If you use your Mac for more than browsing the occasional website or checking email, chances are you're working with multiple windows at a time — you might have seven Safari windows open with multiple tabs, a couple instances of your text editor of choice, a Messages window, Photoshop running in the background … I could go on. The point is all those windows start to get in the way, keeping you from completing the work you set out to do when you sat down at your Mac. With a few keyboard shortcuts, some trackpad and mouse gestures, and apps for managing your windows, you can take control of your workspace on macOS.

Keyboard shortcuts

There are several shortcuts that can help you navigate macOS without ever having to lift your fingers from the keyboard.

• Command (⌘) + H: This hides the windows of the frontmost app.
  • Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + H: This hides the windows of all apps except for the frontmost app.
• Command (⌘) + M: This minimizes the frontmost window.
  • Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + M: This minimizes all the windows of the frontmost app.
• Command (⌘) + N: This opens a new window (or document, depending on the app).
• Command (⌘) + W: This closes the frontmost window.
  • Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + W: This closes all the windows of the frontmost app.
• Command (⌘) + Tab: This switches to the next open and most recently app.
• Shift (⇧) + Command (⌘) + Tilde: This switches to the next most recently used window of the frontmost app.
• Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + D: This toggles on and off Dock Hiding. If you need a little more room on screen, consider hiding your Dock.
• Control (⌃) + Down Arrow: This shows all the windows of the frontmost application.
• Control (⌃) + F4: This moves the keyboard focus to the active window. Pressing it again moves keyboard focus to the next window.
• Control (⌃) + F5: This moves the keyboard focus to the floating window.
• Command (⌘) + `: This moves keyboard focus to the next window.

Trackpad and mouse gestures

You can use your Mac's trackpad or a Magic Mouse to activate certain shortcuts for windows management.

Trackpad gestures

Oct 25, 2012  You should go to System Preferences Keyboard Keyboard shortcuts. On the left there is 'Keyboard & Text Input'. When you click that, you'll see 'move focus to next window' line on the right. Click on the symbols and then change it as you wish:). 19 rows  Close the front window. Press Command-Option-W to close all windows of the app. Jun 27, 2019  Along with switching between your open applications on Mac, you might want to switch between windows of the same app. For instance, you may have more than one Word document, Firefox window, or Numbers spreadsheet open at the same time. Hold Command + ` (tilde key, to the left of 1 on your keyboard) to switch between windows of the same app. Mar 29, 2018  Use the keyboard shortcut Control (⌃) + Up Arrow. Click and drag a window to the top of the screen. Working with Spaces. Mission Control allows you to create Spaces. Spaces are essentially different iterations of your desktop that can all display different apps, windows, and Split Views. Jan 29, 2016  For example: cut, copy and paste still have shortcuts that use X, C and Y, but you'll need to switch out the Command button for the Control button on a PC. MORE: How to Snap 4 Windows.

May 19, 2020  In many of these apps, shortcuts are also shown in a tooltip if you hold the mouse pointer over a button. In others, pressing the Alt or F10 keys shows available keyboard shortcuts. If a letter is underlined in a menu, press the Alt key and the underlined key. Dec 05, 2019  To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. For example, to use Command-C (copy), press and hold the Command key, then the C key, then release both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys: Command (or Cmd) ⌘.

• Quickly show your desktop by spreading your thumb and three fingers apart on the trackpad.
• Swipe up with three or four fingers to open Mission Control.
• Swipe down with three or four fingers to open App Exposé.
• Swipe left or right with three or four fingers to switch between desktop and app Spaces.

Mouse gestures

• Double tap with two fingers to launch Mission Control.
• Swipe left or right with two fingers to switch between desktop and app Spaces.

Using Mission Control

Mission Control is one of the best ways to manage your windows on macOS. It's built in at the system level and available with the tap of a key, the swipe of your trackpad, or the tap of your mouse. It gives you an overview of all your open windows, full-screen apps, and Spaces — making it quick and convenient to switch between them.

How do you activate Mission Control? Let me count the ways:

• Swipe up with three or four fingers on your trackpad.
• Double-tap on the top of your Magic Mouse with two fingers.
• If you kept it in your Dock, you can click the Mission Control icon.
• Tap the Mission Control key on your keyboard (looks like three rectangles of varying sizes).
• Use the keyboard shortcut Control (⌃) + Up Arrow.
• Click and drag a window to the top of the screen.

