How to right-click, easily add emojis and more with these Mac keyboard shortcuts

Inevitably, you develop some patterns and routines when you're working on a computer.

For example, you might always start by checking your email. Then, you might visit USATODAY to read about what's happening in the world and learn a new life hack or two. Maybe, once you've finished at least half of your morning coffee, you might then think about responding to work emails. 

Along the way, you've probably built some shortcuts into your workflow, like quickly navigating to a bookmarked website or using keyboard shortcuts to bold text or open a new browser window.

But you might not know about other shortcuts that can make your life even easier. For example, how to take a screenshot on a Mac or quickly navigate to the window you're looking for. 

Watch this video to learn 6 keyboard shortcuts that might come in handy. 

How do you right-click on Mac? 

Mac trackpads and mouses don't have buttons, so this is a common question for people using Mac computers or laptops. 

There are two different ways you can right-click on a Mac: 

• Press Control while clicking. 
• Press on your trackpad with two fingers.

According to Apple, you can also change the settings for right-clicking on a trackpad so it will respond after a one-finger click or a two-finger click. 

Keyboard shortcuts for emojis on Mac 

Before emojis, all you needed to add a happy or sad face to a message was a colon and a parenthesis to make an emoticon. 

Now, adding the emoticon's digital cousin wherever you're typing is almost as simple.

To open the emoji gallery on a Mac:  

• Click control + command + space bar. 

This lets you add one emoji at a time, so you must do this keyboard combination whenever you want to add a new one. 

Use two apps at once

Sometimes, you want to use two different apps at the same time. But that can be tricky when you only have one computer monitor.

Some windows and apps can be used in Split Screen mode. This splits your screen down the middle, putting one full-screen app on the left and another on the right.

To use Split Screen mode: 

1. Hover or long-press the green dot in the upper left-hand corner of the window or app.
2. Select whether you want to tile the window to the left side or the right side.
3. The available options for the opposite side of the screen will appear. Select the one you want to appear there.

More Mac keyboard shortcuts

Some of us work with a lot of tabs open in our browsers, especially during the workday.

Here are some shortcuts that can help you find what you're looking for a little faster:

1. Press command + tab.

This brings up a list of the open applications, like your browser or mail app. Continue to hold the command button while pressing tab to cycle through the open apps until you land on the one you want. 

1. Swipe three fingers outwards on your trackpad. 

This will cause all your open browsers, apps, chats, and more to float on the screen. Then, click the one you're looking for.

1. Press command + h.

This tip is the opposite of the first two. This shortcut hides the window you are working in.

It will not appear on the Dock as it does when a window is minimized, so click the app's icon on the Dock to find the window.

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