Question: Whenever I'm trying to close a file that has been changed, I get the save file dialog

![save file dialog](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tsjeG.png)

I remember that the *Don't Save* button used to have focus, so I could press it using Spacebar, while pressing Enter would click on *Save*. But now on Lion, I'm unable to find a way to press the *Don't Save* using keyboard only, since `Tab` doesn't change focus to anything, and space doesn't work either.

This is the same for all file save dialogs in the system.  
 **Is there any way I can press the *Don't Save* button using keyboard only?**

Answer: 
Go to... 

1. **System Preferences→Keyboard→Keyboard Shortcuts**
2. and select **All controls** under **Full Keyboard Access**

	* Now you can use `⇥` (tab) to switch between the dialog boxes.
	* **Note**: Unlike in Windows, you need to hit `space` to trigger a highlighted box that is not the default one! (If this is not natural to you, here's something that helps many to remember tab and space rather than just enter. The space bar is the keyboard version of a one button mouse with the tab moving the mouse's pointer for you.)

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YVBVZ.png)
On version 10.15.6, the previous answer didn't work as is.

If you want to switch with Tab or "don't save" directly with the Space key, you'll need to go to **System Preferences** → **Keyboard** and toggle this option:

[![printscreen of the toggled option](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TWiP0.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TWiP0.png)

—-

**Update**

With macOS Ventura, the exact place for this setting has been changed as follows:

[![screenshot of the toggled option on on macOS 13.1](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AJ1co.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AJ1co.png)