macOS Tips Collection

Screenshots & Screen Recording

Basic Screenshot Shortcuts

• Cmd + Shift + 3: Capture entire screen
• Cmd + Shift + 4: Capture selected area
• Cmd + Shift + 4 + Space: Capture specific window

Capture Window Without Shadow

After entering window capture mode with Cmd + Shift + 4 → Space:

• Hold Option key and click: Capture without shadow
• Just click: Capture with shadow

Screen Recording

Press Cmd + Shift + 5 to show screenshot and screen recording tools:

• Record entire screen
• Record selected area
• Timer settings available
• Choose to include/exclude microphone audio

Application Management

Force Quit

When an app is not responding:

1. Method 1: Cmd + Option + Esc → Select app → Force Quit
2. Method 2: Hold Option key and right-click app icon in Dock → Force Quit
3. Method 3: Use Activity Monitor (Cmd + Space → "Activity Monitor")

Quick App Quit

Press Cmd + Option + Q instead of Cmd + Q to quit immediately without confirmation.

File Management Tips

Show/Hide Hidden Files

In Finder, press Cmd + Shift + . (period) to toggle hidden files.

Copy File Path

After selecting a file in Finder:

• Option + Cmd + C: Copy file path to clipboard

Quick Look

Select a file and press Space to preview it.

• Code files are previewed with syntax highlighting
• Select multiple files and press Space for slideshow

Text Editing Shortcuts

Emacs-style Shortcuts

macOS supports Emacs shortcuts in all text input fields:

• Ctrl + A: Go to beginning of line
• Ctrl + E: Go to end of line
• Ctrl + K: Delete from cursor to end of line
• Ctrl + D: Delete character to the right of cursor
• Option + ←/→: Move by word
• Option + Delete: Delete by word

Special Character Input

Press Ctrl + Cmd + Space to open emoji & special character popup.

Spotlight Search Usage

Open Spotlight with Cmd + Space and:

• Calculator: Direct calculations like 2+2, 100*1.1
• Unit conversion: 100cm in inches, 32c in f
• Search by file type: kind:pdf, kind:image
• Search by date: created:today, modified:yesterday

Additional Tips

Rename Multiple Files at Once

In Finder, select multiple files → Right-click → "Rename X Items..."

• Replace Text: Find and replace specific text
• Add Text: Add text before/after filename
• Format: Number sequentially

Clipboard History

If you accidentally overwrite copied text:

• Many apps allow access to clipboard history with Cmd + Shift + V
• Or use launcher apps like Raycast/Alfred

Window Minimize Shortcuts

Cmd + M to minimize current window to Dock Cmd + Option + M to minimize all windows of current app

Prevent Mac Sleep Mode (caffeinate)

When using Mac as a server or during long tasks to prevent sleep:

Open Terminal and copy-paste the following command:

# Basic usage (until Ctrl+C)
caffeinate

# Prevent sleep for 1 hour only
caffeinate -t 3600

# Prevent sleep while specific process runs
caffeinate -i npm run build

Conclusion