How do I select what I toggle to in OS X's pop-up windows?

August 28, 2009 6:39 PM

Mac OS X Filter: In Finder, when a pop-up menu shows up, say to empty the trash or cancel, I toggle through the buttons/options by pressing tab, but how do I actually select what I toggled to with a keyboard shortcut? '
posted by helios410 to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Spacebar, I think?
posted by theredpen at 6:42 PM on August 28

command o
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:04 PM on August 28

Sorry, jumped the gun without reading properly.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:12 PM on August 28

To clarify:

Spacebar will select whichever button has the blue outline around it.

Return will select whichever button is entirely blue (the default button).

CMD-. (command-period) is Cancel.
posted by bengarland at 7:29 PM on August 28

Full Keyboard Access shortcuts. Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.
posted by hattifattener at 10:37 PM on August 28 [1 favorite]

Escape is almost always cancel, too.
posted by rokusan at 2:41 AM on August 29

(Sound of slapping head)…man, I've been using Macs for over twenty years and never knew about the spacebar thing. Thanks for asking this, and thanks, everyone, for the answers.
posted by dinger at 4:31 AM on August 30