The Inconsistency of Command-K

Across macOS, there’s reliability amongst its keyboard shortcuts.  No matter the context, type a combo and it functions the same:

• Command-S (⌘-S) means Save
• Command-Z (⌘-Z) means Undo
• Command-A (⌘-A) means Select All.

And so forth.

But there’s one combo that is all over the place: Command-K (⌘-K).

Apocryphally, most of the Macintosh keyboard shortcuts date back to the original 1984 Macintosh or beyond (remember the "open Apple" and "closed Apple" days?). Command-K wasn't reserved by the system, so applications were free to take advantage for their own means.

Decades later, Command-K is typically used to create hyperlinks. But don't be surprised if you find it instead invokes a search window. Or pulls up a piano! It's the Choose Your Own Adventure of keyboard shortcuts!

I went thru all MacBook Pro, iPad, and web apps to see how they responded to Command-K. The irrational results are below. Bold application names represent native Apple applications, while highlights are results that match the most-popular hyperlinking pattern.