What Is a Hotkey? Quick Keyboard Shortcuts Explained

If you regularly reach for your mouse to copy text, switch apps, save a file, or take a screenshot, there is probably a faster way to do it from your keyboard.

That is where hotkeys come in.

A hotkey is a key or combination of keys that performs an action without requiring you to navigate through menus with a mouse. For example, Ctrl + C copies selected content on Windows, while Command + C performs the same basic action on macOS.

Hotkeys are also commonly called keyboard shortcuts. In everyday use, the two terms are often used interchangeably.

You do not need to memorize dozens of shortcuts at once. The most useful approach is to start with a few actions you already repeat every day, make those shortcuts part of your routine, and add more only when they solve a real problem.

What Is a Hotkey?

A hotkey tells your computer or an application to perform a specific action when you press a particular key or key combination.

Common examples include:

• Ctrl + C to copy on Windows

• Ctrl + V to paste on Windows

• Command + Z to undo on macOS

• Alt + Tab to switch between apps on Windows

• Command + Space to open Spotlight on macOS

Instead of moving your pointer to a menu, finding the correct command, and clicking it, you can perform the same action directly from the keyboard.

That is why hotkeys are particularly useful for actions you repeat frequently.

The important question is not:

“How many keyboard shortcuts do I know?”

It is:

“Which repeated actions can I perform more easily from the keyboard?”

How Do You Use a Hotkey?

Keyboard shortcut notation can look confusing when you first see it.

For example:

Ctrl + C

does not mean you need to press the plus key.

It means:

1. Hold Ctrl.

2. Press C.

3. Release the keys.

The same idea applies when a shortcut contains three keys.

For example:

Ctrl + Shift + S

means holding Ctrl and Shift while pressing S.

Common modifier keys

Most keyboard shortcuts use one or more modifier keys.

Key	Common Role
Ctrl	Common shortcut modifier on Windows
Command (⌘)	Common shortcut modifier on macOS
Alt	Used for additional Windows commands and navigation
Option (⌥)	macOS modifier for alternate commands
Shift	Modifies or extends another shortcut
Windows key	Accesses Windows and system-level functions
Fn	Usually accesses secondary functions built into the keyboard

Fn deserves special attention.

Ctrl, Command, Alt, and Shift are commonly used by operating systems and applications to recognize shortcuts. Fn is often handled at the keyboard level instead.

That is why Fn + key combinations can behave differently from one keyboard model to another.

Which Hotkeys Should Beginners Learn First?

Do not start by trying to memorize a list of 50 or 100 shortcuts.

Start with commands you already use every day.

Essential editing shortcuts

Action	Windows	macOS
Copy	Ctrl + C	Command + C
Paste	Ctrl + V	Command + V
Cut	Ctrl + X	Command + X
Undo	Ctrl + Z	Command + Z
Redo	Ctrl + Y*	Command + Shift + Z*
Save	Ctrl + S	Command + S
Select all	Ctrl + A	Command + A
Find	Ctrl + F	Command + F

*The exact Redo shortcut can vary by application.

If you only want to learn five shortcuts initially, start with:

Copy, Paste, Undo, Save, and Find.

They apply to a large number of everyday workflows and are easier to turn into habits because you already perform these actions frequently.

Useful navigation shortcuts

Once the basics feel natural, learn shortcuts that reduce how often you move your hand between the keyboard and mouse.

Action	Windows	macOS
Switch apps	Alt + Tab	Command + Tab
Close current tab/window	Ctrl + W / Alt + F4	Command + W
Search	Windows key	Command + Space
Screenshot	Windows + Shift + S	Command + Shift + 4

Exact behavior can vary between applications, so treat these as a practical starting point rather than a universal shortcut list.

Do Hotkeys Work the Same on Windows and Mac?

Not always.

One of the biggest differences is the main modifier key used for common commands.

Windows commonly uses:

Ctrl

macOS commonly uses:

Command

For example:

Ctrl + C on Windows

usually corresponds to:

Command + C on macOS.

The same pattern applies to familiar actions such as Paste, Save, Undo, Select All, and Find.

System-level shortcuts can differ more significantly. Screenshots, search, window management, and application switching often use different combinations.

What about a keyboard used with both Windows and Mac?

This is where the physical keyboard becomes part of the shortcut experience.

The operating system determines what a shortcut means, but the keyboard determines where those modifier keys and secondary functions are located under your fingers.

That is one reason we design keyboards such as the Air75 V3 with both Windows and macOS workflows in mind. Its 75% layout retains a dedicated function row while keeping the board compact, and its system-oriented key functions are designed to make common commands easier to reach across different operating systems.

The goal is not to invent a new set of shortcuts.

It is to make the shortcuts your computer already uses easier to access from the keyboard.

From a keyboard-design perspective, shortcut usability depends on three things working together:

the physical key position, the current key mapping, and the operating system.

Why Isn't My Hotkey Working?

You may learn a shortcut, press it exactly as shown, and get no response.

That does not necessarily mean there is something wrong with your keyboard.

Here are the most common reasons.

1. You are using the shortcut for another operating system

A common example is trying to use Ctrl + C on macOS when the application expects Command + C.

Always check whether the shortcut guide is written for Windows or Mac.

2. The shortcut is application-specific

Not every app uses the same commands.

A shortcut that works in a browser may behave differently in an editing, design, development, or gaming application.

If a shortcut works in one app but not another, check that application's shortcut settings.

