Keyboard shortcut for "GO to Desktop"

Question

Level 1

78 points

Keyboard shortcut for "GO to Desktop"

I've been searching all morning and can't find the answer here, so I'll pose the question.

I have a new iMac 21.5" with the short wireless bluetooth keyboard. What is the keyboard shortcut so I can hide all open windows and applications and go to my desktop?

Thanks

iMac 3.06 Ghz Intel duo core, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 16, 2010 7:07 AM

Reply

Answer 1

kguy

Level 2

420 points

Jan 16, 2010 7:19 AM in response to WildBull

Hi- There is no longer a dedicated key on your keyboard to do that. However, follow these steps to make one...

Click on System Preferences, Keyboard, and then choose Keyboard Shortcuts tab. In the lefthand column, select Expose & Spaces On the right, you will see that Expose has several shortcut key options. Make sure that the checkbox for Desktop is filled in, and double click it, and press the keyboard key you would like to activate it. If I may suggest, F5 or F6 are good choices.

That is it! You are good to go.

Reply

Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

91,672 points

Jan 16, 2010 8:11 AM in response to WildBull

Hi WildBull

Unless you have changed it to something else, F11 is the default key for Show Desktop in Exposé

Dennis

Reply

Answer 3

T0cha_PT

Level 1

0 points

Jan 16, 2010 8:20 AM in response to WildBull

Tks for the infomartion 🙂

Reply

Answer 4

WildBull Author

Level 1

78 points

Jan 16, 2010 12:29 PM in response to kguy

This solution did not work. WHen I double click the desktop check box or text it does not give me the option to assign my own shortcut for the desktop. It says by default F11 is for the desktop, but on this particular keyboard hitting the F11 key increases the volume only.

Reply

Answer 5

jshetley

Level 1

20 points

Jan 16, 2010 6:45 PM in response to WildBull

Same for me on the wireless keyboard. So go to System Preferences, Expose and just select the drop-down arrow in the Show Desktop box and select f5 or f6. It worked for me just fine.

Reply

Answer 6

WildBull Author

Level 1

78 points

Jan 17, 2010 7:45 AM in response to jshetley

The Desktop check box already has F11 assigned by default. But when I press F11 the only thing it does is change the system volume. The instructions say, "To change a shortcut, double-click the shortcut and hold down the new keys". This does nothing. I double clicked the shortcut and hold down the F5 key but nothing changes.

Reply

Answer 7

jshetley

Level 1

20 points

Jan 17, 2010 8:36 AM in response to WildBull

Yes - you went to System Preferences and Keyboard. *Don't go there.* Go to System Preferences - then Expose. It is in the top row Personal. From there you get a drop down box for the keyboard shortcut. You can change it there - it works.

Reply

Answer 8

WildBull Author

Level 1

78 points

Jan 18, 2010 4:46 PM in response to jshetley

Oops. Cool. That worked. Doh.

Thanks

Reply

Answer 9

Ariel74

Level 1

15 points

Jan 18, 2010 6:48 PM in response to WildBull

The solution posted by den.thed works but you need to mark the check box in Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard tab > "Use function keys (F1, F2, etc) as standard function keys".

Or you could achieve the same by using fn + F11.

Reply