Working with Spaces

Mission Control allows you to create Spaces. Spaces are essentially different iterations of your desktop that can all display different apps, windows, and Split Views. If you find your current desktop is getting a little crowded but you don't want to close the apps and windows you've got open, you can create a brand new Space to work with. Some people will even create Spaces for different tasks — you might have your Space for writing, your Space for browsing the web, and your Space for editing photos.

How to add a Space

1. Launch Mission Control.

2. Click the Add Space icon (looks like a plus sign) to add a Space.

How to move a window to a Space

1. Launch Mission Control.

2. Drag a window of your choice to a desktop Space in the Spaces bar.

How to switch between Spaces

• Swipe left or right with three or four fingers on your trackpad.
• Swipe left or right with two fingers on your Magic Mouse.
• Use the keyboard shortcut Control (⌃) + Left Arrow to move to a space to the left.
• Use the keyboard shortcut Control (⌃) + Right Arrow to move to a space to the right.
• Launch Mission Control and click on a Space in the Spaces Bar.

How to organize Spaces*

1. Launch Mission Control.

2. Click and drag a Space left or right in the Spaces bar.

How to remove Spaces

1. Launch Mission Control.

2. Hold down the Option (⌥) key and click the Close icon (looks like an X) next to the Space you want to close.

Windows within the Space you're closing won't be closed; they'll be moved to another open Space.

Working with Split View

Windows To Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

Sometimes you want a more focused workspace. Split View in macOS lets you fill your screen with two apps, placed side by side. Here are some things you'll need to know if you're going to be working in Split View:

• You tell macOS which window you want to work in by clicking anywhere in that window.
• Need to see the menu bar? Just move your cursor to the top of the screen.
• Want the windows swapped? Just click and drag one of the windows to the other side of the screen.
• Want one window smaller than the other? Click and drag the vertical line between the two windows to adjust their width.

How to enter Split View

1. Hold down the full-screen button (looks like a green circle with two arrows pointing away from each other) in the upper left corner of an app window.
2. Drag the window to the left or right side of the screen.
3. Release the button, snapping the window into Split View.
4. Click on another window to bring it into Split View.

You can also bring an app into Split View using Mission Control. Simply launch Mission Control and drag a window onto the full-screen app Space.

Note: Some apps don't support Split View on macOS. You'll find a zoom button (looks like a green plus sign) in place of the full-screen button.

Exiting Split View

1. While in Split View, click the full-screen button on one of the windows.

Apps for window management

Sometimes the built-in offerings just aren't powerful enough for your needs. In that case, there are some third-party apps that can help you keep your windows exactly where you want them. Here are four of the most-popular, well-rated offerings from the Mac App Store!

Magnet

Magnet is a lightweight windows management tool that helps you snap your windows into predefined spaces. By dragging a window to the edge of your screen, Magnet will resize the window to half of your screen; drag a window to the corner of your screen and Magnet will resize the window into a quarter of your screen. Along with drag functionality, Magnet supports keyboard shortcuts.

Here are the features Magnet supports:

• Drag and snap functionality: halves, thirds, quarters, two-thirds, and full-screen
• Keyboard shortcut triggers
• Menu bar app

• Supports up to six external displays

• Magnet - $0.99 - Download now

Moom

Moom is a powerful tool for moving, snapping, and zooming your windows. You can use keyboard shortcuts and hotspots to snap your windows into predefined spaces. Moom also lets you create and save window layouts so you needn't recreate your perfect desktop setup every time you head back to your Mac.

Here are the features Moom supports:

• Presets: The Moom button features five preset window locations. Hover over the green window button and quickly move and resize your window to one of the presets.
• Grids: You can use a grid to draw your desired size and location for a window.
• Custom controls: You can create and define custom controls that will resize, move, and snap windows across multiple displays and reorganize your window setup.
• Window layouts: You can create and save window layouts to easily recreate your ideal window setup.

• Keyboard controls: Skip the clicking and dragging; use the keyboard controls to trigger your Moom tools.

• Moom - $9.99 - Download now

Divvy

Divvy is a windows management tool that approaches things a little differently. Instead of focusing on edge-snapping and predefined sizes, Divvy uses a grid system that lets you quickly 'divvy up' your screen real estate for the apps and windows you've got open.

You click on a window and then click and drag in the Divvy interface (a grid that represents your screen) to tell the app where to place your window. It's a quick, time-saving tool that focuses on quickly and easily organizing your windows across the available area of your screen.

