The keyboard is the most powerful tool we have when using our Macs, which is why I’ve curated what might seem like an overwhelming combination of keyboard utilities that I use daily.
Each of these tools enhances my productivity in unique ways, so whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow or just want to explore some interesting keyboard hacks, I hope the following links and descriptions can help you find something valuable.
When it comes to navigating my system with speed and precision, a few key utilities stand out. I use Superkey to enhance my existing keyboard shortcuts, making application navigation smoother and more efficient. It searches text on the screen and simulates a mouse click anywhere there’s matching text. It allows me to access features and functions without ever taking my fingers off the keyboard. For those looking for a similar solution, Wooshy offers a compelling alternative, providing seamless keyboard control for navigating all UI elements in an app.
Another indispensable tool in my toolkit is KindaVim, which brings Vim-like key bindings to any application, allowing me to navigate text with great efficiency. It’s perfect for those who appreciate the keyboard-centric ease of Vim.
KindaVim isn’t perfect, but it’s constantly improving. But as an example, if I use V and h/j/k/l in MultiMarkdown Composer to make a selection, when I hit X to kill the selection, the cursor jumps up a few paragraphs. It’s a bit jarring, but for basic Vim navigation like h/j/k/l/u/d/a/i, etc., it’s perfect, and enhances every app I write in.
There are always keyboard shortcuts for common menu items in any Mac app. I frequently access menu bars with ⇧+⌘+? and use the help field to find menu items, and try to memorize ones that have the keyboard shortcut indicated on them. I have an as-of-yet-unpublished script based on NiftyMenu that scans any app for every available shortcut and generates Dash cheatsheets or Cheaters pages for it.
Speaking of menu item keyboard shortcuts, Paletro is amazing. It gives me a ⇧+⌘+P shortcut in any app, with fuzzy type-ahead searching for any menu item. I use it daily.
Lastly, Scrolla is a game-changer for scrolling through documents and long text, enabling me to keep my hands on the keyboard whenever I need to go through lengthy content.
For deeper customization, I rely on a mix of tools that modify key functions and introduce new shortcuts.
BetterTouchTool is a powerhouse for managing trackpad gestures and keyboard shortcuts, letting me create personalized commands that fit my workflow perfectly.
Karabiner-Elements takes it a step further with its ability to remap keys at the system level, modifying their behavior. I’ve set up my Hyper key using this tool, which unlocks numerous possibilities for shortcuts and personalizations (check out my Karabiner mods for some advanced tweaks).
Additionally, my DefaultKeyBindings.dict file is essential for crafting custom keyboard shortcuts tailored to my preferences. MacOS’s built-in key mapping features allow for sophisticated combinations that further enhance my efficiency. Coupled with Keyboard Maestro, which automates repetitive tasks and creates amazing automations, I’m able to truly streamline my text editing.
When it comes to launching apps and managing my clipboard, LaunchBar reigns supreme in my daily workflow. I’ve experimented with every launcher out there, but nothing has stuck quite like LaunchBar. Its intuitive interface complements my muscle memory, allowing me to access apps, files, and even perform quick calculations without losing focus.
With LaunchBar, I can access my entire clipboard history across reboots, copying things back into the pasteboard or pasting them directly. And I can double-tap the option key to “Instant Send” any selected file to LaunchBar, then hit tab to open it in an app or perform a custom action on it. Combined with KindaVim’s ability to navigate Finder with ease and SuperKey’s ability to select any file I can see on my screen, it’s crazy how useful LaunchBar is.
Though LeaderKey might seem redundant alongside LaunchBar, it offers the benefit of static, single-key sequences for launching frequently used applications and URLs. This has also become a part of my muscle memory, enabling quick access without sifting through multiple options. Combining these tools gives me a powerful launching and navigating experience.
In the realm of text expansion, I’ve been a longtime user of TextExpander, with its snippet search capabilities and reminders making it an indispensable part of my writing process. I’ve also started using TextBlaze, but I’ve found myself confusingly using both tools at once. TextExpander’s ability to run shell scripts gives it an edge that can’t be ignored, and its expansion after whitespace is something that TextBlaze doesn’t quite match.
My current favorite text expansion tool, however, is Cotypist. This innovative tool offers automatic text completion as I type in any application. It predicts my inputs with uncanny accuracy, making it my go-to for prose writing. I don’t have to create a ton of snippets, it just figures out what I’m typing and fills in the blanks. It works great in apps like Cursor, too, completing instructions and prompts accurately.
For window management, Moom is my weapon of choice. It allows me to move and resize windows with ease, using keyboard shortcuts that fit seamlessly into my workflow. The grid mode, in particular, lets me draw sizes and positions for windows on the fly, making multitasking a breeze and alleviating the need to have a thousand shortcuts for different positioning.
In my browsing experience, Vimium has become indispensable. It enhances productivity in my favorite browsers by adding Vim-style navigation to web pages. If I type F, it tags every visible link with key sequences, enabling navigation that feels quick and fluid.
Coupled with my preferred search engine, Kagi, which provides the ability to navigate search results entirely with the keyboard, my online experience is streamlined. While DuckDuckGo offers similar shortcuts, Kagi’s advanced AI slop filtering adds to its appeal, making it a superior choice for my digital searches.
I hope you’ve found something new in all of this. I’d love to hear about your own favorite keyboard tools and shortcuts: please share them over at the forum and let’s master the keyboard!
Here’s a combined list of every app mentioned in this post:
Brett is a writer and developer living in Minnesota, USA. You can follow him as ttscoff on GitHub, Mastodon, and elsewhere.
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