Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Search shortcuts for VS Code, Chrome, macOS, and Windows. Click any shortcut to copy.

What is Keyboard Shortcuts Reference?

Keyboard Shortcuts Reference is a comprehensive catalog of keyboard shortcuts for the most commonly used applications and operating systems. Browse shortcuts for macOS, Windows, Linux, VS Code, Chrome, Vim, Terminal, and more. Filter by application or action type, and see the exact key combination for each action. Learn the essential shortcuts to speed up your workflow and reduce mouse dependency.

Keyboard shortcuts dramatically increase productivity by eliminating the time to move between keyboard and mouse. Studies suggest power users who rely on keyboard shortcuts complete tasks 20-40% faster. The most universally useful shortcuts: Ctrl/Cmd+C/V/X (copy/paste/cut), Ctrl/Cmd+Z/Y (undo/redo), Ctrl/Cmd+F (find), Alt+Tab / Cmd+Tab (switch apps), Ctrl/Cmd+W (close tab/window), Ctrl/Cmd+T (new tab), Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+T (reopen closed tab). On macOS, the Command key (Cmd) replaces Ctrl for most shortcuts.

Application-specific essential shortcuts: VS Code: Ctrl+P / Cmd+P (quick open file), Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P (command palette), Ctrl+` (terminal), Ctrl+/ (toggle comment), F12 (go to definition). Chrome: Ctrl+L / Cmd+L (address bar), Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Option+I (DevTools), Ctrl+Shift+J / Cmd+Option+J (console). Vim: i (insert mode), Esc (normal mode), :wq (save and quit), gg (go to top), G (go to bottom), /pattern (search). Terminal: Ctrl+C (cancel), Ctrl+A (start of line), Ctrl+E (end of line), Ctrl+R (history search).

How to Use

  1. Select an application or OS category from the sidebar or dropdown.
  2. Browse shortcut categories (navigation, editing, file management, etc.).
  3. Use the search box to find a specific action by name.
  4. Click any shortcut row to highlight and copy the key combination.
  5. Print or export the reference sheet as a PDF for your desk.

Examples

VS Code: Open command palette

Result: Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) / Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) -- access all VS Code commands

Chrome: Open DevTools

Result: Cmd+Option+I (macOS) / F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows/Linux) -- opens browser developer tools

Terminal: Search command history

Result: Ctrl+R -- opens reverse incremental search through bash/zsh history

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important keyboard shortcuts to learn first?

Start with universal shortcuts that work across almost all applications: Ctrl/Cmd+C (copy), Ctrl/Cmd+V (paste), Ctrl/Cmd+X (cut), Ctrl/Cmd+Z (undo), Ctrl/Cmd+Y or Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z (redo), Ctrl/Cmd+S (save), Ctrl/Cmd+F (find), Ctrl/Cmd+A (select all). System-level: Alt+Tab / Cmd+Tab (switch apps), Ctrl/Cmd+W (close), Ctrl/Cmd+Q (quit), Win+D / Cmd+M (show desktop/minimize). Browser: Ctrl/Cmd+T (new tab), Ctrl/Cmd+L (address bar), Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+T (reopen closed tab). These 15-20 shortcuts alone will significantly boost your efficiency before you learn app-specific ones.

How do macOS keyboard shortcuts differ from Windows?

The primary difference: macOS uses the Command (Cmd, apple symbol) key where Windows uses Ctrl for most shortcuts. Cmd+C = Ctrl+C (copy), Cmd+V = Ctrl+V (paste), Cmd+Z = Ctrl+Z (undo). However, macOS also has Ctrl shortcuts for terminal/text editing (Ctrl+A = beginning of line, Ctrl+E = end of line -- inherited from Unix). macOS-specific: Cmd+Space (Spotlight search), Cmd+Tab (app switcher -- shows app icons), Cmd+` (switch windows within same app), Cmd+Option+Esc (force quit dialog), Cmd+Shift+3/4/5 (screenshots). Windows-specific: Win+D (show desktop), Win+E (File Explorer), Win+L (lock screen), Alt+F4 (close window), PrtScn (screenshot).

What are essential VS Code keyboard shortcuts for developers?

Navigation: Ctrl+P / Cmd+P (quick open file), Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P (command palette), Ctrl+G / Cmd+G (go to line), F12 (go to definition), Alt+F12 (peek definition), Ctrl+Shift+F / Cmd+Shift+F (search in files), Ctrl+B / Cmd+B (toggle sidebar). Editing: Ctrl+/ / Cmd+/ (toggle comment), Alt+Up/Down (move line), Shift+Alt+Up/Down (duplicate line), Ctrl+D / Cmd+D (select next occurrence), Ctrl+L / Cmd+L (select line), Ctrl+Shift+K / Cmd+Shift+K (delete line), F2 (rename symbol). Terminal: Ctrl+` / Cmd+` (toggle terminal). Multi-cursor: Alt+Click (add cursor), Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down (add cursor above/below).

What are essential Vim keyboard shortcuts for beginners?

Vim has modes -- you must know which mode you are in. Normal mode (default): navigate and run commands. Insert mode: type text. Visual mode: select text. Mode switching: i (insert before cursor), a (append after cursor), o (new line below), Esc or Ctrl+[ (back to normal). Navigation (normal mode): h/j/k/l (left/down/up/right), w/b (word forward/back), 0/$ (start/end of line), gg/G (top/bottom of file). Editing: dd (delete line), yy (copy line), p (paste after), u (undo), Ctrl+R (redo), /pattern (search forward), n/N (next/prev match). Saving: :w (save), :q (quit), :wq (save and quit), :q! (force quit without saving).

How do I create custom keyboard shortcuts?

macOS: System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts -- add custom shortcuts for menu items in any app. Also: Automator and Shortcuts app for complex macros. BetterTouchTool (paid) for very flexible shortcut customization. Windows: most apps support custom shortcuts in their settings. AutoHotkey (free) for system-wide custom shortcuts -- script-based, very powerful. PowerToys (Microsoft, free) for keyboard remapping, window management. Linux: desktop environments (GNOME, KDE) have keyboard shortcut settings. Use xdotool or xbindkeys for custom shortcuts. VS Code: Ctrl+K Ctrl+S / Cmd+K Cmd+S opens keybindings.json for custom shortcut editing. Chrome extensions: Shortkeys extension for custom browser shortcuts.

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