Here are the features Divvy supports:

• The quick Divvy grid system for organizing apps and windows
  • The grid's size is customizable — you can get super granular controls by going all the way up to a 20 x 20 grid size.
• Supports multiple monitors

• Supports keyboard shortcuts

• Divvy - $13.99 - Download now

BetterSnapTool

BetterSnapTool is all about that edge-snapping. Drag your windows to one of the four corners or the top, left, and right sides of the screen to quickly resize and position your windows accordingly. BetterSnapTool lets you take edge-snapping a little further — it features custom snap areas that you can create anywhere on your display in order to create your own sizing presets.

Here are the features BetterSnapTool supports:

• Custom triggers for right clicking on the macOS window buttons
• Modifier key support for custom actions
• Trigger window resizing when you double click the titlebar
• Application-specific snapping sizes

• Support for multiple monitors

• BetterSnapTool - $3.99 - Download now

How do you manage your windows on macOS?

Windows Keyboard To Mac Keyboard

Do you use any specific apps, tools, or keyboard shortcuts to manage your windows on macOS? Learn anything new from this piece? Gimme a shout in the comments with your thoughts, ideas, and questions!

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To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. For example, to use Command-C (copy), press and hold the Command key, then the C key, then release both keys. Mac menus and keyboards often use symbols for certain keys, including modifier keys:

On keyboards made for Windows PCs, use the Alt key instead of Option, and the Windows logo key instead of Command.

Some keys on some Apple keyboards have special symbols and functions, such as for display brightness , keyboard brightness , Mission Control, and more. If these functions aren't available on your keyboard, you might be able to reproduce some of them by creating your own keyboard shortcuts. To use these keys as F1, F2, F3, or other standard function keys, combine them with the Fn key.

Cut, copy, paste, and other common shortcuts

Mac+keyboard Shortcut To Switch Between Windows Of Same Application

• Command-X: Cut the selected item and copy it to the Clipboard.
• Command-C: Copy the selected item to the Clipboard. This also works for files in the Finder.
• Command-V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the current document or app. This also works for files in the Finder.
• Command-Z: Undo the previous command. You can then press Shift-Command-Z to Redo, reversing the undo command. In some apps, you can undo and redo multiple commands.
• Command-A: Select All items.
• Command-F: Find items in a document or open a Find window.
• Command-G: Find Again: Find the next occurrence of the item previously found. To find the previous occurrence, press Shift-Command-G.
• Command-H: Hide the windows of the front app. To view the front app but hide all other apps, press Option-Command-H.
• Command-M: Minimize the front window to the Dock. To minimize all windows of the front app, press Option-Command-M.
• Command-O: Open the selected item, or open a dialog to select a file to open.
• Command-P: Print the current document.
• Command-S: Save the current document.
• Command-T: Open a new tab.
• Command-W: Close the front window. To close all windows of the app, press Option-Command-W.
• Option-Command-Esc: Force quit an app.
• Command–Space bar: Show or hide the Spotlight search field. To perform a Spotlight search from a Finder window, press Command–Option–Space bar. (If you use multiple input sources to type in different languages, these shortcuts change input sources instead of showing Spotlight. Learn how to change a conflicting keyboard shortcut.)
• Control–Command–Space bar: Show the Character Viewer, from which you can choose emoji and other symbols.
• Control-Command-F: Use the app in full screen, if supported by the app.
• Space bar: Use Quick Look to preview the selected item.
• Command-Tab: Switch to the next most recently used app among your open apps.
• Shift-Command-5: In macOS Mojave or later, take a screenshot or make a screen recording. Or use Shift-Command-3 or Shift-Command-4 for screenshots. Learn more about screenshots.
• Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder in the Finder.
• Command-Comma (,): Open preferences for the front app.

Sleep, log out, and shut down shortcuts

You might need to press and hold some of these shortcuts for slightly longer than other shortcuts. This helps you to avoid using them unintentionally.

Mac Shortcut To Switch Between Applications

• Power button: Press to turn on your Mac or wake it from sleep. Press and hold for 1.5 seconds to put your Mac to sleep.* Continue holding to force your Mac to turn off.
• Option–Command–Power button* or Option–Command–Media Eject : Put your Mac to sleep.
• Control–Shift–Power button* or Control–Shift–Media Eject : Put your displays to sleep.
• Control–Power button* or Control–Media Eject : Display a dialog asking whether you want to restart, sleep, or shut down.
• Control–Command–Power button:* Force your Mac to restart, without prompting to save any open and unsaved documents.
• Control–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then restart your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
• Control–Option–Command–Power button* or Control–Option–Command–Media Eject : Quit all apps, then shut down your Mac. If any open documents have unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to save them.
• Control-Command-Q: Immediately lock your screen.
• Shift-Command-Q: Log out of your macOS user account. You will be asked to confirm. To log out immediately without confirming, press Option-Shift-Command-Q.

