Do you find it time consuming to always go to the menu bar with your mouse when you need to apply a common function? Well, for many common tasks you don’t need to. You can use Keyboard Shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts use the modifier keys (the 3 to the left of the spacebar, shift, Fkeys and sometimes the Caps Lock) in conjunction with intuitive letter keys. You hold down the modifier key(s) and then type the letter. You don't hit them all at the same time. For instance, to save in almost every program all you need to do is hold down the command key (the key on either side of the spacebar, the one with the Apple on it) and type S (cmd+S).

Here are the four most common modifier keys and how I will indicate them.

cmd - the command key, the one right next to the spacebar. There is one on each side of the spacebar and they both act identically.

opt - the option key, well labeled

crtl - the control key, well labeled

shft - the shift key, well labeled

FINDER KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS They must be used from the Finder, not from an application.

cmd+N - Create a new folder
cmd+Down Arrow - Open a File or Folder
cmd+O (letter) or cmd+Down Arrow - Open a highlighted icon
Tab - Select the next alphabetical icon
shft+Tab - Select the previous alphabetical icon
Left Arrow (in icon view only)Select an icon to the left
Right Arrow (In icon view only) - Select an icon to the right
Up Arrow - Select an icon (or file) above
Down Arrow - Select an icon (or file) below
cmd+D - Duplicate a selected item
opt+Up Arrow - Open parent window
cmd+W - Close the Active Window
opt+click on folder triangle (list view) - Expand Folder and all contained within it
opt+click on folder triangle (list view) - Collapse Folder and all contained within it
cmd+opt+W - Close all open windows -(or opt+Close from the File menu or opt+clicking any window's close box)
cmd+dragging window's title bar - Move Inactive Window
cmd+I - Get Info
cmd+del - Move selection to the trash
cmd+opt while inserting disk - Rebuild Floppy Disk Desktop
cmd+opt+Tab while inserting disk - Erase Floppy Disk
opt+drag - will make a copy of the item instead of just moving it. The original will stay where it was and you will have two identical items

Some of the most common shortcuts that are available to virtually all Mac programs are:

cmd+A - Select All items or text in active window
cmd+C - Copy the current selection to the clipboard
cmd+O - Open a file
cmd+P - Print the active window
cmd+Q - Quit the active application
cmd+S - Save the current file or document
cmd+V - Paste clipboard contents at current cursor position
cmd+W - Close active window
cmd+X - Cut the current selection, delete it from current window and put it on the clipboard
cmd+Z - Undo the last action

Each application has many of it's own shortcuts. You will find many of them in the menus in the menu bar, more can usually be found in the help files. Here is the edit menu from the Finder. You can see the Keyboard shortcuts following the commands.

A printer friendly shortcut list - you can print this out on a single page, just be sure to disable printing the headers and footers.