QuickTip: Show the Desktop
Today’s QuickTip is extremely useful when you have to get to your Desktop quickly and easily.
There are two ways to move all of your open folders and applications out of the way temporarily (see the photo above) to show your Desktop:
- /Users/john/Desktop/quicktip_showdesktop.png
- Press Command + F3 or
- Swipe up on your trackpad with four fingers (should work for MacBooks MacBook Pros running Leopard or later)
On older Macs, the F11 key should do this for you (thanks to Ansel for the tip!).
This is really helpful for going to your Desktop and dragging an image file into an open document window. All you have to do is do the four-finger swipe up or the Option + F3 keystroke, start dragging an item, do the swipe or keystroke again, and you have your Desktop item right where you want it!
It’s Command F3. Option F3 opens exposé preferences. Also, if you have an old-style keyboard (or the function keys option disabled), reveal desktop is mapped by default to F11.
You’re absolutely right! Thanks for catching that slip-up and for keeping users of older Macs in mind.