TapNoiseTyping and shortcuts guides for Mac
Keyboard settings, text editing and shortcuts that make everyday Mac work easier.
- Dictation or typing on Mac: choose for the taskUse Dictation for a spoken draft and the keyboard for precise corrections, while checking microphone choice, privacy and punctuation before relying on it.
- How Sticky Keys makes Mac shortcuts easier to enterUse Sticky Keys to enter modifier combinations one key at a time, and check it when Command, Option or Shift seems unexpectedly held down.
- How to change key repeat speed on a MacAdjust Key repeat rate and Delay until repeat in macOS, then test the difference between a held key and accidental duplicate key presses.
- How to create a keyboard shortcut for a Mac menu commandAdd an App Shortcut for an existing menu command, copy its title exactly and test the result without changing other apps' familiar shortcuts.
- How to delete a word at a time on a MacUse Option-Delete in supporting Mac text fields, distinguish backward deletion from forward deletion and practise safely before editing a long document.
- How to learn Mac keyboard shortcuts from app menusRead the shortcut symbols beside Mac menu commands, practise a few actions in context and use a shortcut sheet without memorising a giant list.
- How to open emoji and symbols from the Mac keyboardOpen Character Viewer with the keyboard, insert a symbol into a document and check the Globe key setting if it triggers a different action.
- How to remap Command and Option on an external keyboardChange modifier keys for an external Mac keyboard, test Copy and Paste, and keep a clear route back to the original mapping if it feels wrong.
- How to select text with the Mac keyboardExtend a text selection with Shift and movement keys, use word and line boundaries carefully and avoid replacing more text than you intended.
- How to stop unwanted autocorrect on a MacAdjust automatic spelling correction for the current app or macOS input settings, while keeping manual spell checking available for your writing.
- How to switch keyboard languages on a MacAdd and switch input sources in macOS, show the active layout in the menu bar and avoid confusing a layout change with a keyboard fault.
- How to troubleshoot a Mac keyboard shortcut conflictFind out whether macOS, an app, a different keyboard layout or a remapping utility owns a shortcut before you change several settings at once.
- How to turn off smart quotes and dashes on a MacStop macOS or a supporting app from converting straight quotes and double hyphens, especially when editing code, commands or configuration files.
- How to type accented letters on a Mac keyboardUse the press-and-hold accent menu or your keyboard layout's modifier combinations, and check the current input source when an accent is missing.
- How to use F1–F12 instead of media keys on a MacUnderstand Fn and Globe key behaviour, use standard function keys in apps and avoid confusing media actions with an editor's F-key shortcuts.
- How to use Keyboard Viewer to find Mac symbolsShow the current keyboard layout on screen, reveal Option and Shift characters, and check symbols before changing your Mac's input source.
- How typing speed in WPM is calculated, and what it missesUnderstand the five-character convention for words per minute, compare practice tests fairly and interpret TapNoise's live speed as an activity estimate.
- Mac keyboard feels delayed? Check Slow Keys firstFind the Slow Keys acceptance delay in macOS Accessibility settings and distinguish delayed text entry from delayed keyboard sound playback.
- Mac keyboard typing the wrong symbols? Check the layoutDiagnose mismatched punctuation by checking your active input source, Keyboard Viewer and external keyboard mapping before changing hardware.
- Undo and redo on Mac: shortcuts and their limitsUse Command-Z and the app's Redo command, check what will be reversed and understand why undo is not a substitute for saving or backups.