Change an app shortcut and keep a way to undo it

01Choose one app menu command

Apple provides a way to create shortcuts for app menu commands. That does not cover every hidden command or internal action an app offers.

Pick an action you understand and use regularly. Read its exact menu title and identify its application. Prefer an app-specific change for an app-specific problem instead of changing a system-wide binding that may affect other work.

02Record, change and test

1. Write down the current binding, or note that none is assigned. Record the exact app and the new combination you want to use.
2. Make that single change through the documented settings. Inspect the app menu, then try the command on disposable material. If it does not work as expected, restore the previous setting before trying another idea. Several simultaneous changes make the cause of a conflict harder to identify.

03Check for other effects

Test the surrounding workflow as well as the changed action. The combination may already belong to macOS, another utility or a command that only applies in a certain context.

Keyboard layout and exact menu wording matter. An unusual-looking key combination is not automatically unused. Keep your rollback note until the change is working reliably, and avoid destructive commands while learning a new assignment.