| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Command Palette | β+Shift+P | Ctrl+Shift+P | |
| Quick Open file | β+P | Ctrl+P | |
| New file | β+N | Ctrl+N | |
| Save | β+S | Ctrl+S | |
| Save All | β+K S | Ctrl+K S | |
| Close editor | β+W | Ctrl+W | |
| Reopen closed editor | β+Shift+T | Ctrl+Shift+T | |
| Split editor | β+\ | Ctrl+\ | |
| Toggle terminal | β+` | Ctrl+` | |
| Toggle sidebar | β+B | Ctrl+B | |
| Format document | β+Shift+I | Ctrl+Shift+I | |
| Format selection | β+K β+F | Ctrl+K Ctrl+F | |
| Go to definition | F12 | F12 | |
| Peek definition | β₯+F12 | Alt+F12 | |
| Find references | β₯+Shift+F12 | Alt+Shift+F12 | |
| Rename symbol | F2 | F2 | |
| Find in file | β+F | Ctrl+F | |
| Find in all files | β+Shift+F | Ctrl+Shift+F | |
| Replace in file | β+H | Ctrl+H | |
| Multi-cursor (click) | β₯+Click | Alt+Click | |
| Multi-cursor add below | β+β₯+β | Ctrl+Alt+β | |
| Select all occurrences | β+Shift+L | Ctrl+Shift+L | |
| Move line up/down | β₯+β/β | Alt+β/β | |
| Copy line up/down | β₯+Shift+β/β | Alt+Shift+β/β | |
| Delete line | β+Shift+K | Ctrl+Shift+K | |
| Comment line | β+/ | Ctrl+/ | |
| Block comment | β₯+Shift+A | Alt+Shift+A | |
| Fold region | β+K β+[ | Ctrl+K Ctrl+[ | |
| Unfold region | β+K β+] | Ctrl+K Ctrl+] | |
| Keyboard shortcuts | β+K β+S | Ctrl+K Ctrl+S |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open DevTools | β+β₯+I | F12 / Ctrl+Shift+I | |
| Open Console | β+β₯+J | Ctrl+Shift+J | |
| Command Menu | β+Shift+P | Ctrl+Shift+P | |
| Inspect element | β+Shift+C | Ctrl+Shift+C | |
| Toggle device mode | β+Shift+M | Ctrl+Shift+M | |
| Hard reload (clear cache) | β+Shift+R | Ctrl+Shift+R | |
| Next panel | β+] | Ctrl+] | |
| Focus search/console | β+` | Ctrl+` | |
| Clear console | β+K | Ctrl+L | |
| Go to Settings | F1 | F1 | |
| Pause/Resume script | F8 | F8 | |
| Step into | F11 | F11 | |
| Step over | F10 | F10 | |
| Step out | Shift+F11 | Shift+F11 | |
| Toggle breakpoint | F9 | F9 |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New tab | β+T | Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows Terminal) | |
| Move to start of line | Ctrl+A | Ctrl+A | |
| Move to end of line | Ctrl+E | Ctrl+E | |
| Delete word backwards | Ctrl+W | Ctrl+W | |
| Delete to start | Ctrl+U | Ctrl+U | |
| Delete to end | Ctrl+K | Ctrl+K | |
| Reverse search history | Ctrl+R | Ctrl+R | |
| Cancel command | Ctrl+C | Ctrl+C | |
| Suspend process | Ctrl+Z | Ctrl+Z | |
| Clear screen | Ctrl+L | Ctrl+L | |
| Exit / EOF | Ctrl+D | Ctrl+D | |
| Transpose chars | Ctrl+T | Ctrl+T | |
| Previous word | β₯+B | Alt+B | |
| Next word | β₯+F | Alt+F | |
| Previous command | β / Ctrl+P | β / Ctrl+P | |
| Next command | β / Ctrl+N | β / Ctrl+N |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select tool | V | V | |
| Frame (artboard) tool | F | F | |
| Rectangle tool | R | R | |
| Text tool | T | T | |
| Pen tool | P | P | |
| Zoom to fit | β+Shift+H | Ctrl+Shift+H | |
| Zoom in/out | + / - | + / - | |
| Zoom 100% | β+0 | Ctrl+0 | |
| Group selection | β+G | Ctrl+G | |
| Ungroup | β+Shift+G | Ctrl+Shift+G | |
| Component create | β+β₯+K | Ctrl+Alt+K | |
| Copy as CSS | β+β₯+C | Ctrl+Alt+C | |
| Show constraints | β₯+A | Alt+A | |
| Flip horizontal | β+Shift+H (transform) | Ctrl+Shift+H | |
| Fill picker | β₯+G | Alt+G |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal mode | Esc / Ctrl+[ | Esc / Ctrl+[ | |
| Insert before cursor | i | i | |
| Insert at line start | I | I | |
| Append after cursor | a | a | |
| Append at line end | A | A | |
| New line below | o | o | |
| New line above | O | O | |
| Delete line | dd | dd | |
| Yank (copy) line | yy | yy | |
| Paste below | p | p | |
| Undo | u | u | |
| Redo | Ctrl+R | Ctrl+R | |
| Search forward | /pattern | /pattern | |
| Search backward | ?pattern | ?pattern | |
| Next result | n | n | |
| Previous result | N | N | |
| Delete word | dw | dw | |
| Change inside quotes | ci" | ci" | |
| Select word | viw | viw | |
| Go to line 50 | :50 / 50G | :50 / 50G | |
| Save | :w | :w | |
| Quit | :q | :q | |
| Save and quit | :wq / ZZ | :wq / ZZ | |
