Tip: Pressing Ctrl + Shift + L (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + L (macOS) at any time displays a list of the most important currently valid keyboard shortcuts in the Notes Client – perfect as a cheat sheet right inside the client.
The HCL Notes Client offers numerous keyboard shortcuts that can significantly speed up daily work. The following tables summarize the most important hotkeys grouped by area of use and show – where relevant – the differences between Windows and macOS.
General notes about hotkeys on macOS
- The Ctrl key on Windows usually corresponds to the Cmd key (⌘) on macOS.
- The Alt key on Windows usually corresponds to the Option key (⌥) on macOS.
- Function keys (F1–F15) on macOS are by default often assigned to system functions (brightness, volume, etc.). For example, to make F9 refresh the view, you must either additionally press the fn key (i.e. fn + F9) or enable the option “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” in the macOS system settings.
- Some shortcuts (e.g. Ctrl + R to reply, Ctrl + 1/2/3 for Mail/Calendar/Contacts) are only active if the option “Enable alternate keyboard shortcuts” is turned on in the Notes preferences under File → Preferences → Notes Client Basic Configuration.
- For the so-called extended accelerator keys (access to the Open button, sidebar, action buttons), the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (macOS) must be pressed and held.
General navigation & windows
Action | Windows | macOS |
Display list of available shortcuts | Ctrl + Shift + L | Cmd + Shift + L |
Switch between open Notes windows/tabs | Ctrl + Tab | Within Notes via Ctrl + Tab |
Close current tab / current document | Ctrl + W or Esc | Cmd + W or Esc |
Open application/database | Ctrl + O | Cmd + O |
Create new application | Ctrl + N | Cmd + N |
Open a website (URL entry) | Ctrl + L, URL, Enter | Cmd + L, URL, Return |
Cancel the current operation | Esc | Cmd + . (period) |
Minimize Notes window | Alt + F9 | Cmd + M |
Restore minimized Notes windows | Ctrl + F9 | – |
Open menus (accelerator) | Alt + underlined letter (e.g. Alt + F = File) | Ctrl + F2, then letter (macOS menu bar) |
Action buttons of the view / form | Alt + 1 … Alt + 9 | Option + 1 … Option + 9 |
Mail, calendar & contacts (alternate shortcuts)
The following combinations require the option “Enable alternate keyboard shortcuts” in the Notes preferences.
Action | Windows | macOS |
Open Mail (from anywhere) | Ctrl + 1 | Cmd + 1 |
Open Calendar | Ctrl + 2 | Cmd + 2 |
Open Contacts | Ctrl + 3 | Cmd + 3 |
Create new mail (memo) | Ctrl + M | Cmd + M (if enabled) |
Reply | Ctrl + R | Cmd + R |
Reply to all | Ctrl + Shift + R | Cmd + Shift + R |
Forward | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F (depending on context; otherwise via menu) |
Send mail | Ctrl + Enter (in the memo) | Cmd + Return (in the memo) |
Views, folders & documents
Action | Windows | macOS |
Refresh view / document / workspace | F9 | Option + F9 (or fn + F9) |
Refresh all views of the current application | Ctrl + Shift + F9 | Cmd + Shift + F9 |
Rebuild view (Manager access required) | Shift + F9 | Shift + F9 |
Open document | Enter | Return |
Next unread document | F4 or Tab | F4 or Tab |
Next selected document | F3 | F3 |
Expand/collapse category / folder | Enter or + / − | Return or + / − |
Expand all categories | Shift + * | Shift + * |
Collapse all categories | Shift + − | Shift + − |
Delete document (move to trash) | Del | Delete |
Mark document as read / unread | Insert or Shift + Insert | Option + Insert (or via menu) |
Search & find
Action | Windows | macOS |
Show / focus view search bar | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F |
Return to the view from the search bar | F6 | F6 |
Find in document (edit mode) | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F |
Find & replace in document | Ctrl + Shift + F | Cmd + Shift + F |
Editing: text & objects
Action | Windows | macOS |
Switch document to edit mode | Ctrl + E | Cmd + E |
Select all | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A |
Cut | Ctrl + X or F2 | Cmd + X or F2 |
Copy | Ctrl + C or F3 | Cmd + C or F3 |
Paste | Ctrl + V or F4 | Cmd + V or F4 |
Paste special (selective) | Ctrl + Alt + V | Cmd + Option + V |
Paste as unformatted text | Ctrl + Shift + V | Cmd + Shift + V |
Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
Move line/entry up in list/table | Ctrl + ↑ | Cmd + ↑ |
Move line/entry down in list/table | Ctrl + ↓ | Cmd + ↓ |
Text selection & cursor navigation
Action | Windows | macOS |
Select character to the left/right | Shift + ← / → | Shift + ← / → |
Select word to the left/right | Ctrl + Shift + ← / → | Cmd + Shift + ← / → (or Option + Shift + ← / →) |
Select to beginning/end of line | Shift + Home / End | Shift + Home / End (or Cmd + Shift + ← / →) |
Jump to previous/next word | Ctrl + ← / → | Option + ← / → |
Jump to beginning/end of document | Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End | Cmd + ↑ / Cmd + ↓ |
Text formatting
Action | Windows | macOS |
Bold | Ctrl + B | Cmd + B |
Italic | Ctrl + I | Cmd + I |
Underline | Ctrl + U | Cmd + U |
Open text properties | Ctrl + K | Cmd + K |
Remove formatting (Permanent Pen off / reset styles) | Ctrl + T | Cmd + T |
Spell check | F7 | F7 (or fn + F7) |
Properties box
Action | Windows | macOS |
Show/hide (toggle) properties box | Alt + Enter | Option + Return |
Switch between tabs of the properties box | Ctrl + Tab / Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Cmd + Tab / Cmd + Shift + Tab (within the box) |
Close properties box | Esc | Esc |
Workspace & bookmarks
Action | Windows | macOS |
Switch between workspace tabs/icons | Arrow keys | Arrow keys |
Open workspace icon | Enter | Return |
Move workspace icon (drag & drop via keyboard) | Shift + Ctrl + arrow keys, then Enter/Esc | Shift + Cmd + arrow keys, then Return/Esc |
Replicator: previous entry | ↑ | ↑ |
Switch between window panes / frames | F6 / Shift + F6 | F6 / Shift + F6 |
Useful special shortcuts
Action | Windows | macOS |
Display overview of all valid shortcuts | Ctrl + Shift + L | Cmd + Shift + L |
Extended accelerator keys (Open button, sidebar, action buttons) | Hold Alt | Hold Option |
Run smart icon | Alt + digit (of the smart icon) | Option + digit |
Open Help | F1 | Cmd + ? (or fn + F1) |
Quit Notes | Alt + F4 | Cmd + Q |
Tips from practice
- Shortcut list always at hand: With Ctrl + Shift + L / Cmd + Shift + L, the client shows a context-sensitive list – often faster than an online search.
- Menus as a shortcut cheat sheet: Most Notes menus display the valid keyboard shortcut directly next to the menu item. A quick look into File, Edit, View or Actions reveals many useful shortcuts.
- Enable alternate shortcuts: Anyone who works intensively with mail should enable the option “Enable alternate keyboard shortcuts” in the preferences, in order to use, for example, Ctrl + R for replying and Ctrl + 1/2/3 for Mail/Calendar/Contacts.
- macOS function keys: So that F9, F7 & co. work without having to press fn, enable the option “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” in the macOS system settings under Keyboard.
- Trigger actions via keyboard: In views and forms, action buttons can be invoked lightning fast via Alt + 1…9 (Windows) or Option + 1…9 (macOS) – ideal for recurring workflows.
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