3. Another command is using the same shortcut

Operating systems, applications, and utilities can sometimes assign different functions to the same key combination.

This becomes especially important after you start customizing shortcuts.

4. The key is on another keyboard layer

Compact keyboards often place less frequently used functions on a secondary layer.

This means a function may still exist even when there is no dedicated physical key for it.

For example, you might hold Fn while pressing another key to access Home, End, media controls, or another secondary function.

5. The key has been remapped

If you have customized your keyboard, the symbol printed on the keycap may no longer represent the exact input being sent.

This is why it helps to understand the difference between hotkeys, layers, remapping, and macros.

Hotkey vs. Fn Shortcut vs. Remap vs. Macro vs. Layer

These terms are related, but they are not the same thing.

Feature	What It Does
Hotkey / Keyboard Shortcut	A key or combination triggers a command in an OS or application
Fn Shortcut	Accesses a secondary function built into the keyboard
Remap	Changes what a physical key sends
Macro	Triggers a sequence of keystrokes or actions
Layer	Gives the same physical keys another set of functions

Hotkey

A hotkey such as Ctrl + S relies on the operating system or application recognizing that combination as a Save command.

Fn shortcut

An Fn shortcut generally operates closer to the keyboard level.

For example, a key might perform a media-control function normally and send F5 when used with Fn, or the reverse.

The exact implementation varies by keyboard.

Remap

Remapping changes what a physical key sends.

If there is a key you rarely use but another command you constantly reach for, remapping can place that function in a more convenient position.

Macro

A macro can trigger several keystrokes or actions from one input.

That makes macros useful for certain repetitive workflows, although application and game rules should always be considered before using automated sequences.

Layer

A layer gives the same physical keyboard another set of functions.

This is particularly useful on compact layouts.

For example, a 65% keyboard such as the Air65 V3 prioritizes a smaller footprint, while a 75% keyboard such as the Air75 V3 keeps more dedicated keys, including the function row.

A smaller layout does not necessarily mean the missing functions disappear.

A compact keyboard removes dedicated physical keys, not necessarily their functions.

Layers allow commonly needed functions to remain accessible without making the keyboard larger.

Can You Customize Hotkeys on Your Keyboard?

Often, yes.

But it helps to distinguish between two types of customization.

The first happens inside your operating system or application.

An app may allow you to change which keyboard shortcut triggers a particular command.

The second happens at the keyboard level.

On supported NuPhy keyboards, key assignments and macros can be customized using the configuration solution supported by that model. Current models such as the Air V3 Series use NuPhy IO, while some other generations and models may use VIA/QMK.

Keyboard-level customization does not necessarily change the command itself.

It changes how you reach that command.

Example: making a frequent shortcut easier to reach

Suppose you take screenshots dozens of times every day.

On Windows, one common shortcut is:

Windows + Shift + S

If that combination feels inconvenient for something you use constantly, a configurable keyboard can potentially let you assign the necessary input to a position that is easier for you to reach.

On a keyboard such as the Air75 V3, you also retain a dedicated function row within a compact layout, while supported key customization through NuPhy IO gives you additional control over where frequently used functions live.

The point is not to remap every key.

It is to identify actions you genuinely repeat and customize only when the default combination gets in your way.

That is where keyboard customization becomes useful rather than simply decorative.

How Should You Start Learning Hotkeys?

Do not begin with a giant shortcut cheat sheet.

Instead, watch how you use your computer for one day.

Pay attention whenever your hand leaves the keyboard to perform something repetitive with the mouse.

Maybe you repeatedly:

• copy and paste text;

• undo changes;

• save documents;

• search a page;

• switch applications;

• close tabs;

• take screenshots.

Choose three of those actions.

Learn their keyboard shortcuts and deliberately use them for several days.

Once you stop having to think about the combination, add another.

Start with editing

Learn Copy, Paste, Undo, Save, and Find.

Then improve navigation

Add application switching, tab management, search, and screenshots.

Next, learn shortcuts specific to your work

A writer, designer, programmer, spreadsheet user, and gamer will eventually use very different combinations.

There is no reason to memorize shortcuts you never need.

Customize only after the habit exists

Once you know which shortcuts are genuinely important to your workflow, then consider whether a layer, remap, or macro could make them easier to reach.

That order matters.

Learn the action first. Customize the keyboard second.

Final Thoughts

A hotkey is simply a quicker way to tell your computer what you want it to do.

You do not need to know hundreds of shortcuts to benefit from them.

Start with the actions you already repeat every day. Learn how modifier keys work. Gradually replace unnecessary mouse movements with shortcuts that are genuinely useful to you.

As those habits develop, the keyboard itself becomes part of the workflow.

Its layout determines which keys are immediately available. Layers keep secondary functions accessible on compact keyboards. Remapping can move frequently used commands closer to your fingers. And macros can simplify certain repetitive sequences when they are appropriate.

The goal is not to memorize the most shortcuts.

It is to make the actions you perform most often require less thought and less unnecessary movement.

FAQ

Is a hotkey the same as a keyboard shortcut?

Usually, yes. The terms are commonly used interchangeably for keys or key combinations that trigger commands quickly.

What does the plus sign mean in a keyboard shortcut?

It means the keys should be pressed together. For Ctrl + C, hold Ctrl and press C. You do not press the plus key.

Why are hotkeys different on Windows and Mac?

The operating systems use different modifier keys and system commands. Windows commonly uses Ctrl, while macOS commonly uses Command.