to the inserted object (Paste and Match Style)
    • Control+Command+V -- Apply formatting settings to the selected object (Paste Ruler Command)
    • Command+W -- Close the front window
    • Shift+Command+W -- Close a file and its associated windows
    • Option+Command+W -- Close all windows in the application without quitting it
    • Command+X -- Remove the selection and store in the Clipboard
    • Command+Z -- Undo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Undo)
    • Shift+Command+Z -- Redo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Redo)
    • Control+Right Arrow -- Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
    • Control+Left Arrow -- Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
    • Control+Down Arrow -- Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
    • Control+Up Arrow -- Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
    • Command+Right Arrow -- Move the text insertion point to the end of the current line
    • Command+Left Arrow -- Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the current line
    • Command+Down Arrow -- Move the text insertion point to the end of the document
    • Command+Up Arrow -- Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the document
    • Shift+Command+Right Arrow -- Select text between the insertion point and the end of the current line (*)
    • Shift+Command+Left Arrow -- Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line (*)
    • Shift+Right Arrow -- Extend text selection one character to the right (*)
    • Shift+Left Arrow -- Extend text selection one character to the left (*)
    • Shift+Command+Up Arrow -- Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document (*)
    • Shift+Command+Down Arrow -- Select text between the insertion point and the end of the document (*)
    • Shift+Up Arrow -- Extend text selection to the line above, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
    • Shift+Down Arrow -- Extend text selection to the line below, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
    • Shift+Option+Right Arrow -- Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again (*)
    • Shift+Option+Left Arrow -- Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again (*)
    • Shift+Option+Down Arrow -- Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
    • Shift+Option+Up Arrow -- Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
    • Control+Space -- Toggle between the current and previous input sources
    • Option+Control+Space -- Toggle through all enabled input sources
    • Option+Command+esc -- Force Quit

Web Browsers

  1. Use browser shortcuts.
    • Control+I -- Open Favorites
    • Control+H -- Open History
    • Control+N -- Open a new window
    • Control+O -- Open another document or webpage
    • Press Alt + letter underlined on toolbar -- Open toolbar option (ex. Alt+T opens Tools, Alt+H opens Help)
    • Control+E -- Go to search box
    • Alt+F – Find on page
    • Control+T -- Open new tab
    • Control+1,2,3,… -- Switch to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. tab
    • Alt+D -- Select the text in the address bar
    • Control+Enter -- Add www. and .com to the text in the address bar (Internet Explorer)
    • F4 – Open list of websites you've typed (Internet Explorer)
    • Tab -- Move forward through items on a webpage
    • Shift+Tab -- Move backward through items on a webpage
    • Alt+Home -- Go to your homepage on Internet Explorer
    • Shift+F10 -- Open a shortcut menu for an Internet link
    • Control+Tab -- Move forward between tabs
    • Control+Shift+Tab -- Move backward between tabs

Tips

  • The Mac shortcuts are for OS X, but many will work on other Mac operating systems.
  • These browser shortcuts do not work for all browsers. See your browser's help information for more information.
  • The Windows shortcuts are for 7 and Vista, but most will work on other Windows operating systems.
  • If you have a Mac, note that the command key is directly to the right or left of the spacebar and looks like a shamrock.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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