---
title: "VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet | Tiny Shortcuts"
description: "VS Code default keyboard shortcuts for Windows, Mac and Linux: editing, multi-cursor, search, navigation, debugging and the terminal. Printable."
url: https://tinyshortcuts.click/vs-code-shortcuts/
---

# VS Code keyboard shortcuts

Visual Studio Code's default keybindings in three columns, with the places where Linux differs from Windows marked. Filter by action or keys, then print or download.

- 110 shortcuts
- Windows, Mac & Linux
- Default keybindings
- Checked October 2026

## General 5 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Show the Command Palette | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P` or `F1` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`P` or `F1` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P` or `F1` |
| Quick Open: go to a file by name | `Ctrl`+`P` | `Cmd`+`P` | `Ctrl`+`P` |
| New window | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`N` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N` |
| Open user settings | `Ctrl`+`Comma` | `Cmd`+`Comma` | `Ctrl`+`Comma` |
| Open the keyboard shortcuts editor | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`S` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`S` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`S` |

## Basic editing 21 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cut the line (with nothing selected) | `Ctrl`+`X` | `Cmd`+`X` | `Ctrl`+`X` |
| Copy the line (with nothing selected) | `Ctrl`+`C` | `Cmd`+`C` | `Ctrl`+`C` |
| Move the line up | `Alt`+`Up arrow` | `Option`+`Up arrow` | `Alt`+`Up arrow` |
| Move the line down | `Alt`+`Down arrow` | `Option`+`Down arrow` | `Alt`+`Down arrow` |
| Copy the line up | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Up arrow` | `Shift`+`Option`+`Up arrow` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Alt`+`Up arrow` Differs on Linux |
| Copy the line down | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Down arrow` | `Shift`+`Option`+`Down arrow` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Alt`+`Down arrow` Differs on Linux |
| Delete the line | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`K` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K` |
| Insert a line below | `Ctrl`+`Enter` | `Cmd`+`Return` | `Ctrl`+`Enter` |
| Insert a line above | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Enter` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`Return` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Enter` |
| Jump to the matching bracket | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Backslash` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`Backslash` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Backslash` |
| Indent the line | `Ctrl`+`Right bracket` | `Cmd`+`Right bracket` | `Ctrl`+`Right bracket` |
| Outdent the line | `Ctrl`+`Left bracket` | `Cmd`+`Left bracket` | `Ctrl`+`Left bracket` |
| Go to the start of the file | `Ctrl`+`Home` | `Cmd`+`Up arrow` | `Ctrl`+`Home` |
| Go to the end of the file | `Ctrl`+`End` | `Cmd`+`Down arrow` | `Ctrl`+`End` |
| Toggle a line comment | `Ctrl`+`Slash` | `Cmd`+`Slash` | `Ctrl`+`Slash` |
| Toggle a block comment | `Shift`+`Alt`+`A` | `Shift`+`Option`+`A` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`A` Differs on Linux |
| Toggle word wrap | `Alt`+`Z` | `Option`+`Z` | `Alt`+`Z` |
| Fold (collapse) the region | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Left bracket` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`Left bracket` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Left bracket` |
| Unfold (expand) the region | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Right bracket` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`Right bracket` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Right bracket` |
| Fold all regions | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`0` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`0` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`0` |
| Unfold all regions | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`J` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`J` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`J` |

## Multi-cursor & selection 13 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Add a cursor where you click. On some Linux desktops Alt+Click is taken; switch it to Ctrl+Click with the editor.multiCursorModifier setting. | `Alt`+`Click` | `Option`+`Click` | `Alt`+`Click` |
| Add a cursor above | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Up arrow` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`Up arrow` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Up arrow` Differs on Linux |
| Add a cursor below | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Down arrow` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`Down arrow` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Down arrow` Differs on Linux |
| Undo the last cursor operation | `Ctrl`+`U` | `Cmd`+`U` | `Ctrl`+`U` |
| Add a cursor at the end of each selected line | `Shift`+`Alt`+`I` | `Shift`+`Option`+`I` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`I` |
| Select the current line | `Ctrl`+`L` | `Cmd`+`L` | `Ctrl`+`L` |
| Select all occurrences of the current selection | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`L` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`L` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`L` |
| Select all occurrences of the current word | `Ctrl`+`F2` | `Cmd`+`F2` | `Ctrl`+`F2` |
| Add the next occurrence to the selection | `Ctrl`+`D` | `Cmd`+`D` | `Ctrl`+`D` |
| Skip: move the last selection to the next occurrence | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`D` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`D` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`D` |
| Expand the selection | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Right arrow` | `Control`+`Shift`+`Cmd`+`Right arrow` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Right arrow` |
| Shrink the selection | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Left arrow` | `Control`+`Shift`+`Cmd`+`Left arrow` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Left arrow` |
| Column (box) selection | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Drag` | `Shift`+`Option`+`Drag` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`Drag` |

