10 most useful keyboard shortcuts
Studies have shown – and experts will tell you – that keystrokes are much more efficient than mouse actions. They are faster, easier, better.
The only problem is that you have to remember them. And it’s not easy trying to remember the 70 keyboard shortcuts listed in Apple Mail’s help file (and available as a PDF here in case you have forgotten them).
These are my ten most useful, the ones I do remember because I use them most often.
1. Command-N — Opens a new message
2. Command-1 — Opens the inbox (try also, Command-2, -3, -4 – neat!)
3. Command-Shift-M — Closes and opens the mailbox drawer on the left
4. Command-Option-F — Jumps the cursor up to the search field
5. Command-Shift-A — Attaches a file to a message
6. Command-Shift-V — Paste as quotation
7. Command-Shift-D — Send message
8. Command-Shift-F — Forward message
9. Command-R — Reply to message
10. Command-Shift-H — Show/hide all headers (because I am curious)
Just remembering these makes me feel I am working faster. That’s half the battle, isn’t it?
Similar Posts:
- Closing and opening the Mailbox drawer
- Mouse-less spam reporting in Apple Mail
- Make your own Apple Mail shortcuts
- Forwarding email headers in Apple Mail
- Roll your own templates in Mail.app
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September 15th, 2005 at 11:58 pm
[...] If the existing keyboard shortcuts don’t do what you want, Chuck Toporek over at O’Reilly offers a short tutorial on how to roll your own. Remember, it’s faster and better to use the keyboard. [...]
October 26th, 2005 at 1:36 am
[...] A while ago I blogged my list of ten most useful keyboard shortcuts that I use a lot and that save me lots of time. [...]
November 12th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
[...] I say “undocumented”. That is to say, it is not included in the 70+ keyboard shortcuts in Mail’s help file (I’ve made a helpful PDF of them which you can find in this entry). Nor does it appear as option in any of Mail.app’s menus. [...]
January 4th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
[...] Here is a list of ten great ones for Mail.app and a comprehensive listing of all the shortcuts documented for Apple Mail. Or perhaps you want to make your own keyboard shortcuts for Mail. Technorati Tags: emailing a URL, Automator, keyboard shortcut, Safari, email, Mail.app [...]
August 13th, 2006 at 9:08 am
[...] Debate will probably continue for ever on whether keyboard shortcuts are actually faster or just feel faster. [...]
January 29th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Get Ergonis’s KeyCue (http://www.ergonis.com/products/keycue/) and see all of an app’s key commands whenever you like. They appear when you press the command key and hold it down. Very useful!
June 21st, 2008 at 2:59 am
As I like to get tings done check mail manually:
Cmd-Shift-N
December 8th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Another shortcut I use very often: cmd+shift+L (to flag/unflag messages).
December 8th, 2009 at 7:15 am
What’s Command-2 supposed to show?
It doesn’t work on my system (Command-1 works, Command-3 as well).
December 8th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@mds, it shows the Outbox (look under Mailbox>Go To)
December 8th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Command-2 takes you to your outbox.
January 1st, 2010 at 2:09 am
[...] use Mail? Do you waste hours of your own time NOT using the inbuilt, helpful shortcuts. Memorise this page to streamline your email [...]