OS X | How to Sleep, Restart, and Shutdown the Computer Using Only Keyboard Shortcuts

This tutorial is a supplement to my youtube tutorial video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXRlA-BoPh8

Today I'm going to show you how to Sleep, Restart, and Shutdown an Apple computer using only Keyboard shortcuts. I'm a keystroke person and I like to use the mouse as little as possible.

This tutorial will work with all versions of the Apple OS X operating system.  In the video I use Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8.2).  On my desktop at home, I use Lion (OS X 10.7.6).

    

For Windows computer this has always been a standard function.

1. “Windows Key”
2. Press the “Up” key
3. Choose “Shutdown”
4. A window pops up with the options, Hibernate, Sleep, Restart, Shutdown.
5. Use the “Arrow” keys to scroll through them.
6. Hit “Enter” and the task is complete.

And not once will it be necessary for your hands to touch the mouse.

It's always been that way with a Windows computer, but Macintosh's have always seemed to be lacking in the area of eay keyboard shortcuts. And as they've come out with further incarnations of the OS X operating system, the keystroke shortcuts seem to be hidden more and more.

When you use your mouse to either Sleep, Restart, or Shutdown your computer:

1. Go to the “Apple” menu
2. Drag the mouse down and choose either, Sleep, Restart or Shutdown from the list.
3. After choosing an option, click either “Cancel” or “Sleep / Restart / Shut Down” and the task will be completed.

Note:

By using the mouse, you have the option to cancel out of the task.

There are no diagrams on the menu for these three tasks (like there are with other tasks).

Now the one key that is The KEY to all three of these commands is the “Eject” key (usually located at the far upper right of the Apple keyboard).

Sleep

Option – Command – Eject

Restart

Control – Command – Eject

Shutdown

Control – Option – Command – Eject

!WARNING!

When you choose one of the tasks, you DO have the option to cancel. But be aware that when you use the keyboard shortcuts I'm about to show you, “Cancel” is no longer an option.