Starting off with one of the most useful parts of the MacBook would be its trackpad. There are quite a handful of helpful MacBook trackpad gestures that we can take advantage of, to save more time and increase our productivity. Here is a list of useful MacOS trackpad gestures,
MacBook trackpad gestures
• Right-click: Gently tap your trackpad with two fingers.
• Scroll: Swipe with two fingers to navigate upwards or downwards.
• Zoom in/out: Move two fingers in a pinching notion.
• Swipe between pages: Swipe left or right with two fingers to move between previous or the next page.
• Swipe between apps: Swipe with three fingers leftwards or rightwards to switch between your desktop and applications.
• Open Launchpad: Pinch three fingers to open the Launchpad.
• Show desktop: Spread three fingers to display your desktop.
• Show all the apps you’re using: Swipe four fingers downwards to see all your recently used applications.
• Show mission control: Swipe four fingers upwards to show mission control.
• Rotate an object: Move two fingers on the trackpad to rotate around an object such as a shape or photo to rotate it.
• Smart zoom: Gently tap twice on the trackpad to zoom into a selected section of a webpage or within a PDF file.
Moving on to shortcut keys that could greatly benefit you in your day to day tasks. We would normally need a mouse for these functions but now all you need is your keyboard to perform these actions. In order to use a keyboard shortcut, you can press and hold one or more keys for the shortcut with the help of the modifier keys. These modifier keys include: the command key, shift key, option key, control key, caps lock and function key.
MacOS keyboard shortcuts
• Esc: This key is for you to quickly exit a certain action that you are doing.
• Command-S: Save file or item.
• Command-C : Press and hold these two keys simultaneously to copy a selected object or text.
• Command-V: Paste the copied object or text.
• Command-X: Cut a specific object or file of your choice.
• Command-Z: Undo Key
• Command-A: Select and highlight all objects within a document or file.
• Command-F: Find and search items within a file or browser.
• Command-G: Hold these two keys to find the next incidence of the previous item. You can also press and hold Shift-Command-G to find the previous incidence of the item.
• Command-H: This will allow you to hide all the windows from the front app. You can also have a quick glance at the front app while hiding other apps by pressing and holding Option-Command-H simultaneously.
• Command-M: Quickly minimize the current application window that you have open. You can also press and hold Option-Command-M simultaneously to minimize all the open application windows on your screen.
• Command-W: This shortcut can help you to immediately close the current tab or application window on your screen. Press and hold Option-Command-W simultaneously to close all windows.
• Command-O: This shortcut will allow you to open the selected file or item of your choice.
• Command-P: Quickly print a selected document without having to access the print options menu.
• Command-T: Open new tab on browser.
• Option-Command-Esc: To forcefully quit an open application window.
• Command-Space bar: Display or hide the Spotlight search field bar on their Mac.
• Command-Tab: This will allow users to quickly switch to the next most recently used application.
• Control-Command-Space bar: To display and select emoji.
• Control-Command-F: This shortcut changes the windowed application on your screen into full screen mode, if supported by the application.
• Shift-Command-5: Holding these keys together will allow users to quickly take a screenshot or make a screen recording.
• Shift-Command-N: Press and hold these keys to quickly create a new folder in the Finder.
• Command-D: Quickly create a separate copy of the file you have chosen.
• Shift-Command-F: Enter full screen mode without header.
• Shift-Command-I: Quickly access the user’s iCloud Drive window.
• Shift-Command-K: This shortcut gives users quick access to the Network window.
• Option-Command-L: This shortcut will let users access their download folder.
• Shift-Command-N: This shortcut will allow users to quickly create a brand new folder.
• Shift-Command-O: This command will open the selected documents folder.
• Shift-Command-R: Access Airdrop windows, but only works on home screen. Else, functioning as clear catche on Google Chrome.
