macOS Mojave: Space bar in Photos app no ​​longer works!

Since the update to macOS Mojave, the space bar no longer works to quickly view a photo in the Photos app and to close it again.

I just ran into the first "problem" under macOS Mojave that really annoys me: In the past, you could use the space bar in the Photos app to briefly open and close individual photos, as this also works in the Finder with QuickLook Unfortunately, this functionality has been changed with macOS Mojave. I will definitely have this in my Mojave complaint post note.

Since the update to macOS Mojave, the space bar no longer works to quickly view a photo in the Photos app and to close it again.
Since the update to macOS Mojave, the space bar no longer works to quickly view a photo in the Photos app and to close it again.

Enter instead of space: a bad alternative

After a quick look at the menu of the Photos app, it becomes clear that you now have to use the Enter key (also called Return) instead of the Space key. I'm not the only one who thinks this change is pretty stupid; there's one on the Apple Support forum Threadwhere other people also complain about this change.

Recently, you have to use the Enter key as a shortcut in the Photos app to open the viewer - totally impractical!
Recently, you have to use the Enter key as a shortcut in the Photos app to open the viewer - totally impractical!

The fact that you can now use the Enter key instead of the space bar is okay for occasional users, but I use the Photos app every day and quickly look at photos with the viewer. So far I always had the mouse in my right hand and could press the space bar with my left hand. Now I have to take my right hand off the mouse, press return and put my hand on the mouse again. That doesn't seem particularly productive to me ...

Unfortunately no new allocation is possible

The whole thing would be bearable if you could just remap the key, but unfortunately the "Keyboard" control panel in the system settings under App Shortcuts for the Photos app doesn't accept the spacebar as a new shortcut. That means you might be able to come up with some new key combination that works, but that's not the space bar you see in the full Finder can always use for the quick view of documents.

The space key cannot be provided with the viewer function again via the system extensions and app shortcuts.
The space key cannot be provided with the viewer function again via the system extensions and app shortcuts.

In short: I currently have no workaround and hope that Apple will receive enough complaints so that the viewer can be called up again with the space bar after the next update ...

Should I find another solution, I'll post it here. Otherwise, of course, I am grateful for every idea that comes to mind!

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4 Responses to "macOS Mojave: Space bar in Photos app no ​​longer works!"

  1. Hello! So for me the space bar works with the following workaround:

    System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts, click “+” > Photos
    Then type “open viewer”. Hold down the Fn key while typing the spacebar as a shortcut.
    Define “close viewer” in the same way.

    However, with a tick, the first preview is only possible with the Enter key, then back with the arrow at the top left and then with the space bar until you close photos again

    1. Hi Aki! Thank you for your hint. I did not know. But it is somehow not practical if you have to work with Enter the first time. : D Apple has to reactivate the old procedure. Otherwise I'm sad. ;-)

  2. I spent a lot of time trying to determine the cause of the missing function of the space bar when viewing images. The function is solved more elegantly in Windows 10! I hope Apple goes back to the old solution!

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