Essential macOS Sequoia shortcuts that speed up your day-to-day life

If you use a Mac daily, mastering a few shortcuts makes all the difference: with macOS Sequoia you have new ways to organize windows, automations with Shortcuts, and an arsenal of keyboard combinations to get you faster. The idea is clear: fewer clicks, fewer distractions, and more work done. in less time.

In this guide we gather, reorganize and explain in a practical way everything you need to know: from the essential keyboard shortcuts...including the new window manager, quieter Safari, Spotlight as a Swiss Army knife, advanced screenshots, useful automations with the Shortcuts app, and more Dock, Finder, Notes and widgets tuningWe've also included performance and maintenance tweaks to help Sequoia run smoothly, even on older systems. Here's a complete guide to everything. Essential macOS Sequoia shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts you'll use every day

The foundation of any quick workflow in macOS is universal keyboard shortcuts. To execute them, hold down the modifier keys and press the end key. Remember: on PC keyboards, Alt is equivalent to Option and Ctrl/Windows is equivalent to Command..

Regular editing and management: Command-X/C/V to cut, copy and paste; Z Command to undo (and Shift-Command-Z to redo); Command-A select all; Command-F Open the search; Command-G It goes to the next match (and Shift-Command-G to the previous one). Command-S Look, Command-P open the printout and Command-Q Exit the current app.

Windows and apps: Command-H hides the foreground app (Option-Command-H hides the rest), Command-M minimizes the active window (Option-Command-M minimizes all), Command-W close the window (Option-Command-W closes them all), and Command-T Open a new tab. Option-Command-Esc Force the closure if something gets stuck.

System navigation: Command-Space bar Spotlight display; Control-Command-Spacebar (o Fn-E) opens the emoji and symbol viewer; Control-Command-F toggle full screen; Space bar Launch Quick View of the selected file; Command-Tab jump between apps and Command-` cycles through the windows of the current app. Fn-Q Create a quick note instantly.

Integrated screenshots: Shift-Command-3 capture the full screen; Shift-Command-4 select an area; adding Studio You capture a window; with Control Additionally, copy the screenshot to the clipboard; and Shift-Command-5 Open the full tool, including screen recording. All without installing anything..

Full-speed window, desktop, and dock management

macOS Sequoia introduces a new window tiling manager: drag a window to the predefined areas from the desktop or hover the mouse over the green maximize button to fit it into halves, thirds, or quadrants. No more hand-placement two, three or four apps on screen.

Mission Control gives you perspective: with Control-Up Arrow You see all the windows and desktops; with Control-Down Arrow only those from the active app; and with Command-Mission Control o Fn-F11/Fn-H Shows the Desktop instantly. Switch desktops with Control + arrow left/right or create more from Mission Control.

Activate the Active corners In Settings > Desktop & Dock, move the pointer to a corner to trigger actions such as Mission Control, Desktop, Notification Center, or Lock Screen. A gesture, an action.

Customize the Dock: change its size by dragging the separator, its position on the screen (bottom or sides), auto-hide it, and zoom in on hover. You can find this in Settings > Desktop & Dock. Remove “Recent and suggested apps” and fine-tune animations and behavior.

Finder at its best: browse, preview, and sign faster

Navigate through folders without a mouse: Command-Up Arrow go up a level, Command-Down Arrow enter the selected folder and Intro Rename. To delete without confirmation, use Option-Command-Delete. You gain seconds with every action..

Preview without opening with Quick Look: select a file and press Studio o Command-Y to view photos, videos, PDFs or documents on the fly. It works with the most common formats. and avoid opening heavy apps.

Organize shortcuts in the sidebar by dragging folders to Favorites, use Shift-Command-N for new folders and Control-Command-N To group the selected items into a folder. In List View, Right/Left Arrow unfolds or contracts. Everything arranged in two taps.

More useful Finder shortcuts: Command-I Open “Get Information”; Command-D duplicates; Command-E ejects volumes; Shift-Command-L Open Downloads; Shift-Command-R jump into AirDrop; try the alternative to AirDrop; Shift-Command-O go to Documents; Shift-Command-F Recent samples; and Shift-Command-G Open “Go to folder…”. There is no time to lose.

Sign PDFs in Preview: Click on “Show form filling toolbar” and choose the signature tool. You can draw it or use the camera/trackpad. Say goodbye to printing, signing, and scanning.

Distraction-free Safari: Reader, Profiles, and Web Apps

To read comfortably, activate the Lector From the icon on the left of the address bar; you will only see text and images from the article. Ideal for concentrating.

If a page has annoying blocks, Safari on Sequoia allows hide specific elements During the session, you can focus on the content. The changes are not permanent, and you return to your normal state when you exit. Total control of what you see.

