These Keyboard Shortcuts Will Unlock New Levels Of Productivity

Apple and en.wikipedia.orgSeconds you save with keyboard shortcuts can add up to a lot, making you much more productive in a computer-intensive job. Shortcuts can also make help you look like a wizard to your less-internet savvy friends, as observed in a recent Reddit threat.

So what are these magical secrets? Below are some that I use every day while editing Business Insider or doing anything else on a computer. Try picking them up one at a time and you'll find they become a natural part of your workflow.

Note: These are Mac shortcuts used in Chrome, but many are valid in other browsers and operating systems.

?+a selects all. ?+c copies. ?+x cuts. ?+v pastes.

?+z undoes. ?+y redoes (in some cases ?+shift+z redoes).

?+n opens a new window. ?+t opens a new tab. ?+w closes a window. ?+shift+t opens the last closed tab.

?+tab changes to last-used application. While holding ?, pressing tab again or the arrow keys cycles through applications.

?+l highlights the URL bar.

?+number or ?+shift+] or ?+shift+[ select or cycle through tabs. Some applications require you to turn on this shortcut or have an alternate like ?+shift+arrow.

Tab cycles through text boxes or all page elements, depending on your settings. Shift+tab cycles backwards.

control+click serves as a right click function. (The Mac mouse doesn't have a right button)

?+click opens a link in a new tab.

Holding option while pressing the right/left buttons moves the cursor back or forward whole words. Holding shift+option while pressing the right/left buttons selects whole words. Holding option while pressing the up/down buttons moves the cursor back or forward whole paragraphs, and holding option+shift plus up/down selects whole paragraphs.

?+space brings up Spotlight search, which you can use to open apps, find files, etc. stored on your computer.

There are many other shortcuts, and I would advise searching online to find a shortcut for any function you use frequently. If I left off your favorite, please let us know in the comment section.