This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for Notes on macOS, covering all 61 shortcuts organized into 3 sections. Whether you’re new to Notes or looking to master advanced features, this cheat sheet has every key combination you need — from basic editing and navigation to app-specific power-user actions.
Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work in Notes. Every time you use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse, you save a few seconds — and those seconds compound into hours over weeks and months. Start with the shortcuts you use most (copy, paste, undo, save), then gradually add app-specific ones as they become relevant to your workflow. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet for quick reference.
Using keyboard shortcuts in Notes reduces context switching between keyboard and mouse, helping you maintain focus and work more efficiently. Research shows that shortcut-driven workflows can save up to 8 working days per year compared to menu-driven navigation. On macOS, most Notes shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.
Tips for Learning Shortcuts
- Practice one new Notes shortcut each day. Muscle memory builds faster when you focus on a single combination at a time rather than trying to learn them all at once.
- Print or bookmark this page for quick reference while working in Notes. Having shortcuts visible nearby helps bridge the gap between looking them up and recalling them from memory.
- Start with the shortcuts you use most. In Notes, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.
General28
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Search | ⌘F |
| Bold | ⌘B |
| Italic | ⌘I |
| Underline | ⌘U |
| Strikethrough | ⇧⌘U |
| Title | ⇧⌘T |
| Heading | ⇧⌘H |
| Body | ⇧⌘B |
| Checklist | ⇧⌘L |
| Numbered List | ⇧⌘7 |
| Add Link | ⌘K |
| Delete Note | ⌘Delete |
| Create a new note | ⌘N |
| Create a new folder | ⇧⌘N |
| Increase Text Size | ⇧⌘> |
| Decrease Text Size | ⇧⌘< |
| Create a Quick Note | fnQ |
| Duplicate a note | ⌘D |
| Show the main Notes window | ⌘0 |
| Show notes in a list | ⌘1 |
| Show notes in gallery view | ⌘2 |
| Show attachments | ⌘3 |
| Search all notes | ⌥⌘F |
| Print a note | ⌘P |
| Show or hide highlights in shared note | ⌃⌘I |
| Show or hide activity list in shared note | ⌃⌘K |
| Go forward to a linked note | ⌥⌘] |
| Return to the note containing the linked note | ⌥⌘[ |
Editing23
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Attach a file | ⇧⌘A |
| Create a link to a webpage | ⌘K |
| Insert a table | ⌥⌘T |
| Apply Title format | ⇧⌘T |
| Apply Heading format | ⇧⌘H |
| Apply Subheading format | ⇧⌘J |
| Apply Body format | ⇧⌘B |
| Apply Monostyled format | ⇧⌘M |
| Apply Bulleted List format | ⇧⌘7 |
| Apply Dashed List format | ⇧⌘8 |
| Apply Numbered List format | ⇧⌘9 |
| Apply Checklist format | ⇧⌘L |
| Apply Block Quote format | ⌘' |
| Increase font size | ⌘+ |
| Move list item up | ⌃⌘Up |
| Decrease font size | ⌘- |
| Move list item down | ⌃⌘Down |
| Increase list level | ⌘] |
| Zoom in on note contents | ⇧⌘. |
| Decrease list level | ⌘[ |
| Zoom out on note contents | ⇧⌘, |
| Mark or unmark a checklist item | ⇧⌘U |
| Default zoom | ⇧⌘0 |
Tables10
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add a new paragraph in a cell | ⌥Enter |
| Move to the next cell to the right | Tab |
| Add a new row above | ⌥⌘Up |
| Move to the next cell to the left | ⇧Tab |
| Add a new row below | ⌥⌘Down |
| Select the content of the current cell | ⌘A |
| Move down one row or add row at bottom | Enter |
| Add a column to the right | ⌥⌘Right |
| Move up one row | ⇧Enter |
| Add a column to the left | ⌥⌘Left |
Frequently Asked Questions
Access Notes shortcuts from your menu bar
KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.