As a UX designer, you likely spend a significant amount of time working on your Mac, whether it’s designing wireframes in Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD or creating prototypes in InVision.

While you may already be familiar with some basic Mac shortcuts, there are plenty of others that can help you work more efficiently and effectively as a UX designer.

Photo by Tianyi Ma on Unsplash

In this article, we will share 20 useful Mac shortcuts that every UX designer should know.

1. Command + Space:

This shortcut opens the Spotlight search bar, which allows you to quickly search for and access applications, documents, and files on your Mac.

2. Command + Tab:

This shortcut allows you to quickly switch between open applications on your Mac. Simply hold down the Command key and press the Tab key to cycle through your open applications.

3. Command + Shift + 3:

This shortcut allows you to take a screenshot of your entire screen. The screenshot will be automatically saved to your desktop.

4. Command + Shift + 4:

This shortcut allows you to take a screenshot of a specific area of your screen. Simply click and drag your cursor to select the area you want to capture, and the screenshot will be automatically saved to your desktop.

5. Command + Shift + N:

This shortcut allows you to create a new folder on your Mac.

6. Command + Shift + Delete:

This shortcut allows you to empty the trash on your Mac.

7. Command + Option + I:

This shortcut opens the Inspector window in many Mac applications, allowing you to quickly view and edit the properties of the selected element.

8. Command + Option + Esc:

This shortcut allows you to force-quit an unresponsive application on your Mac.

9. Command + Option + D:

This shortcut allows you to show or hide the Dock on your Mac.

10. Command + Option + L:

This shortcut allows you to lock your Mac’s screen.

11. Control + Command + F:

This shortcut allows you to enter full-screen mode in many Mac applications. The same key combination, if pressed again, will bring you back from full-screen mode.

12. Control + Command + T:

This shortcut allows you to open a new tab in your current application.

13. Control + Command + W:

This shortcut allows you to close the current tab in your application.

14. Control + Command + Left/Right Arrow:

This shortcut allows you to move between tabs in your current application.

15. Control + Command + P:

This shortcut allows you to open the print dialogue in many Mac applications.

16. Control + Command + S:

This shortcut allows you to save the current document in many Mac applications.

17. Control + Command + Z:

This shortcut allows you to undo the last action in many Mac applications.

18. Control + Command + Y:

This shortcut allows you to redo the last action in many Mac applications.

19. Control + Option + Command + 8:

This shortcut allows you to invert the colors on your Mac’s screen, which can be helpful for users with certain visual impairments.

20. Control + Option + Command + Power Button:

This shortcut allows you to put your Mac to sleep.

As a UX designer, you can save time and get more done if you learn and use these 20 Mac shortcuts.

Do you have any favorite Mac shortcuts that I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments!