How to View Safari Shortcuts on iPad Magic Keyboard

Using an Apple Magic Keyboard with an iPad transforms the tablet into a productivity powerhouse, especially when browsing the web. While memorizing every command can be difficult, iPadOS includes a built-in cheat sheet that displays every available keyboard shortcut for your current app. This article explains how to quickly summon the complete overlay of keyboard shortcuts inside the Safari web browser using a single key press.

To view the complete list of Safari keyboard shortcuts, follow these simple steps:

  1. Attach your iPad to the Magic Keyboard.
  2. Open the Safari app so that it is the active window on your screen.
  3. Press and hold the Command (⌘) key on your Magic Keyboard for about two seconds.

Once you hold the key down, a translucent overlay window will appear in the center of your iPad screen. This overlay displays a comprehensive list of shortcuts specific to Safari, organized into logical categories such as File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks, and Window.

Because Safari has a vast number of available commands, the shortcuts are spread across multiple pages within this pop-up menu. You can navigate through the complete overlay in the following ways:

  • Swipe: Use two fingers on the Magic Keyboard trackpad (or one finger on the iPad screen) to swipe left and right between the pages of shortcuts.
  • Search: Click or tap the search bar at the top of the overlay and type a keyword (such as "Tab" or "Bookmark") to instantly filter the list and find the exact shortcut you need.
  • Click to Execute: You can actually click or tap on any shortcut listed in the overlay to immediately perform that action.

As an alternative method, you can also press and hold the Globe key (located in the bottom-left corner of the Magic Keyboard). Doing this brings up the exact same overlay, though it also includes a few extra system-wide iPadOS shortcuts alongside the Safari-specific commands.

To close the shortcut overlay and return to your web browsing, simply tap anywhere on the screen outside of the overlay window, or press the Command (⌘) key once more.