The Finder’s File menu on the left, and with the Option key pressed on the right What if you have a number of open Finder windows and you want to close them all, simultaneously? Do you just go to the trouble of clicking the close bubble for each and every window? Do you press Command-W for each window? Or, do you go to the File menu and select Close Window? Here’s an example: a common method of closing an open Finder window is to use a Command-W keyboard shortcut. But, did you know that opening a menu while pressing the Option key will reveal otherwise hidden, alternate commands? We’re all familiar with the Finder menus and the list of commands each one offers us. Secret Alternate Menu Commands With the Option Key They are also used to help you generate special symbols, alternate character sets and diacritical marks (such as the ones found in résumé, señorita and façade).

Modifier keys are used in combination with the regular alpha-numeric keys to provide alternate functionality to keyboard shortcuts. The Option key is adjacent to other modifier keys The Option key is located on either side of the space bar for your convenience. This key is known generically as a “modifier” key, and shares this moniker with the Command (Apple) key, the Control Key, and the Shift key. I'm going to show some of the magical things you can do with it. Mac users are usually pretty familiar with it, so much so that we sometimes take it for granted. The venerable Mac Option Key has been around since the Apple Macintosh first appeared way back in 1984.

The option button on keyboard