As a Windows User whom recently ‘converted’ to Mac, I am used to do a certain things the Windows way. One thing that is for me a very fundamental functionality in Windows is if you press the Enter key in Windows Explorer, it will either open a highlighted folder/file, or run a highlighted program.
But, of course, as you’ve probably known, in a Mac if you try to do the same as the above and expect the same result, then you would be ‘very disappointed. Because if you press the enter key on a folder or a file, instead of opening it, or running it, it will enter the ‘rename’ mode. It’s the same as the F2 key in Windows.
This was very annoying for me for a couple months, as everytime I wanted to open a folder I ended up renaming the folder name!
After a while I got used to not to use the enter key and use the mouse instead. But recently my curiosity got to me and I missed the speed of the keyboard shortcut. So, a few questions/answers later, I found out the equivalent of the Enter key in a Mac,
It’s the Command + o (that’s the letter o). I have to admit, it’s not as elegant as the Enter key, but it works find.
Enjoy!
That's a legacy shortcut that's been around for decades. Command + O always means "Open," so any time you want to open a file or a program or a folder, you hit Command + O. It works from inside programs too, so "Enter" wouldn't work across all programs. You can't hit "Enter" inside a text editor or MS Word and have it open a file. Back in the 80s, this was actually really cool, because all Mac programs, including the OS, used the same shortcuts, while DOS and Windows had all kinds of different shortcuts.
Thanks for the info. I have a suspicion that the reason Windows is using Enter to run program is because on the DOS day, that's the key to run a program from the command prompt.
Me and my colleague almost burst into tears… beautiful, thanks for sharing.
Pleasure :)
i am indeed wiping my own tears of joy…
thanks a bunch, mahadewa :)
I am really glad I could help :)
i am someone who is trying out mac right now, and i just have to point out, that command + o is a lousy shortcut for such a fundamental command as OPEN, or RUN. i do treasure sticking to a system, but this seems like a big minus of Mac OS X…
:)
what i wanted to say, is that i don't quite understand such fanaticism about each feature of OS X, even the really bad ones… it makes much more sense that ENTER button, actually ENTERS the folder, doesn't it? i kinda cant link the rename function with entering…. hm?
I completely agree with you on this. As a matter of fact, there are more like this, and sometimes I missed my PC :)
thanks! i have been looking for this a long time.
Glad I could help !
You can also use Cmd+<arrow-down> to open/run files and folders, and Cmd+<arrow-up> to leave folders.
Chris, Thanks for the enlightment :) Those combination would be very useful for keyboard-only action when traversing the folder tree.
Thanks. How can I unhide any application. When I use Command+Tab to choose an application that has been hide, I just get the application on the upper menu, however not the window itself. Any suggestions?
If you hide a window with Mac+H, you should be able to Alt-Tab and un-hide it. Unless you minimize it to the dock by clicking on the minimize icon, then the only way you can bring the window back is to click on it on the dock.
another hint is that command-down(arrow) will also open a file
Wow, thanks for the tip, that's really cool!