* Does not apply to the Touch ID sensor.

Finder and system shortcuts

• Command-D: Duplicate the selected files.
• Command-E: Eject the selected disk or volume.
• Command-F: Start a Spotlight search in the Finder window.
• Command-I: Show the Get Info window for a selected file.
• Command-R: (1) When an alias is selected the Finder: show the original file for the selected alias. (2) In some apps, such as Calendar or Safari, refresh or reload the page. (3) In Software Update preferences, check for software updates again.
• Shift-Command-C: Open the Computer window.
• Shift-Command-D: Open the desktop folder.
• Shift-Command-F: Open the Recents window, showing all of the files you viewed or changed recently.
• Shift-Command-G: Open a Go to Folder window.
• Shift-Command-H: Open the Home folder of the current macOS user account.
• Shift-Command-I: Open iCloud Drive.
• Shift-Command-K: Open the Network window.
• Option-Command-L: Open the Downloads folder.
• Shift-Command-N: Create a new folder.
• Shift-Command-O: Open the Documents folder.
• Shift-Command-P: Show or hide the Preview pane in Finder windows.
• Shift-Command-R: Open the AirDrop window.
• Shift-Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar in Finder windows.
• Control-Shift-Command-T: Add selected Finder item to the Dock (OS X Mavericks or later)
• Shift-Command-U: Open the Utilities folder.
• Option-Command-D: Show or hide the Dock.
• Control-Command-T: Add the selected item to the sidebar (OS X Mavericks or later).
• Option-Command-P: Hide or show the path bar in Finder windows.
• Option-Command-S: Hide or show the Sidebar in Finder windows.
• Command–Slash (/): Hide or show the status bar in Finder windows.
• Command-J: Show View Options.
• Command-K: Open the Connect to Server window.
• Command-L: Make an alias of the selected item.
• Command-N: Open a new Finder window.
• Option-Command-N: Create a new Smart Folder.
• Command-T: Show or hide the tab bar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
• Option-Command-T: Show or hide the toolbar when a single tab is open in the current Finder window.
• Option-Command-V: Move: Move the files in the Clipboard from their original location to the current location.
• Command-Y: Use Quick Look to preview the selected files.
• Option-Command-Y: View a Quick Look slideshow of the selected files.
• Command-1: View the items in the Finder window as icons.
• Command-2: View the items in a Finder window as a list.
• Command-3: View the items in a Finder window in columns.
• Command-4: View the items in a Finder window in a gallery.
• Command–Left Bracket ([): Go to the previous folder.
• Command–Right Bracket (]): Go to the next folder.
• Command–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder.
• Command–Control–Up Arrow: Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window.
• Command–Down Arrow: Open the selected item.
• Right Arrow: Open the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Left Arrow: Close the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Command-Delete: Move the selected item to the Trash.
• Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash.
• Option-Shift-Command-Delete: Empty the Trash without confirmation dialog.
• Command–Brightness Up: Turn target display mode on or off.
• Command–Brightness Down: Turn video mirroring on or off when your Mac is connected to more than one display.
• Option–Brightness Up: Open Displays preferences. This works with either Brightness key.
• Control–Brightness Up or Control–Brightness Down: Change the brightness of your external display, if supported by your display.
• Option–Shift–Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Brightness Down: Adjust the display brightness in smaller steps. Add the Control key to this shortcut to make the adjustment on your external display, if supported by your display.
• Option–Mission Control: Open Mission Control preferences.
• Command–Mission Control: Show the desktop.
• Control–Down Arrow: Show all windows of the front app.
• Option–Volume Up: Open Sound preferences. This works with any of the volume keys.
• Option–Shift–Volume Up or Option–Shift–Volume Down: Adjust the sound volume in smaller steps.
• Option–Keyboard Brightness Up: Open Keyboard preferences. This works with either Keyboard Brightness key.
• Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Up or Option–Shift–Keyboard Brightness Down: Adjust the keyboard brightness in smaller steps.
• Option key while double-clicking: Open the item in a separate window, then close the original window.
• Command key while double-clicking: Open a folder in a separate tab or window.
• Command key while dragging to another volume: Move the dragged item to the other volume, instead of copying it.
• Option key while dragging: Copy the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
• Option-Command while dragging: Make an alias of the dragged item. The pointer changes while you drag the item.
• Option-click a disclosure triangle: Open all folders within the selected folder. This works only when in list view.
• Command-click a window title: See the folders that contain the current folder.
• Learn how to use Command or Shift to select multiple items in the Finder.
• Click the Go menu in the Finder menu bar to see shortcuts for opening many commonly used folders, such as Applications, Documents, Downloads, Utilities, and iCloud Drive.