Separate work, study, or personal time with Profiles In Safari: each one keeps its own bookmarks, history, cookies, and extensions. This way you don't mix contexts and keep everything clean. Create and switch profiles from the Safari menu.

Turn websites into apps: In Safari, go to File > Add to Dock and you will create a web app which opens in its own window. For apps that don't exist on Mac, it's a lifesaver. You can also install some iPhone/iPad apps Optimized for Apple chips from the App Store (some will look like iPhone windows).

Spotlight as a multi-tool

Spotlight finds files, contacts, chats, photos, emails, and web results with Command-Space barAdjust which categories appear in Settings > Siri & Spotlight to refine results. One search engine for everything.

Do quick calculations and conversions directly: type “6 euros in dollars” or an operation and you'll see the result instantly. Without opening the calculator.

Is its position bothering you? Open Spotlight and drag from the magnifying glass icon to reposition it on the screen wherever is most convenient for you. Small details that add up.

Notes, widgets, and notifications that work with you

Notes now resolve mathematical operations Typing “=” allows for collapsible sections, color highlighting, and recording. audio notesIdeal for technical or class notes. A much more versatile app.

In the Notification Center (click on the date) add widgets From “Edit widgets”. You can use those from your Mac apps and some that They pull on your iPhoneYou'll see the key information without opening any applications. Your personal control panel.

Control your notifications: In Settings > Notifications, decide which apps can notify you and how. Avoid the noise by keeping only the important ones active. Fewer distractions, more focus.

Create Concentration modes (Settings > Focus) with schedules, allowed people and apps, and filters. Use them for work, rest, or study. Each context, its configuration.

Screenshots and where to save them

In addition to classic combinations, it opens with Shift-Command-5 the capture tool to choose format, timer and screen recordingIn “Options” you decide the destination and the custom folder. Everything centralized.

If you prefer to change the default format (PNG to JPG, for example), run the following command in Terminal: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg; killall SystemUIServer. This will save space with smaller captures.

Automate with the Shortcuts app: seven essentials

The Shortcuts app, built into macOS, lets you chain system and app actions together. Here are seven super handy shortcuts to have on your desktop, like widgets and launch them in a snap. They can be customized to your liking..

1) Maximum concentrationActivate "Do Not Disturb", close all apps except your editor (e.g., Bear), and start a countdown. 25 minutesThe classic "pomodoro" straight from the Mac. Perfect for getting into a flow state.

2) Convert images to JPGSelect one or more PNG photos and convert them to JPG in seconds, choosing a destination folder, without opening heavy editors. On-the-fly optimization for websites or emails.

3) Send via AirDrop: opens a file picker and instantly launches the AirDrop panel to send them to your iPhone or iPad. Avoid long sharing menus and saves clicks.

4) Express reminders: two shortcuts for adding tasks to specific lists, such as "Buys" and “Sporadic”, with the option of setting a date and time for the alert. Capture what you don't want to forget frictionless.

5) End of day y Open the dayOne closes all open apps at the end of the day; the other launches your key tools at the start. Closing and opening rituals in one touch.

Desktops, backgrounds, and visual customization

Go to Settings > Appearance to toggle light/dark modeChoose an accent/highlight color and adjust the contrast. You can also decide how the scrollbars and the size of the icons. Make your Mac look "your way".

Wallpapers and screensavers: In Settings > Wallpaper and > Screensavers, you can use Apple's wallpapers or your own photos, and decide whether to apply them to your device. all desks or separatelyYou can even use the screensaver as your background. Customization in detail.

Change a folder icon: right-click > “Get Info” and drag an image (PNG/JPG) to the small icon in the upper left. Caution: the icon may look like a real file. Instant visual organization.

Text replacement: In Settings > Keyboard > Text input > “Text replacements”, create rules like “@@” → your email address. You'll type abbreviations and they'll expand into full phrases. A turbo for forms and repeated answers.

On-the-go emoji panel with Control-Command-Space or the key fnIf you see only a few, use the down arrow to expand the entire catalog and mark them as favorites. More expressive in any app.

Photos and Maps: collections and routes like never before

The Photos app adds a section of Collections (trips, days, people and pets, memories, personal folders) and a "More items" dropdown to see duplicatesTickets, handwritten text, and more. All better categorized. Finding photos is easier.

In the view Map You'll see your images arranged by location; you can zoom in and explore your "memory map." Additionally, on a photo's page you can edit date, time and location, ideal for images without metadata or scanned images. Order to the photographic archive.

Maps now includes topographic mapping with relief and allows searching hiking trails well-planned. Plan getaways with better alternatives and visible elevation changes. Perfect for the outdoors.

