Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Post your favourite Mac OS X tips & tricks

Will Cheyney said:
I think the title of the thread explains everything... Post your favorite tips & tricks for OS X or any iApp.
Click to expand...

One of my favorites is the document icon in title bars of programs. So, in TextEdit for example, if you're working on a document and save it, command-click the icon in the title bar to see the path of the doc. You can also drag this icon and drop it anywhere. I'll often drag-and-drop a the document icon from TextEdit (or Preview) into Mail and just send it away as an attachment.. great time saver.
 
Hold Command and click and drag buttons on the Apple Control strip (menu bar at top of screen). You can move the items and drag them off like in the dock.

Only works for some items though such as Bluetooth, screen resolution, sound, Ink, Clock. Doesn't work for pull down menus or spotlight.
 
decksnap said:
Screengrabbing is even more in-depth than that.

Shift + Apple + 3 = screengrab

Shift + Apple + 4 = screengrab cursor for grabbing a portion of the screen

Shift + Apple +4 then spacebar allows you to select and screengrab any given window.

Are there more I don't know of?
Click to expand...
Shift, Apple, Ctrl, 3 = screen shot to clipboard

Shift, Apple, Ctrl, 4 = screen selection to clipboard

Shift, Apple, Ctrl, 4 and spacebar = window/icon/menu shot to clipboard


I remember when OS X was first announced, I read that Shift, Apple and Z would record the screen. How awesome would that be?
 
Well Shift + Apple + Z is already a very popular shortcut in most apps: 'Redo'.
 
pknz said:
Hold Command and click and drag buttons on the Apple Control strip (menu bar at top of screen). You can move the items and drag them off like in the dock.

Only works for some items though such as Bluetooth, screen resolution, sound, Ink, Clock. Doesn't work for pull down menus or spotlight.
Click to expand...


You can also customize the Safari Toolbar with command+drag.
 
Phat_Pat said:
suprised control+option+command+8 hasn't popped uo

(apple)+R on widgets

ehh im tired
Click to expand...

Haha I like that control+option+command+8 thing.... its pretty cool...
 
Chundles said:
option-command-+ The super zoom, opt-com-- to zoom out. It's really cool.
Click to expand...

I'm not getting this one? I can manage 'option & command' what next?

Love the ctrl+opt+cmmd+8: my wife is extrememly light sensitve sometimes and this might really help her.
 
wattage said:
I'm not getting this one? I can manage 'option & command' what next?
Click to expand...

It's option & command & plus (as in the +/= key next to "delete").

Note that you may have to first enable "Zoom" in the "Universal Access" preference pane. You can also play around with the zoom options. Try setting the "Maximum Zoom Magnification" around 10x.

Option & command & minus zooms out.
 
Soulstorm said:
The most important thing for me (except spotlight and expose) is this:

Press and hold the command key and then press the Tab key. See what happens! This way I can switch to other applications without selecting them with the mouse. This saves waaaay lot of time...
Click to expand...

You can do the same thing inside of a app when you press cmd-tilde.
 
homerjward said:
one of my faves is opt+ctrl+clicking a dock icon to bring up the alternate menu.
Click to expand...

ctrl+click does almost the same thing and requires one less keystroke.

Or just get a two button mouse and right click.
 
Quick Shutdown

My fav is the quick shutdown command just like the OS9 days. I miss being able to select Shutdown and have the system not bug me, just shutdown darn it!

To initiate a quick shutdown (without confirmation) just press ctrl+opt+cmd+eject and your Mac will shutdown w/o bugging you.

Does anyone know the key sequence to restart?
 
Apple said:
You can do the same thing inside of a app when you press cmd-tilde.
Click to expand...

swindmill said:
That's excellent. I always wanted that function, and I had it all along.
Click to expand...

I want to do that too, but there's no Tilde-key on my (norwegian) keyboard. Is there any way to "reroute" it
 
Dale Cooper said:
I want to do that too, but there's no Tilde-key on my (norwegian) keyboard. Is there any way to "reroute" it
Click to expand...
What is the key next to the number 1? Maybe try that key?

Edit:
System Preferences -->Keyboard & Mouse -->Keyboard shortcuts
There should be a shortcut called Move focus to next window in active application. The key combo should be next to it.
 
Despite the hundreds of threads like this and now guides to boot, I'll bite.

When I need to navigate to a folder in Terminal AND if I already have its parent folder open in Finder, I can quickly drop that folder on the terminal window and its full path is filled in for me.

I also use cmd+shift+Q to logout a lot.
 
Here are a few miss-underused shortcuts:

Go to Applications folder: Apple, shift and A
Go to Utilities folder: Apple, shift and U
Go to Home: Apple, shift and H
Go to Computer: Apple, shift and C
 
Will Cheyney said:
Here are a few miss-underused shortcuts:

Go to Applications folder: Apple, shift and A
Go to Utilities folder: Apple, shift and U
Go to Home: Apple, shift and H
Go to Computer: Apple, shift and C
Click to expand...

These are Finder shortcuts, in case anybody gets confused. :)
 
My favorite is Command+Option+click to the desktop to hide all other apps. This is great for working in a pseudo-single user mode. I believe this shortcut is still useful even with the invention of Exposé.

Another favorite is command-dragging a background window without bringing it into focus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back