Escape

⎋

Unicode U+238B

958 glyph in the Character pallet.

ASCII code 27

The Escape (esc) key, upper left corner,

is for escaping.

Stop, Pause, Wait, Cancel, Abort

Leave this mode.

“We can escape the commonplace only by manipulating it, controlling it, thrusting it into our dreams or surrendering it to the free play of our subjectivity.”

-- Raoul Vaneigem

Here are some of the things you can

Stop, Pause, Wait, Cancel, Abort or Escape with the Escape key:

Exit full screen :

This works with QuickTime, Quick Look, Powerpoint and your browser's Flash video

Command-Tab evokes the app switcher (mini dock) with icons for all the running applications.

With Command held down, each Tab moves one icon to the right.

Keep the Command key down and tap the Tilde to move an icon to the left.

Command still down, the esc returns you to the app where you started.

“We feel free when we escape - even if it be but from the frying pan to the fire.”

-- Eric Hoffer

Command-Option-esc to Force Quit a running or unresponsive app.

Escape will erase what is typed in the Spotlight search field, then to close the field.

This works to clear and/or exit Command-F in a browser, Address Book, Mail, iTunes, smart folder or just about any Find field.

Escape clears the google search box in Safari.

Tap the Escape key in Safari or Firefox and the cursor disappears until you move the mouse.

“We're so trendy we can't even escape ourselves.”

-- Kurt Cobain

Abort dragging a tab to create a window in safari in mid drag with esc.

Command-esc enters Font Row ... esc exits

“This is a  new brig, Captain.  It is escape-proof.”

--Spock

If you have typed Command-Shift-4 to drag a screen capture,

esc returns you to a normal cursor without capturing.

In any dialog box esc = cancel

“Is not this the true romantic feeling - not to desire to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping you?”

-- Tom Wolfe

In most any word processor, esc offers to complete the word you are typing

from a pop up list of possibilities.

In an application's About menu, esc will close the window.

The Escape key stops a safari page from loading in mid load.

“It is not possible either to trick or escape the mind of Zeus.”

-- Hesiod

On my laptop a password is required to wake it up.

Escape dismisses the password dialog box and puts it back to sleep.

When dragging an icon in the Finder, esc aborts the drag

and puts the icon back where it started.

Esc exits the Edit mode in Address book.

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

-- Abraham Lincoln

In most computer games Escape to pause.

Generally speaking, if some operation is not over yet the esc key aborts it.

Do not hope to Escape the inevitable

because it is inevitable that you Escape.