Doing stuff with your mouse iscool.
Doing stuff with your keyboard is cooler.
These are the most important keyboard shortcuts, ranked from best to worst.
(Unless noted, weve listed the Windows shortcuts; Mac users substitute cmd for ctrl.)
With one exception, despite any flaws, all the shortcuts below are fundamentally good.
The shake to undo feature on phones is a gimmicky substitute that only triggers when you didnt need it.
2. ctrl+Y
Undo your undo.
And it uses the letter before Z.
3. ctrl+X, ctrl+C, ctrl+V
Cut, copy, paste.
5. cmd+space
Open Spotlight (or the launcher you installed to replace it) on MacOS.
Its like the Terminal command line for normies.
Wish Id discovered it earlier in life.
I could be a whole other person by now.
We all have our favorites.
The key combo is a bit spaced out, but even my little hands can reach it comfortably.
What a smart idea, to incorporate an underused key that usually sits right above the tab key.
8. ctrl+F, ctrl+G
Its cool to start a search with your keyboard.
Its even cooler to switch between results with your keyboard.
9. ctrl+T
New tab.
Dont have to take your hand off the keyboard before typing in a new URL.
Good job all around.
10. ctrl+tab
Switch tabs.
Dont waste your time contorting your fingers into ctrl+shift+tab to go back one tab.
Not everything has to be optimized, younerd.
11. shift+cmd+I
This is mycustom Mac shortcutfor resizing an image in Preview.
Its so insanely good that it ended up on this list of default shortcuts.
12. ctrl+N, ctrl+O, ctrl+shift+N
New file and open file are essential but boring.
Windows key+D
Minimize everything.
Good life advice, good desktop-clearing trick.
14. cmd+H
On a Mac, this hides the current window.
Its cleaner than minimizing.
To get the window back, just cmd+tab back to it.
Windows users, you have to ctrl+alt+click.
15. alt+arrow keys
Back and forward in your browsing history.
But these are also the best two extra buttons on a mouse, so theyre not that special.
16. cmd+S
Years ago, the save file shortcut would be on top of the list.
Now everything auto-saves so you dont have to obsessively tap this combo.
You know whats cool though?
Ctrl+alt+shift+S to save a Photoshop project as an image.
17. ctrl+shift+T
Re-open a closed tab.
Amazing function, terrible key combo.
Rescuing a closed tab from oblivion makes you feel like Indiana Jonessnatching his hat back.
I get that its an add-on to the ctrl+T shortcut for opening a new tab.
But tbh this action should have a dedicated F key.
18. alt+tab
The thinking mans alternative to switching apps through your Dock or Taskbar.
Maybe the Dock-breathers are right.
19. alt+F4
This key combo is too arcane for closing an utility.
Mac users use cmd+Q, and you know what, its fine.
We dont accidentally close our appsthatoften.
20. ctrl+alt+del
First it meant restart, then it meant login.
Now its disabled by default, and the top Google result forCtrl+Alt+Delisthe worst webcomic.
