VS Code Keybindings Cheat Sheet

Sidebar

Programming · VS Code Keybindings Cheat Sheet

How to change VS Code's keyboard shortcuts in keybindings.json, plus the default Windows/Linux shortcuts worth knowing. On macOS, Ctrl is usually Cmd. Sheet 7 in the VS Code series.

Finding & Changing Shortcuts

Ctrl+K Ctrl+SOpen the Keyboard Shortcuts editor (search by command name or by pressing the keys)

Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON)Button in that editor's title bar: opens your own keybindings.json

Preferences: Open Default Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON)Command Palette: read-only list of every default binding

Copy Command IDRight-click a row in the editor: gives the command ID to use in keybindings.json

Help > Keyboard Shortcuts ReferenceOpens the official printable PDF of the defaults

Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts TroubleshootingLogs each pressed shortcut and the command it ran, in the Output panel

keybindings.json Syntax

{ "key": "ctrl+f", "command": "actions.find", "when": "editorTextFocus" }One rule: the keys, the command ID, and an optional condition

"command": "-jumpToNextSnippetPlaceholder"A leading minus removes a default binding; use the same key and when as the original

"command": ""An empty command unbinds that key everywhere

"key": "ctrl+k ctrl+w"A space between key presses makes a two-step chord

argsExtra input for a command, e.g. { "text": "ls\u000D" } for workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence

// commentskeybindings.json accepts comments, like settings.json

Key Names & when Clauses

Modifiersctrl, shift, alt, and win on Windows (cmd on macOS, meta on Linux)

Named keysf1–f19, left, pageup, tab, enter, escape, space, backspace, delete, numpad0–numpad9

editorTextFocusTrue when the text editor has focus

terminalFocusTrue when the integrated terminal has focus

!editorReadonlyTrue when the editor is not read-only

editorLangId == pythonTrue only in one language

resourceExtname == .mdTrue for files with that extension

&& || ! =~AND, OR, NOT, and regular-expression match, for combining conditions

Command Palette & Navigation

Ctrl+Shift+P / F1Command Palette: run any command by name

Ctrl+PQuick Open a file by name (type : then a number to jump to a line)

Ctrl+GGo to line

Ctrl+Shift+O / Ctrl+TGo to symbol in file / in workspace

F12 / Alt+F12 / Shift+F12Go to definition / peek definition / find all references

F2Rename a symbol everywhere

Ctrl+.Quick fix and code actions

Alt+Left / Alt+RightGo back / forward through your cursor history

Ctrl+Shift+\Jump to the matching bracket

Editing Lines

Alt+Up / Alt+DownMove the line (or selection) up / down

Shift+Alt+Up / Shift+Alt+DownCopy the line up / down

Ctrl+Shift+KDelete the line

Ctrl+Enter / Ctrl+Shift+EnterInsert a line below / above

Ctrl+] / Ctrl+[Indent / outdent the line

Ctrl+/Toggle line comment

Shift+Alt+AToggle block comment

Ctrl+K Ctrl+XTrim trailing whitespace

Selection & Multiple Cursors

Ctrl+LSelect the current line

Shift+Alt+Right / LeftExpand / shrink the selection

Ctrl+DAdd the next occurrence of the selected text to the selection

Ctrl+Shift+LSelect every occurrence of the selected text

Alt+ClickAdd a cursor where you click

Ctrl+Alt+Up / Ctrl+Alt+DownAdd a cursor above / below

Shift+Alt+dragColumn (box) selection with the mouse

Ctrl+UUndo the last cursor action

Code Help, Formatting & Folding

Ctrl+SpaceTrigger suggestions

Ctrl+Shift+SpaceShow parameter hints

Shift+Alt+FFormat the whole document

Ctrl+K Ctrl+FFormat the selection

Ctrl+Shift+[ / Ctrl+Shift+]Fold / unfold the current region

Ctrl+K Ctrl+0 / Ctrl+K Ctrl+JFold all / unfold all

Ctrl+K Ctrl+C / Ctrl+K Ctrl+UAdd / remove line comment

Find & Replace

Ctrl+F / Ctrl+HFind / replace in the current file

F3 / Shift+F3Next / previous match

Alt+EnterSelect all matches of the current search

Alt+C / Alt+W / Alt+RMatch case / whole word / regular expression

Ctrl+Shift+F / Ctrl+Shift+HFind / replace across the workspace

editor.find.loopWrap around from the last match to the first (default true)

editor.find.seedSearchStringFromSelectionnever, always, selection: pre-fill the find box from the editor

editor.find.autoFindInSelectionnever, always, multiline: search only the selection

Files & Editors

Ctrl+N / Ctrl+O / Ctrl+K Ctrl+ONew file / open file / open folder

Ctrl+S / Ctrl+K S / Ctrl+Shift+SSave / save all / save as

Ctrl+WClose the current editor

Ctrl+K Ctrl+WClose all editors

Ctrl+Shift+TReopen the editor you just closed

Ctrl+TabSwitch between open editors

Ctrl+K EnterKeep a preview tab open

Ctrl+K P / Ctrl+K RCopy the file's path / reveal it in the Explorer

Layout, Views & Panels

Ctrl+B / Ctrl+JShow or hide the side bar / the bottom panel

Ctrl+Shift+E / F / G / D / XExplorer / Search / Source Control / Run and Debug / Extensions

Ctrl+` / Ctrl+Shift+M / Ctrl+Shift+UTerminal / Problems / Output

Ctrl+\ / Ctrl+1 / Ctrl+2Split the editor / focus editor group 1 / group 2

Ctrl+K Z / F11Zen Mode / full screen

Ctrl+K Ctrl+TColour theme picker

Run & Debug

F5 / Ctrl+F5 / Shift+F5Start debugging / run without debugging / stop

F9Toggle a breakpoint on the current line

F10 / F11 / Shift+F11Step over / step into / step out

Ctrl+Shift+YOpen the Debug Console

Keyboard-Related Settings

keyboard.dispatchcode (default) or keyCode: match shortcuts by physical key or by the character it types (matters on non-US layouts)

keyboard.mapAltGrToCtrlAlttrue: treat AltGr as Ctrl+Alt (default false)

workbench.commandPalette.preserveInputReopen the Command Palette with your last text (default false)

editor.multiCursorModifierKey for click-to-add-cursor: alt (default) or ctrlCmd

A Few Custom Shortcuts to Copy (my suggestions)

{ "key": "ctrl+alt+s", "command": "workbench.action.files.saveAll" }A one-step Save All

{ "key": "ctrl+alt+t", "command": "workbench.action.terminal.toggleTerminal" }A second way to toggle the terminal

{ "key": "ctrl+alt+f", "command": "editor.action.formatDocument", "when": "editorTextFocus" }Format with an easier chord

{ "key": "ctrl+shift+k", "command": "-editor.action.deleteLines" }Frees Ctrl+Shift+K if you want it for something else (match the original when if the removal has no effect)

A shortcut does nothing? Find out why

First look it up in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor (Ctrl+K Ctrl+S): a second command bound to the same keys, or a when condition that is false right now, is the usual cause. Then run Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting and press the keys: the Output panel shows which command VS Code actually ran. In the terminal, many keys go to the shell, see the Terminal cheat sheet.

Chords: pressing Ctrl+K then waiting

Shortcuts that begin Ctrl+K are two-step chords. After the first press VS Code shows (Ctrl+K) was pressed. Waiting for second key of chord... in the status bar. Press Esc to cancel. Some chords need Ctrl held for the second key too, as in Ctrl+K Ctrl+S; others use a plain second key, as in Ctrl+K Z.