| Force quit (no save) | :q! | :q! |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select all | β+A | Ctrl+A | |
| Bold | β+B | Ctrl+B | |
| Find & Replace | β+H | Ctrl+H | |
| Insert row/column | β+Shift+(+) | Ctrl+Shift+(+) | |
| Delete row/column | β+Shift+(-) | Ctrl+Shift+(-) | |
| Fill down | β+D | Ctrl+D | |
| Fill right | β+R | Ctrl+R | |
| Auto-sum (SUM formula) | β+Shift+T | Alt+= | |
| Toggle absolute reference ($) | β+T | F4 | |
| Enter in cell (no navigation) | Ctrl+Enter | Ctrl+Enter | |
| Format cells dialog | β+1 | Ctrl+1 | |
| Hide row | β+9 | Ctrl+9 | |
| Hide column | β+0 | Ctrl+0 | |
| Go to cell A1 | β+Home | Ctrl+Home | |
| New sheet | β+Shift+N (Sheets) | Shift+F11 |
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search everywhere | Double Shift | Double Shift | |
| Find action | β+Shift+A | Ctrl+Shift+A | |
| Go to class | β+O | Ctrl+N | |
| Go to file | β+Shift+O | Ctrl+Shift+N | |
| Go to symbol | β+β₯+O | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+N | |
| Complete statement | β+Shift+Enter | Ctrl+Shift+Enter | |
| Quick fix / intention | β₯+Enter | Alt+Enter | |
| Refactor (This) | β+T | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T | |
| Run | β+R | Shift+F10 | |
| Debug | β+D | Shift+F9 | |
| Step over (debug) | F8 | F8 | |
| Step into (debug) | F7 | F7 | |
| Resume program | β+β₯+R | F9 | |
| Recent files | β+E | Ctrl+E | |
| Recent locations | β+Shift+E | Ctrl+Shift+E |
Don't try to memorize all shortcuts at once. Pick 3 new shortcuts each day and use them consistently until they become muscle memory.
Print a condensed cheat sheet and post it near your monitor. Seeing it regularly reinforces memory even when you're not actively practicing.
Temporarily force yourself to avoid the mouse for common tasks. This creates productive frustration that rapidly builds shortcut recall.
The Command Palette gives you access to every VS Code feature without memorizing its specific shortcut. Type "format" to format code, "git" for version control, "settings" for preferences. It's also a great way to discover shortcuts β the palette shows the keyboard shortcut next to each command.
Select the application category, then search for the action you want to perform. Read the displayed key sequence for your platform before trying it in the application. The example below uses Visual Studio Code's command palette shortcut, which opens a searchable command list. Focus the intended editor window first so the keystroke reaches the right application rather than this reference page.
Use the shortcut name to look up or change a binding if your installation differs. Extensions, operating system settings, keyboard layouts, and custom keymaps can override defaults. This page lists reference bindings; it does not inspect your installed editor or configure shortcuts automatically. Practice one useful sequence at a time, and check whether a combination is simultaneous or a sequence of separate chords before troubleshooting an apparently unresponsive command.
Application: VS Code
Action: Command Palette
Windows/Linux: Ctrl+Shift+P
macOS: Cmd+Shift+P
Open the Keyboard Shortcuts editor with Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+K Cmd+S (Mac). You can search for any command, click the pencil icon to edit, and press your preferred key combination. Shortcuts are saved in keybindings.json in your user settings folder.
Yes β install the VSCodeVim extension from the marketplace. It emulates most Vim motions, commands, and modes (Normal, Insert, Visual). You can configure it in settings.json to customize behavior and add Vim leader key mappings.
Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) opens the Command Menu β similar to VS Code's Command Palette. You can type to run any DevTools command, toggle features, or switch panels without using the mouse. It's the single most powerful DevTools shortcut.
Run vimtutor in your terminal for a 30-minute interactive tutorial. Focus on the hjkl motions, operators (d, c, y), and text objects (w, b, {, (, [) first. The power of Vim comes from composing operators with motions: dw (delete word), ci' (change inside quotes), gU$ (uppercase to end of line).