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Keyboard Shortcuts for Finder Windows

Use Your Keyboard for Quick Finder Window Shortcuts

By Tom Nelson, About.com

The Finder is a window into your Mac's file system. All you really need to navigate the Finder is a mouse, but keyboard shortcuts can sometimes save you time and trouble.

A keyboard shortcut is a combination of two (or sometimes three) keys that when pressed together perform a specific action.

Finder Window Shortcuts

  • Command + W Close the current Finder window. (The command key is the key with the cloverleaf symbol.)

  • Option + Command + W Close all Finder windows.

  • Command + Right Arrow In list view, expands the highlighted folder.

  • Command + Left Arrow In list view, collapses the highlighted folder.

  • Option + Command + Right Arrow In list view, expands the highlighted folder and all subfolders.

  • Command + Up Arrow In list view, opens the parent folder.

  • Command + Down Arrow In list view, opens the selected folder.

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