How to quit without saving using just the keyboard?

When I quit an application (e.g., Excel) with Command-Q, a dialog box pops up, asking me to select between don't save, cancel and save. I can hit Enter to select save, or I can navigate the mouse to don't save, but how do I get that without the mouse?

On Linux and Windows I can use Tab to switch between the 3 buttons.

What do I do on Mac OS X?

Excel for Mac 2011 (14.3.8)

I tried:

Tab
shift-Tab
control-Tab
option-Tab

No go.

Solution 1:

The standard shortcut for "Don't Save" in the dialog you mention is command ⌘+Delete. The old shortcut, command ⌘+D, can be restored by issuing the following command in Terminal:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSSavePanelStandardDesktopShortcutOnly -bool YES

and to revert back,

defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSSavePanelStandardDesktopShortcutOnly -bool NO

In Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac, command ⌘+D seems to work by default (but the standard shortcut does not).

Basically, try either command ⌘+Delete for Apple or standard applications, and command ⌘+D if that does not work.

Solution 2:

It's not the default behavior for tab–I read because someone at Apple felt tabbing "wasn't magical enough"–but in the Keyboard preferences, click the Shortcuts tab. Then select All controls to make the Tab key behave the way you want. Or just press control+F7 to toggle this.

because apple hates disabled people

If you are at the following dialog, just hit d...no key-combo necessary. enter image description here

Solution 3:

Since Lion, the standard key command for Don't Save is Cmd ⌘ Backspace ⌫
Prior to that it was Cmd ⌘ D which some apps still respond to.

dialog

Ctrl Tab will switch between the options, which can then be actioned by hitting Spacebar , only if you have All Controls set in System Prefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts

enter image description here