How do I minimize all windows at once?

[xi mezmerize ix]

I know I can just move all my windows out of the way by moving 4 fingers up on my trackpad, but how do I minimize all of them at once?

 

[GGJstudios]

F11 (or fn+F11, depending on what option you have selected) to Show Desktop, otherwise known as Hide All. It doesn't really minimize them, though. It moves them all off the screen.

Option+Command+M will minimize all windows of the active application, but not all windows of all applications.

 

[calderone]

F11 (or fn+F11, depending on what option you have selected) to Show Desktop, otherwise known as Hide All.

Which is the same as a four finger swipe up. The OP wants to minimize all windows.

I suppose the easiest way would be command + option + H to "Hide Others" and then command + H to hide the current application.

Command + H may vary by Application, for example Photoshop is control + command + H.

 

[GGJstudios]

Command + H may vary by Application, for example Photoshop is control + command + H.

Yes, Command+H isn't hiding Safari. I haven't tested other apps.

 

[calderone]

Yes, Command+H isn't hiding Safari. I haven't tested other apps.

Works for me.

Have you setup any system wide commands? Those will override the per-application commands. The majority of apps follow the command + H standard.

 

[xi mezmerize ix]

Works for me.

Have you setup any system wide commands? Those will override the defaults. The majority of apps follow the command + H standard.

How do I do that?

 

[GGJstudios]

Works for me.

Have you setup any system wide commands? Those will override the per-application commands. The majority of apps follow the command + H standard.

No system-wide commands. I've modified a few (screen capture) and added a few (Safari and iTunes) but none that would affect Command+H. I'm not worried about it, since I never have need for that, anyway.

How do I do that?

System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts

 

[calderone]

How do I do that?

This was in response to GGJ as command + H wasn't working for him.

You should be able to use those commands.

Command + H to hide the current application

Command + Option + H to hide others

This technically does not minimize the applications, but this is as close as you will get (quickly) as far as I know.

 

[slpdLoad]

How do I do that?

Those were referring to changing the defaults for hiding an app as in the Photoshop discussion. Wouldn't let you minimize all the windows at once as you are looking to do.

Here's a place to start:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060228103054894

 

[wrldwzrd89]

+option+M maybe? +M minimizes the active window... so it only seems logical that adding option would minimize everything. After all, the Close command ( +W ) behaves in this way.

 

[GGJstudios]

+option+M maybe? +M minimizes the active window... so it only seems logical that adding option would minimize everything. After all, the Close command ( +W ) behaves in this way.

No, +option+M minimizes only all the windows of the active application, not all applications.

 

[calderone]

Those were referring to changing the defaults for hiding an app as in the Photoshop discussion. Wouldn't let you minimize all the windows at once as you are looking to do.

Here's a place to start:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060228103054894

This script has a record of not working for some. On my machine, it doesn't do anything.

I wouldn't recommend it. Plus, it is poorly written IMO.

EDIT:
Assuming you have no finder windows open, this will effectively "minimize" all applications.

tell application "Finder"
	tell application "System Events" to key code 4 using {command down, option down}
end tell

Not to deter you from minimizing, but hiding in this case (which is different from expose hiding) is my preferred method. As, after hiding and clicking the application in the dock it restores the windows how you had them.

Attached is a service which you can drop in to your Services folder (~/Library/Services), or the local Services folder (/Library/Services) and be bound to a shortcut in System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services.

EDIT 2:
I just tested this with a menulet I am writing, you can bind this to applications that appear in the menubar only. Such as Quicksilver or iStatMenus. This way, everything would indeed be "minimized."

So something like this

tell application "Quicksilver"
	tell application "System Events" to key code 4 using {command down, option down}
end tell

would work just fine. You can modify the automator action accordingly.