## Search & replace 7 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Find | `Ctrl`+`F` | `Cmd`+`F` | `Ctrl`+`F` |
| Replace | `Ctrl`+`H` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`F` | `Ctrl`+`H` |
| Find the next match | `F3` | `Cmd`+`G` | `F3` |
| Find the previous match | `Shift`+`F3` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`G` | `Shift`+`F3` |
| Select all matches of the find | `Alt`+`Enter` | `Option`+`Return` | `Alt`+`Enter` |
| Search across files | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`F` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F` |
| Replace across files | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`H` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`H` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`H` |

## Code & language features 12 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Trigger suggestions | `Ctrl`+`Space` or `Ctrl`+`I` | `Control`+`Space` or `Cmd`+`I` | `Ctrl`+`Space` or `Ctrl`+`I` |
| Show parameter hints | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Space` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`Space` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Space` |
| Format the document | `Shift`+`Alt`+`F` | `Shift`+`Option`+`F` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`I` Differs on Linux |
| Format the selection | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`F` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`F` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`F` |
| Go to definition | `F12` | `F12` | `F12` |
| Peek definition | `Alt`+`F12` | `Option`+`F12` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F10` Differs on Linux |
| Open the definition to the side | `Ctrl`+`K` then `F12` | `Cmd`+`K` then `F12` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `F12` |
| Quick Fix | `Ctrl`+`Period` | `Cmd`+`Period` | `Ctrl`+`Period` |
| Show references | `Shift`+`F12` | `Shift`+`F12` | `Shift`+`F12` |
| Rename symbol | `F2` | `F2` | `F2` |
| Trim trailing whitespace | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`X` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`X` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`X` |
| Change the file's language mode | `Ctrl`+`K` then `M` | `Cmd`+`K` then `M` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `M` |

## Navigation 9 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Go to line | `Ctrl`+`G` | `Control`+`G` | `Ctrl`+`G` |
| Go to a symbol in the file | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`O` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`O` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`O` |
| Show all symbols in the workspace | `Ctrl`+`T` | `Cmd`+`T` | `Ctrl`+`T` |
| Show the Problems panel | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`M` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`M` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`M` |
| Go to the next error or warning | `F8` | `F8` | `F8` |
| Go to the previous error or warning | `Shift`+`F8` | `Shift`+`F8` | `Shift`+`F8` |
| Go back | `Alt`+`Left arrow` | `Control`+`Minus` | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Minus` Differs on Linux |
| Go forward | `Alt`+`Right arrow` | `Control`+`Shift`+`Minus` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Minus` Differs on Linux |
| Toggle Tab moves focus | `Ctrl`+`M` | `Control`+`Shift`+`M` | `Ctrl`+`M` |

## Editors & files 16 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New file | `Ctrl`+`N` | `Cmd`+`N` | `Ctrl`+`N` |
| Open file | `Ctrl`+`O` | `Cmd`+`O` | `Ctrl`+`O` |
| Save | `Ctrl`+`S` | `Cmd`+`S` | `Ctrl`+`S` |
| Save as | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`S` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S` |
| Save all | `Ctrl`+`K` then `S` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`S` | —No default shortcut Differs on Linux |
| Close the editor | `Ctrl`+`F4` or `Ctrl`+`W` | `Cmd`+`W` | `Ctrl`+`W` Differs on Linux |
| Close all editors | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`W` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`W` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`W` |
| Reopen the closed editor | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`T` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`T` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`T` |
| Split the editor | `Ctrl`+`Backslash` | `Cmd`+`Backslash` | `Ctrl`+`Backslash` |
| Focus the first editor group. 2 and 3 focus the second and third groups. | `Ctrl`+`1` | `Cmd`+`1` | `Ctrl`+`1` |
| Open the next editor | `Ctrl`+`Tab` | `Control`+`Tab` | `Ctrl`+`Tab` |
| Open the previous editor | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab` | `Control`+`Shift`+`Tab` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab` |
| Keep a preview editor open | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Enter` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Return` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Enter` |
| Copy the path of the active file | `Ctrl`+`K` then `P` | `Cmd`+`K` then `P` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `P` |
| Reveal the active file in Explorer or Finder | `Ctrl`+`K` then `R` | `Cmd`+`K` then `R` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `R` |
| Close the folder | `Ctrl`+`K` then `F` | `Cmd`+`K` then `F` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `F` |

