Mac keyboard shortcut symbols, explained

Updated June 10th, 2019.

Or, “Secret decoder ring for Mac keyboard shortcuts.”

Many Mac app menu items have keyboard shortcuts, and most of them are listed to the right of the menu item itself, as seen below.

Keyboard shortcuts are always listed along the right-hand side of the menus, if they’re listed at all. Some shortcuts you just have to learn– they aren’t shown in a menu at all.

Some of those symbols aren’t so easy to decipher. That’s why I’m giving you this cheat-sheet, explaining what the codes mean. Armed with this cheat-sheet you can figure out that Close All Windows in the menu above is Option-Shift-Command-W. For example.

Did this article help you?

Maybe you'd like to contribute to the
Christian Boyce coffee fund.

---

Want some some quick iPhone how-tos?
Visit me at iPhoneinaminute.com.

Looking for in-depth tutorials?
See my christianboyce.com website!