Document shortcuts

The behavior of these shortcuts may vary with the app you're using.

• Command-B: Boldface the selected text, or turn boldfacing on or off.
• Command-I: Italicize the selected text, or turn italics on or off.
• Command-K: Add a web link.
• Command-U: Underline the selected text, or turn underlining on or off.
• Command-T: Show or hide the Fonts window.
• Command-D: Select the Desktop folder from within an Open dialog or Save dialog.
• Control-Command-D: Show or hide the definition of the selected word.
• Shift-Command-Colon (:): Display the Spelling and Grammar window.
• Command-Semicolon (;): Find misspelled words in the document.
• Option-Delete: Delete the word to the left of the insertion point.
• Control-H: Delete the character to the left of the insertion point. Or use Delete.
• Control-D: Delete the character to the right of the insertion point. Or use Fn-Delete.
• Fn-Delete: Forward delete on keyboards that don't have a Forward Delete key. Or use Control-D.
• Control-K: Delete the text between the insertion point and the end of the line or paragraph.
• Fn–Up Arrow: Page Up: Scroll up one page.
• Fn–Down Arrow: Page Down: Scroll down one page.
• Fn–Left Arrow: Home: Scroll to the beginning of a document.
• Fn–Right Arrow: End: Scroll to the end of a document.
• Command–Up Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the document.
• Command–Down Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the document.
• Command–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.
• Command–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the current line.
• Option–Left Arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
• Option–Right Arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the next word.
• Shift–Command–Up Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document.
• Shift–Command–Down Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the document.
• Shift–Command–Left Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line.
• Shift–Command–Right Arrow: Select the text between the insertion point and the end of the current line.
• Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line above.
• Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the nearest character at the same horizontal location on the line below.
• Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the left.
• Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection one character to the right.
• Option–Shift–Up Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Down Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Left Arrow: Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again.
• Option–Shift–Right Arrow: Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again.
• Control-A: Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph.
• Control-E: Move to the end of a line or paragraph.
• Control-F: Move one character forward.
• Control-B: Move one character backward.
• Control-L: Center the cursor or selection in the visible area.
• Control-P: Move up one line.
• Control-N: Move down one line.
• Control-O: Insert a new line after the insertion point.
• Control-T: Swap the character behind the insertion point with the character in front of the insertion point.
• Command–Left Curly Bracket ({): Left align.
• Command–Right Curly Bracket (}): Right align.
• Shift–Command–Vertical bar (|): Center align.
• Option-Command-F: Go to the search field.
• Option-Command-T: Show or hide a toolbar in the app.
• Option-Command-C: Copy Style: Copy the formatting settings of the selected item to the Clipboard.
• Option-Command-V: Paste Style: Apply the copied style to the selected item.
• Option-Shift-Command-V: Paste and Match Style: Apply the style of the surrounding content to the item pasted within that content.
• Option-Command-I: Show or hide the inspector window.
• Shift-Command-P: Page setup: Display a window for selecting document settings.
• Shift-Command-S: Display the Save As dialog, or duplicate the current document.
• Shift–Command–Minus sign (-): Decrease the size of the selected item.
• Shift–Command–Plus sign (+): Increase the size of the selected item. Command–Equal sign (=) performs the same function.
• Shift–Command–Question mark (?): Open the Help menu.

Other shortcuts

For more shortcuts, check the shortcut abbreviations shown in the menus of your apps. Every app can have its own shortcuts, and shortcuts that work in one app might not work in another.

Mac Switch Desktop Keyboard Shortcut

• Apple Music shortcuts: Choose Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the menu bar in the Music app.
• Other shortcuts: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts.

Learn more

Mac Keyboard Shortcut To Switch To Other Window In Application

• Create your own shortcuts and resolve conflicts between shortcuts
• Change the behavior of the function keys or modifier keys