If you’re a Mac user, there’s one button you’re not using enough—the Option key (⌥). It’s one of the most underrated power tools in macOS, unlocking hidden shortcuts and secret features that aren’t always obvious.
Most of these tricks are not labeled in menus or visible in the interface, which is why so many Mac users never discover them. But once you do? You’ll never go back.
In this post, I’ll show you 20+ ways to use the Option key to speed up your workflow, navigate macOS more efficiently, and uncover hidden features you didn’t even know existed.
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Let’s dive in!
1. Rotate Images in Both Directions (Preview App)
When you open an image in Preview, the default rotate button only turns in one direction. Hold Option while clicking it, and you can rotate the opposite way.
2. Jump Between Words (Text Editing Shortcut)
Tired of moving letter by letter? Hold Option while pressing the arrow keys to jump word by word instead.
3. Delete Faster
Hold Option + Delete, and instead of deleting one character at a time, you’ll delete one whole word at a time.
4. Resize Finder Columns Faster
In Column View in Finder, you can resize a single column manually. But if you hold Option while resizing, all columns adjust at the same time.
Bonus: Double-click the edge of a column while holding Option, and it will auto-expand to fit the longest file name.
5. Resize Windows Symmetrically
Normally, resizing a window changes just one edge. But hold Option while dragging a window corner, and it will resize from all sides evenly.
6. Adjust Volume & Brightness in Smaller Increments
Hold Option + Shift while adjusting volume or brightness, and you can fine-tune it in smaller steps.
7. Unlock Hidden Display Resolutions
Want more precise control over your screen resolution?
Go to System Settings > Displays, hold Option, and click any resolution option—you’ll see a hidden list of resolutions appear.
8. Type Special Characters Instantly
You don’t need to Google special characters anymore!
Hold Option while pressing different keys to access hidden symbols.
Bullet point: ⌥ + 8 → •
Trademark symbol: ⌥ + 2 → ™
Degree symbol: ⌥ + Shift + 8 → °
9. Show Full File Path in Finder
Ever wonder exactly where a file is located?
Hold Option in Finder, and you’ll see the full file path appear at the bottom.
Want it always visible? Press ⌥ + ⌘ + P to keep it on.
10. Unlock Hidden Right-Click Menu Options
When you right-click a file, you see basic options. But if you hold Option while right-clicking, you’ll get extra hidden features, like:
✔ Changing the default app for that file type
✔ Opening the Inspector (better than Get Info)
11. Copy Files Instead of Moving Them
Dragging files in Finder usually moves them.
Hold Option while dragging, and it will copy the file instead—keeping the original where it was.
12. Quickly Delete Widgets
In Notification Center or on the Desktop, hold Option, and a little delete button appears on your widgets—so you can remove them instantly.
13. Instantly Enable “Do Not Disturb”
Hold Option while clicking the Date & Time in the menu bar to turn on Do Not Disturb in one click. Perfect for meetings and deep work sessions.
14. Force Quit Apps in One Click
Need to kill a frozen app?
Hold Option while right-clicking its Dock icon, and you’ll get a Force Quit option instantly.
15. Open Finder Search Instantly
Press ⌥ + ⌘ + Space to launch Finder with the search bar already active.
16. Hide All Windows Except the One You’re Using
Press ⌥ + ⌘ + H, and macOS will hide every other open app, letting you focus on just one.
17. Reveal the Hidden Library Folder
Your Library folder (where macOS stores caches, settings, and app data) is hidden by default.
Go to Finder > Go, hold Option, and you’ll see Library appear in the list.
⚠ Be careful when editing or deleting files here!
18. Move Files Instead of Copying Them
When you copy-paste a file, macOS creates a duplicate.
Hold Option while pasting, and it will move the file instead—without making a copy.
19. Control How Apps Reopen After Quitting
Normally, quitting an app saves your open windows.
Hold Option while quitting, and macOS will force-close everything so they don’t reopen next time.
Want to reverse this?
Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Close Windows when Quitting an App. If it’s off, holding Option will do the opposite and keep your windows saved.
20. Restart or Shut Down Without a Confirmation Prompt
Click the Apple Menu, hold Option, and you can shut down or restart immediately—skipping the “Are you sure?” popup.
21. Open Quick Look in Fullscreen
Hitting Spacebar opens Quick Look. But if you hold Option while pressing Spacebar, it launches in fullscreen slideshow mode.
Final Thoughts: The Mac’s Best-Kept Secret
The Option key might be one of the most powerful (yet overlooked) buttons on a Mac. It’s packed with hidden features that can speed up your workflow, reveal extra options, and unlock shortcuts that Apple doesn’t always advertise.
Were there any tricks here you didn’t know about? Which ones are you going to start using? Let me know in the comments!
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