Visual Studio Code keyboard Shortcuts helps developers maximize their productivity by allowing them to work faster and more efficiently. Here I am listing down all the keyboard shortcuts and cheats of Visual Studio Code editor for Windows, Mac and Linux Operating systems. Give a shot.

Visual Studio Code – and the caption is Code Editing Redefined

It does exactly what it quotes. I can say this visual studio code is a combination of classic lightweight text editor and Microsoft visual studio IDE.

It’s free, open-source and cross-platform.

Most of the developers around the world started using Visual Studio Code. It’s good to know some useful keyboard shortcuts for this beautiful editor.

The good thing is if you are familiar with other text editors like sublime, vim, atom, eclipse etc. You can install corresponding editor keyboard bindings through extensions. there are lots of extensions available for keyboard mappings

Open Visual Studio Code and

Navigate to File->Preferences->Keymap Extensions install your choice of keymappings.

You can press Ctrl+Shift+P or F1 (windows and Linux users) and ⇧⌘P or F1 (Mac users) to open the command Palette and search for required keyboard shortcuts.

And also we can add our own keyboard bindings, at the end of this post I will explain how to change keyboard shortcuts for visual studio code. We can customize bindings for language types also.

General Shortcuts :

Command Action Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut To Show Command Palette Ctrl+Shift+P, F1 ⇧⌘P, F1 Ctrl+Shift+P, F1 To Open or Go to File... Ctrl+P ⌘P Ctrl+P New visual code window or instance

Ctrl+Shift+N ⇧⌘N Ctrl+Shift+N To Close window or instance Ctrl+Shift+W ⌘W Ctrl+Shift+W To open User Settings Ctrl+, ⌘, Ctrl+, To open Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+K Ctrl+S ⌘K ⌘S Ctrl+K Ctrl+S

Basic Editing Shortcuts:

Command Action Windows Keyboard Shortcut Mac Keyboard Shortcut Linux Keyboard Shortcut Cut line (empty selection) Ctrl+X ⌘X Ctrl+X Copy line (empty selection)

Ctrl+C ⌘C Ctrl+C Move line up/down

Alt+ ↑ / ↓ ⌥↓ / ⌥↑ Alt+ ↑ / ↓ Copy line up/down

Shift+Alt + ↓ / ↑ ⇧⌥↓ / ⇧⌥↑ Shift+Alt + ↓ / ↑ Delete line Ctrl+Shift+K ⇧⌘K Ctrl+Shift+K Insert line below

Ctrl+Enter ⌘Enter Ctrl+Enter Insert line above

Ctrl+Shift+Enter ⇧⌘Enter Ctrl+Shift+Enter Jump to matching bracket Ctrl+Shift+\ ⇧⌘\ Ctrl+Shift+\ Indent/outdent line Ctrl+] / [ ⌘] / ⌘[ Ctrl+] / [ Go to beginning/end of line Home / End Home / End Home / End Go to beginning of file Ctrl+Home ⌘↑ Ctrl+Home Go to end of file

Ctrl+End ⌘↓ Ctrl+End Scroll line up/down Ctrl+↑ / ↓ ⌃PgUp / ⌃PgDn Ctrl+↑ / ↓ Scroll page up/down

Alt+PgUp / PgDn ⌘PgUp /⌘PgDn Alt+PgUp / PgDn Fold/unfold region Ctrl+Shift+ [ / ] ⌥⌘[ / ⌥⌘] Ctrl+Shift+ [ / ] Fold/unfold all subregions Ctrl+K Ctrl+ [ / ] ⌘K ⌘[ / ⌘K ⌘] Ctrl+K Ctrl+ [ / ] Fold/Unfold all regions Ctrl+K Ctrl+0 /

Ctrl+K Ctrl+J

⌘K ⌘0 / ⌘K ⌘J Ctrl+K Ctrl+0 /

Ctrl+K Ctrl+J

Add line comment Ctrl+K Ctrl+C ⌘K ⌘C Ctrl+K Ctrl+C Remove line comment

Ctrl+K Ctrl+U ⌘K ⌘U Ctrl+K Ctrl+U Toggle line comment

Ctrl+/ ⌘/ Ctrl+/ Toggle block comment Shift+Alt+A ⇧⌥A Shift+Alt+A Toggle word wrap Alt+Z ⌥Z Alt+Z

Navigation Shortcuts:

Command Action Windows Keyboard Shortcut Mac Keyboard Shortcut Linux Keyboard Shortcut Show all Symbols

Ctrl+T ⌘T Ctrl+T Go to Line... Ctrl+G ⌃G Ctrl+G Go to File... Ctrl+P ⌘P Ctrl+P Go to Symbol...

