55 shortcuts · both directions
The other side's muscle memory.
Search either platform's shortcut and get the other. 10 of them aren't simple swaps — they work on a different mental model, and those are flagged.
HouseNo scoring on this page — it's a lookup table, and a lookup table with a bias is just wrong. Both sides get their keys listed straight.
55 shortcuts
Writing and editing
- Copy⌘CCtrl+C
- Paste⌘VCtrl+V
- Cut⌘XCtrl+X
- Paste without formattingVaries by app on both sides — this is the common default.⌥⇧⌘VCtrl+Shift+V
- Undo⌘ZCtrl+Z
- Redo⇧⌘ZCtrl+Y
- Select all⌘ACtrl+A
- Find⌘FCtrl+F
- Save⌘SCtrl+S
- Print⌘PCtrl+P
- Bold⌘BCtrl+B
- Jump to start of lineThe single most common thing switchers get wrong. Mac has no Home key on laptops.⌘←Home
- Jump to end of line⌘→End
- Jump to top of document⌘↑Ctrl+Home
- Jump to end of document⌘↓Ctrl+End
- Move one word left⌥←Ctrl+←
- Delete the word behind the cursor⌥⌫Ctrl+Backspace
- Forward deleteMac laptops have no dedicated Delete key — the one marked Delete is Backspace.fn+⌫Delete
Apps and windows
- Switch between open apps⌘Tab cycles apps; Alt+Tab cycles windows. Two Word documents are one entry on Mac, two on Windows.⌘TabAlt+Tab
- Cycle windows within one app⌘`Alt+Tab
- Close the window⌘WCtrl+W
- Quit the app entirelyOn Mac, closing the last window doesn't quit the app — it keeps running in the Dock.⌘QAlt+F4
- New window⌘NCtrl+N
- Minimise⌘MWin+↓
- Snap window to half the screenWindows has had this for fifteen years. macOS only shipped built-in tiling in Sequoia (15).fn+⌃+←/→Win+←/→
- Show the desktop⌘F3Win+D
- Force quit / Task ManagerThe Ctrl+Alt+Delete muscle memory has no Mac equivalent.⌥⌘EscCtrl+Shift+Esc
- Lock the screen⌃⌘QWin+L
- App preferences / settings⌘,No standard
Files
- Rename a fileReturn renames on Mac and opens on Windows. This one catches everybody, in both directions.ReturnF2
- Open a fileSee above — the two keys are swapped.⌘↓Enter
- Move to trash / recycle bin⌘⌫Delete
- Delete permanently⌥⌘⌫Shift+Delete
- New folder⇧⌘NCtrl+Shift+N
- Get info / Properties⌘IAlt+Enter
- Show hidden files⇧⌘.No default
- Go up one folder⌘↑Alt+↑
- Quick previewSpaceAlt+P
Browser
- New tab⌘TCtrl+T
- Reopen the tab you just closed⇧⌘TCtrl+Shift+T
- Jump to the address bar⌘LCtrl+L
- Hard reload, ignoring cache⇧⌘RCtrl+Shift+R
- Developer tools⌥⌘IF12
- Next / previous tab⌃TabCtrl+Tab
- Zoom in⌘+Ctrl++
Screenshots
- Capture the whole screen⇧⌘3PrtScn
- Capture a selected area⇧⌘4Win+Shift+S
- Capture one window⇧⌘4 then SpaceAlt+PrtScn
- Screen recording⇧⌘5Win+Alt+R
System
- Search everything⌘SpaceWin
- Emoji picker⌃⌘SpaceWin+.
- Clipboard historymacOS still has no built-in clipboard history. You need a third-party app.Not built inWin+V
- Zoom / magnifier⌥⌘+Win++
- Switch keyboard language⌃SpaceWin+Space
- Open the terminalNo defaultNo default