MacBook user using shortcut to show the desktop on Mac
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If you store work files on your desktop, y'all might be minimizing windows to view the desktop. Or you might want to view the desktop to quickly hide an app window. Here's how to quickly bear witness your desktop on Mac.

Use a Keyboard or Mouse Shortcut

The quickest way to view the desktop (without setting upward a new feature) is to employ a keyboard shortcut. At that place are, in fact, several ways that you can do this:

  • Command+F3: Use the Command+F3 (Mission Command) keyboard shortcut to quickly view the desktop. This shortcut works on most modern Macs.
  • Fn+F11: If yous take an older Mac, or if you're using a keyboard that doesn't have the media keys, y'all can use the F11 or the Fn+F11 keyboard combination to reveal the desktop.

You can besides create your ain shortcut (using the keyboard or the mouse) to reveal the desktop. To practice this, click the "Apple" logo constitute in the top-left corner of the screen and then select the "System Preferences" selection.

Here, click the "Mission Control" pick.

Now, you'll run across two drop-down menus next to the "Bear witness Desktop" option. From the one on the left, yous can assign a keyboard shortcut, and from the second, y'all tin cull a mouse shortcut.

You tin cull from the function keys, and the Shift, Command, Selection, and Control keys. Take a wait at a key that you lot don't use frequently. For us, choosing the Right Choice key made sense because we rarely use it.

Change Keyboard shortcut for Show Desktop feature

If you're using a mouse with extra buttons, you can besides assign it to show the desktop.

Assign a Hot Corner

You might not know this, but there'southward a hidden feature in your Mac called Hot Corners. It basically lets you perform deportment just by wedging the cursor at one of the four corners of the screen.

RELATED: How to Create Time-Saving "Hot Corner" Shortcuts on Your Mac

For instance, y'all tin open up the Notification Eye, Mission Control, and yes, bear witness the desktop by moving the cursor to one of the edges of the screen.

You'll find this characteristic by going to Arrangement Preferences > Mission Control. Here, click the "Hot Corners" push button found in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

Now, click the drop-downwards next to one of the edges (we went with the tiptop-left corner) and choose the "Desktop" option. Then click the "OK" push button to save the changes.

Choose Desktop from Hot Corners

Going forwards, when you movement your cursor to the top-left corner of the screen, your Mac will instantly movement the windows away and show the desktop. To hide it, jam the cursor to the same edge once more.

Utilize the Trackpad Gesture

If you're using a MacBook with a trackpad (or if you're using a Magic Trackpad), you tin can speedily testify the desktop using a simple gesture.

RELATED: How to Use Your Macbook's Trackpad Gestures

Just spread your thumb away from iii fingers on the trackpad to reveal the desktop. Pinch in with your pollex and three fingers to hide the desktop.

Trackpad gesture for showing desktop on Mac
Apple tree

The gesture is enabled by default on all Macs, only if it's not working for you, get to System Preferences > Trackpad > More than Gestures and here, brand sure that the "Show Desktop" choice is checked.

Make Sure Show Desktop trackpad gesture is enabled

Next step? Learn how the multiple desktops characteristic can help increment your productivity on your Mac.

RELATED: Mission Command 101: How to Utilize Multiple Desktops on a Mac