From the Control Center you can see the music playing, and by pressing the song indicator, the following appear playback controls fast (perfect for Spotify/Apple Music). Without changing apps.

Continuity with iPhone and more refined video calls

If you have an iPhone with the same iCloud account, the Mac detects it as webcam For meetings (rear camera and better quality). Also, right-click on the desktop > “Import from iPhone” > Scan documentYou instantly turn your mobile phone into a scanner. A perfect tandem.

In video calls you can change the fondo with Apple images, gradients, or your own photos, and use gestures to trigger reactions (thumbs up/down, etc.). You can also activate them manually from the camera icon. Your presence, under control.

Start-up, power and maintenance at Sequoia

Decide which apps start with your Mac in Settings > General > Starter ItemsDisable anything you don't need at startup or in the background to free up resources. Less drag when starting.

For laptop performance: Settings > Battery and enable Low Power ModeLower the brightness and select "Optimize video streaming on battery." This will extend battery life and prevent power spikes. The battery, more efficient.

If your Mac is older and you notice it's slow, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display and turn on Reduce movement y Reduce transparencySimpler animations free up CPU and RAM. It's more noticeable than it seems.

Free up space and clean up junk: Settings > General > Storage shows recommendations and categories for deleting files and apps you don't use. For a deeper clean, you can use a comprehensive tool like SpyHunter, which detects residues and caches that are difficult to locate manually. More space, more agility.

Organize your desktop: move files to Documents or use Batteries (Right-click > Use Stacks) to group by type and reduce icons. Each extra icon requires redrawing. A clean desk is more productive..

Check processes with Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities) to close those that are consuming CPU/RAM and disable unnecessary startup items. Keep your computer running smoothly. fresh On hard surfaces, leave ventilation grilles clear and consider a cooling base. Avoid thermal throttling.

Regular maintenance: reindex Spotlight, clear DNS cache, delete system logsReset network settings, repair disk permissions, and perform regular scans with SpyHunter. weekly reset It also helps to free up RAM and close zombie processes. Constancy = stability.

Safety and performance: FileVault Encrypt your disk; if your Mac is running low on resources, you can temporarily disable it in Settings > Privacy & Security (consider the balance between security and performance). Prioritize according to your usage.

Advanced accessibility and keyboard control

Power and session controls: Control - Power Button Open the restart/sleep/shutdown dialog box; Control-Command-Power Button force the restart; Control-Option-Command-Power Button Close all apps and turn off (it will ask if there are any unsaved changes). Control-Command-Q locks the screen; Shift-Command-Q Log out (Option-Shift-Command-Q does this without confirmation). Press Option Choosing Sign Out, Shut Down or Restart skips the dialogs. Quick actions for every situation.

Move the focus using the keyboard: Control-F2/F3/F5/F6/F8 (or with Fn) to go to menu bar, Dock, toolbars, floating windows or status menus; Control-F7 alternates how the focus tabulates; Tab/Shift-Tab scans controls; Control-Tab advance within text fields. Without touching the trackpad.

Precise text editing: Option-Delete delete word on the left; Control-H/D erase left/right; Fn-Delete acts as a forward suppressor; Control-K Shortened to the end of the paragraph and Control-Y He glues it; Command-Arrows jump to beginning/end of line/document; Option-Arrows navigate word by word; with Shift wide selection. Edit at lightning speed.

Format and utilities: Command-B/I/U bold/italic/underline; Command-K insert link; Command-T Open Fonts; Control-Command-D shows the definition; Shift-Command-; Open spelling; Command-, Open app preferences in the foreground; Option-Command-C/V copy/paste style. All without letting go of the keyboard.

Visual accessibility: active Invert colors Use Control-Option-Command-8 to adjust the contrast, and use Control-Option-Command-, (comma) and . (period). You can configure these options in Keyboard > Shortcuts. Improved readability in one touch.

More fine tricks: in Finder, Command-/ displays the status bar, Command-J opens display options and Control-Command-A Create an alias. Keep Option when dragging to copy, Option-Command to create an alias and Command when dragging to another volume to move. Complete mastery of the file manager.

To browse long websites, combine Command + Up/Down Arrow to jump to the beginning or end of the page in a flash. A must-have when reading long articles.

Security bonus: If you have an Apple Watch with the same account icloud, can unlock the Mac and authorize system actions from Settings > Sign-in Password by activating Apple Watch. Secure comfort on the wrist.

With these keys, settings, and automations, macOS Sequoia feels lighter and more responsive: you organize windows instantlyYou find and edit seamlessly, reduce visual noise, capture and share in a snap, and keep the system running smoothly with a few simple habits. Spending a few minutes setting everything up saves you hours throughout the week.