Here are a handful of handy keyboard shortcuts you can use to adjust the formatting of highlighted text in built-in OS X apps like TextEdit or Stickies. Some of the shortcuts will also work in apps like Notes and in new Mail win- dows. If used without any text being highlighted, the shortcuts will alter the formatting of text typed from that point onward. Note that these will work only if you’re editing a rich-text document in TextEdit—you can switch between plain-text and rich-text modes on the Format menu, or you can hit Shift+Command+ T . (Not included in the list are Command+ B , Command+ U , and Command+ I to activate bold, underline, and italics, which I assume you already know!)
Command+ T
Open the Text palette, where you can choose fonts, sizes, colors, and so on. Click and drag down the
small ball at the top of the palette to open a preview area, showing what the font looks like.
Command + + (plus)
Make text bigger.
Command + - (minus)
Make Text smaller
Option+Command+ [
Tighten text spacing (that is, kerning—the space between letters).
Option + Command+ ]
Loosen text spacing (kerning).
Command + {
Align text left.
Command + | (pipe symbol)
Center text on page.
Command + }
Align text right.
Option+Command+ T
Show the special Characters palette, where you can choose from a variety of symbols and foreign char- acters.
Shift+Command+ C
Show the Colors palette, which allows you to change the text color
