Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Snow Leopard Edition

Appendix C. The Master Mac OS X Secret Keystroke List

Here it is, by popular, frustrated demand: The master list of every secret (or not-so-secret) keystroke in Mac OS X Snow Leopard, including all the keys you can press during startup. Clip and post to your monitor (unless, of course, you got this book from the library).

Note

For the most part, the following list doesn’t include the keystrokes already listed in your menus, like ⌘-P for Print, ⌘-S for Save, and so on.

Startup Keystrokes

Startup Keystrokes

Keys to Hold Down	Effect
C	Starts up from a CD
D	Starts up from the first partition
N	Starts up from network server
R	Resets the laptop screen
T	Puts the Mac into FireWire Target Disk mode
Option	Shows icons of all startup disks and partitions, so you can choose one for starting up
Shift-Option-⌘-Delete	Starts up from external drive (or CD)
Option-⌘-P-R	Zaps the parameter RAM (PRAM). (Hold down until you hear the second chime.)
Option-⌘-O-F	Brings up Open Firmware screen (pre-Intel Macs).
⌘-V	Shows Unix console messages during startup, logout, and shutdown
⌘-S	Starts up in single-user (Unix command-line) mode
Mouse down	Ejects a stuck CD or DVD
6 and 4 keys	Starts up in 64-bit mode
Shift	Just after powering up: Turns off kernel extensions
Shift	Just after logging in: Prevents Finder windows and startup items from opening. (They’ll return the next time you start up.)

In the Finder

⌘-space	Highlights Spotlight box
Option-⌘-space	Opens Spotlight window
→, ←	Expands or collapses a selected folder in list view
Option-→	Expands ...