How to open any app with a keyboard shortcut on a Mac

Spotlight opens any app in three keys, and the Shortcuts app can give your favourites a key of their own. Both ways, step by step, with no extra software.

Guide · Updated 22 October 2026

What is the fastest way to open an app with the keyboard?

Press ⌘ Space to open Spotlight, type the first letters of the app, and press Return. Spotlight learns: after a few days, sa picks Safari and te picks Terminal, whichever you use most.

How do I give an app its own shortcut?

  1. Open the Shortcuts app and make a new shortcut.
  2. Add the Open App action and choose the app.
  3. Open the shortcut's details and add a keyboard shortcut, such as ⌃ ⌥ ⌘ S.
  4. Press those keys from any app to open it, or bring it to the front if it is already open.

Pick keys no app uses, which is why three modifiers together work well. More in run a shortcut with a key.

Can I open Dock apps by keyboard?

Yes. Press ⌃ F3 (with fn on most laptops) to move focus to the Dock, use the arrow keys, then Return. It is slower than Spotlight but needs no typing.

What if Spotlight does not find the app?

See Spotlight not working. Usually the app is outside the Applications folder, or Spotlight's index needs rebuilding.

Once an app is open, find its window: switch between windows. With ClutterFreeMac, every action and saved layout also has a clutterfreemac:// link that Shortcuts can open.

Checked on 22 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1) running macOS 27.0.1: Show Spotlight search and Move focus to the Dock were read from System Settings, Keyboard Shortcuts.

Questions

How do I open an app with the keyboard on a Mac?

Press Command Space, type the app's name, and press Return.

Can I assign a keyboard shortcut to open an app on Mac?

Yes. Make a shortcut in the Shortcuts app with the Open App action and add a keyboard shortcut to it.

How do I open the Dock with the keyboard?

Press Control F3, or fn Control F3 on most laptops.

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