Common ⌘ shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘C / ⌘V / ⌘X | copy / paste / cut |
| ⌘Z / ⇧⌘Z | undo / redo |
| ⌘S | save |
| ⌘F | find |
| ⌘Q | quit the app |
| ⌘W | close the window or tab |
| ⌘Tab | switch apps |
| ⌘Space | Spotlight search |
| ⇧⌘4 | screenshot of a selected area |
On a Mac, ⌘ does most of what Ctrl does on Windows. A Windows keyboard plugged into a Mac maps its Windows key to Command by default.
Writing Mac shortcuts with symbols
Apple’s documentation lists modifier keys in a fixed order, and following it makes your guides look native:
- Control ⌃
- Option ⌥
- Shift ⇧
- Command ⌘
So a shortcut is written ⌃⌘Space, not ⌘⌃Space, and ⌥⇧⌘V, not ⇧⌥⌘V. Write the letter in uppercase (⌘C) even though you don’t press Shift. For readers who may not know the symbols, spell it out the first time: “press Command+C (⌘C).”
Look-alikes: ⌗ (viewdata square) has a similar boxy look but is unrelated, and ⌥ ⇧ ⌃ are the other modifier symbols. In plain text the caret ^ sometimes stands in for Control, but ⌃ is the proper key symbol.
Where the ⌘ came from
The Unicode name of ⌘ is place of interest sign. In Scandinavia, notably on Swedish signs, it marks sights and landmarks. While the original Macintosh was being developed in the early 1980s, designer Susan Kare picked it from a symbol dictionary to replace the Apple logo in menu shortcuts. Apple keyboards showed both the logo and ⌘ on the key for many years, which is why some people still call it the Apple key.
The shape also goes by other names, such as looped square, Saint John’s Arms and Bowen knot.
To type ⌘ itself on a Mac, open the Character Viewer (Control+Command+Space) and search “place of interest,” or copy it from this page. There is no single shortcut for the symbol.
Frequently asked questions
What does ⌘ mean?
It is the Command key on a Mac. ⌘C means hold Command and press C.
Where is the Command key?
On Mac keyboards, directly on both sides of the space bar.
What is ⌘ on a Windows keyboard?
Most ⌘ shortcuts use Ctrl on Windows. When a Windows keyboard is connected to a Mac, the Windows key acts as Command.
How do I type the ⌘ symbol?
Copy it from this page, or open the Mac Character Viewer and search “place of interest.”
Unicode data: Unicode Character Database 18.0.0 (unicode.org).