The shortcuts you will actually use, in one printable table. Learn the essentials first, then the window and browser rows, and the rest will follow.
On Windows, Ctrl does most of the work. On a Mac, the Cmd key (Command, next to the space bar) takes the same role in most shortcuts. Where a shortcut differs between the two, both versions are listed. Print this page and keep it by your keyboard until the ones you use daily become habit.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl C | Cmd C |
| Cut | Ctrl X | Cmd X |
| Paste | Ctrl V | Cmd V |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl Shift V | Cmd Shift V |
| Undo | Ctrl Z | Cmd Z |
| Redo | Ctrl Y or Ctrl Shift Z | Cmd Shift Z |
| Select all | Ctrl A | Cmd A |
| Find | Ctrl F | Cmd F |
| Save | Ctrl S | Cmd S |
| Ctrl P | Cmd P | |
| Open a file | Ctrl O | Cmd O |
| New document or window | Ctrl N | Cmd N |
| Close the current window | Ctrl W | Cmd W |
| Quit the app | Alt F4 | Cmd Q |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Switch between apps | Alt Tab | Cmd Tab |
| Cycle windows of the same app | Alt Tab (hold Alt, keep pressing Tab) | Cmd ` |
| Task view / Mission Control | Win Tab | Ctrl Up arrow |
| Show the desktop | Win D | Cmd F3 |
| Lock the computer | Win L | Ctrl Cmd Q |
| Open File Explorer / Finder | Win E | Option Cmd Space |
| Snap window left or right | Win Left / Win Right | Drag to the screen edge, or hold the green window button |
| Maximize or restore a window | Win Up | Double-click the title bar |
| Minimize the current window | Alt Space, then N | Cmd M |
| Minimize all windows | Win M | Cmd Option M (minimizes all windows of the current app) |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| New tab | Ctrl T | Cmd T |
| Reopen a closed tab | Ctrl Shift T | Cmd Shift T |
| Close the current tab | Ctrl W | Cmd W |
| Switch to the next tab | Ctrl Tab | Ctrl Tab or Cmd Option Right |
| Jump to the address bar | Ctrl L or Alt D | Cmd L |
| Reload the page | Ctrl R or F5 | Cmd R |
| Hard reload (ignore the cache) | Ctrl Shift R | Cmd Shift R |
| Bookmark this page | Ctrl D | Cmd D |
| Open history | Ctrl H | Cmd Y (Chrome) |
| New private window | Ctrl Shift N | Cmd Shift N |
| Zoom in / out | Ctrl + / Ctrl - | Cmd + / Cmd - |
| Go back / forward a page | Alt Left / Alt Right | Cmd [ / Cmd ] |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Whole screen, saved as a file | Win Print Screen (saves to Pictures, Screenshots) | Cmd Shift 3 (saves to the desktop) |
| Whole screen, copied to the clipboard | Print Screen | Cmd Shift 3 then paste, or use Cmd Ctrl Shift 3 to copy only |
| Selected area | Win Shift S (Snipping Tool) | Cmd Shift 4 |
| One window | Alt Print Screen | Cmd Shift 4, then press Space and click the window |
| Screenshot options and timer | Open Snipping Tool from the Start menu | Cmd Shift 5 |
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Move one word left or right | Ctrl Left / Ctrl Right | Option Left / Option Right |
| Select one word at a time | Ctrl Shift Left / Ctrl Shift Right | Option Shift Left / Option Shift Right |
| Start or end of the line | Home / End | Cmd Left / Cmd Right |
| Start or end of the document | Ctrl Home / Ctrl End | Cmd Up / Cmd Down |
| Delete the word to the left | Ctrl Backspace | Option Delete |
| Delete the word to the right | Ctrl Delete | Option Fn Delete |
| Bold / italic / underline | Ctrl B / Ctrl I / Ctrl U | Cmd B / Cmd I / Cmd U |
What is the difference between Ctrl and Cmd on a Mac? On a Mac, Cmd (Command) plays the role Ctrl plays on Windows for most shortcuts, so Ctrl+C on Windows is Cmd+C on a Mac. Ctrl still exists on a Mac keyboard and is used for a few system shortcuts, such as Ctrl+Cmd+Q to lock the screen.
Why does Ctrl+C not copy text in the classic Command Prompt? In the classic Command Prompt, Ctrl+C sends an interrupt signal to the running program instead of copying. In Windows Terminal, Ctrl+Shift+C copies and Ctrl+Shift+V pastes, and right-clicking selected text copies it in both.
How do I take a screenshot on Windows if my keyboard has no Print Screen key? Press Win+Shift+S to open the Snipping Tool and drag over the area you want, or open Snipping Tool from the Start menu. The capture goes to the clipboard, and you can paste it into any app.