The Tips - Mac Kung Fu - page 269

anywhere you'd like on your hard disk, although not on your desktop—when
the icons get hidden, you won't be able to access the app again to unhide
them unless you use Finder.
Tip 244
Get Quick Access to System Preferences
Here's a way to get quick access to system configuration tools.
Right-Clicking the Dock Icon
If you keep the System Preferences icon in the Dock, simply right-click it and
select the preference you want from the list that appears. This will start System
Preferences with that particular option open.
If the System Preferences window is open, you can also click and hold the
Show All button at the top left to see this list and select an entry from it.
Using Spotlight
If you can remember the name of the various System Preference panes
(Desktop & Screen Saver, Energy Saver, Network, and so on), then you can
access them ultra-quickly using Spotlight. Just hit COMMAND + SPACE to open
Spotlight's text field, and then type the name of what you want. Before you've
finished typing, you should see it appear near the top of the list of results, if
not at the top. Simply select it to start System Preferences with that particular
pane viewable.
Using Hotkeys
If your Mac's keyboard has hotkeys at the top for changing the volume or
brightness or for activating Mission Control, you can quickly access the
associated pane of System Preferences by holding OPTION before hitting the
shortcut key.
For example, holding down OPTION and hitting the volume increase button will
open the Sound pane of System Preferences. Holding down OPTION and hitting
the Mission Control hotkey will open the Mission Control pane of System
Preferences. Hitting OPTION and the keyboard brightness hotkeys opens the
Keyboard pane of System Preferences.