## Display 14 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Toggle the sidebar | `Ctrl`+`B` | `Cmd`+`B` | `Ctrl`+`B` |
| Show the Explorer | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`E` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`E` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`E` |
| Show Source Control | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G` | `Control`+`Shift`+`G` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G` |
| Show Run and Debug | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`D` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`D` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`D` |
| Show Extensions | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`X` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`X` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`X` |
| Toggle the panel | `Ctrl`+`J` | `Cmd`+`J` | `Ctrl`+`J` |
| Show the Output panel | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`U` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`U` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`H` Differs on Linux |
| Open the Markdown preview | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` | `Shift`+`Cmd`+`V` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` |
| Open the Markdown preview to the side | `Ctrl`+`K` then `V` | `Cmd`+`K` then `V` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `V` |
| Zen mode (press Esc twice to leave) | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Z` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Z` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Z` |
| Toggle full screen | `F11` | `Control`+`Cmd`+`F` | `F11` |
| Zoom in | `Ctrl`+`Equals` | `Cmd`+`Equals` | `Ctrl`+`Equals` |
| Zoom out | `Ctrl`+`Minus` | `Cmd`+`Minus` or `Shift`+`Cmd`+`Minus` | `Ctrl`+`Minus` |
| Toggle the editor layout (horizontal or vertical) | `Shift`+`Alt`+`0` | `Option`+`Cmd`+`0` | `Shift`+`Alt`+`0` |

## Debugging 7 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Start or continue | `F5` | `F5` | `F5` |
| Stop | `Shift`+`F5` | `Shift`+`F5` | `Shift`+`F5` |
| Toggle a breakpoint | `F9` | `F9` | `F9` |
| Step over | `F10` | `F10` | `F10` |
| Step into | `F11` | `F11` | `F11` |
| Step out | `Shift`+`F11` | `Shift`+`F11` | `Shift`+`F11` |
| Show the hover | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`I` | `Cmd`+`K` then `Cmd`+`I` | `Ctrl`+`K` then `Ctrl`+`I` |

## Integrated terminal 6 shortcuts

| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Show the integrated terminal | `Ctrl`+`Grave accent` | `Control`+`Grave accent` | `Ctrl`+`Grave accent` |
| Create a new terminal | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Grave accent` | `Control`+`Shift`+`Grave accent` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Grave accent` |
| Copy the selection in the terminal. On Windows, Ctrl+C copies only when text is selected; otherwise it interrupts the running program. | `Ctrl`+`C` | `Cmd`+`C` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` Differs on Linux |
| Paste into the terminal | `Ctrl`+`V` | `Cmd`+`V` | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` Differs on Linux |
| Scroll the terminal to the top | `Ctrl`+`Home` | `Cmd`+`Home` | `Shift`+`Home` Differs on Linux |
| Scroll the terminal to the bottom | `Ctrl`+`End` | `Cmd`+`End` | `Shift`+`End` Differs on Linux |

## Chords and Linux differences

Some VS Code shortcuts are chords: press Ctrl+K, let go, then press the second key. The sheet joins the two steps with “then”. Most Linux bindings match Windows, but a few change because Linux desktops use those keys: Format Document is Ctrl+Shift+I and Go Back is Ctrl+Alt+- on Linux. Those cells say Differs on Linux.

Everything here is a default. Keymap extensions, Vim emulation and your own keybindings can change any of them; open the keyboard shortcuts editor with Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Cmd+K Cmd+S) to see what is bound on your machine.

## Printing and saving

Print gives you a two-column sheet without the rest of the site; pick Save as PDF in the print dialog to keep a copy. Filter first to print only what you need, or download the sheet as a Markdown table for your notes.

Sources: Microsoft's printable keyboard references for [Windows](https://code.visualstudio.com/shortcuts/keyboard-shortcuts-windows.pdf), [macOS](https://code.visualstudio.com/shortcuts/keyboard-shortcuts-macos.pdf) and [Linux](https://code.visualstudio.com/shortcuts/keyboard-shortcuts-linux.pdf).

## Questions

**How do I select every occurrence of a word?**

Put the cursor on the word and press Ctrl+Shift+L (Shift+Cmd+L on a Mac) to add a cursor at every match. To take matches one at a time, press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D) repeatedly, and Ctrl+K Ctrl+D to skip one.

**Why does Format Document do nothing?**

VS Code needs a formatter for the file's language. Without one it shows a message offering to find one in the Extensions view. Once a formatter is set, Shift+Alt+F (Shift+Option+F on a Mac, Ctrl+Shift+I on Linux) formats the whole file.

**How do I find out what a key combination does?**

Open the keyboard shortcuts editor with Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Cmd+K Cmd+S), switch on its record keys option and press the combination: it lists every command bound to those keys. Double-click a command to give it new keys.