Ctrl+Shift+O ⇧⌘O Ctrl+Shift+O Show Problems panel

Ctrl+Shift+M ⇧⌘M Ctrl+Shift+M Go to next/previous error or warning

F8 /Shift+F8 F8 / ⇧F8 F8 /Shift+F8 Navigate editor group history Ctrl+Shift+Tab ⌃⇧Tab Ctrl+Shift+Tab Go back/forward

Alt+ ← / → ⌃- / ⌃⇧- Alt+ ← / → Toggle Tab moves focus

Ctrl+M ⌃⇧M Ctrl+M

Search and replace Shortcuts:

Command Action Windows Keyboard Shortcut Mac Keyboard Shortcut Linux Keyboard Shortcut Find

Ctrl+F ⌘F Ctrl+F Replace

Ctrl+H ⌥⌘F Ctrl+H Find next/previous F3 / Shift+F3 ⌘G / ⇧⌘G F3 / Shift+F3 Select all occurrences of Find match

Alt+Enter ⌥Enter Alt+Enter Add selection to next Find match Ctrl+D ⌘D Ctrl+D Move last selection to next Find match

Ctrl+K Ctrl+D ⌘K ⌘D Ctrl+K Ctrl+D

Multi-cursor and selection Shortcuts:

Command Action Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Insert cursor Alt+Click ⌥ + click Alt+Click Insert cursor above / below Shift+Alt+ ↑ / ↓ ⌥⌘↑ / ⌥⌘↓ Shift+Alt+ ↑ / ↓ Undo last cursor operation Ctrl+U ⌘U Ctrl+U Insert cursor at end of each line selected Shift+Alt+I ⇧⌥I Shift+Alt+I Select current line

Ctrl+I ⌘I Ctrl+I Select all occurrences of current selection

Ctrl+Shift+L ⇧⌘L Ctrl+Shift+L Select all occurrences of current word

Ctrl+F2 ⌘F2 Ctrl+F2 Expand selection Shift+Alt+→ ⌃⇧⌘→ Shift+Alt+→ Shrink selection

Shift+Alt+← ⌃⇧⌘← Shift+Alt+← Column (box) selection Shift+Alt +

(drag mouse) Or

Ctrl+Shift+Alt

+ ↑ / ↓



⇧⌥ + (drag mouse) or ⇧⌥⌘↑ / ↓ Shift+Alt +

(drag mouse) or Ctrl+Shift+Alt

+ ↑ / ↓

Column (box) selection page up/down

Ctrl+Shift+Alt

+PgUp/PgDn ⇧⌥⌘PgUp / PgDn Ctrl+Shift+Alt

+PgUp/PgDn

Rich languages editing Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Trigger suggestion Ctrl+Space Ctrl+Space Trigger parameter hints Ctrl+Shift+Space Ctrl+Shift+Space Emmet expand abbreviation Tab Tab Format document

Shift+Alt+F Ctrl+Shift+I Format selection

Ctrl+K Ctrl+F Ctrl+K Ctrl+F Go to Definition F12 F12 Peek Definition Alt+F12 Ctrl+Shift+F10 Open Definition to the side

Ctrl+K F12 Ctrl+K F12 Quick Fix

Ctrl+. Ctrl+. Show References

Shift+F12 Shift+F12 Rename Symbol F2 F2 Trim trailing whitespace

Ctrl+K Ctrl+X Ctrl+K Ctrl+X Change file language

Ctrl+K M Ctrl+K M

Editor management Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Close editor

Ctrl+F4, Ctrl+W ⌘W Ctrl+W Close folder Ctrl+K F ⌘K F Ctrl+K F Split editor Ctrl+\ ⌘\ Ctrl+\ Focus into 1

st, 2nd or 3rd editor group Ctrl+ 1 / 2 / 3 ⌘1 / ⌘2 / ⌘3 Ctrl+ 1 / 2 / 3 Focus into previous/next editor group

Ctrl+K Ctrl+ ←/→ ⌘K ⌘← / ⌘K ⌘→ Ctrl+K Ctrl+ ←/→ Move editor left/right

Ctrl+Shift+PgUp / PgDn ⌘K ⇧⌘← / ⌘K ⇧⌘→ Ctrl+Shift+PgUp / PgDn Move active editor group

Ctrl+K ← / → ⌘K ← / ⌘K → Ctrl+K ← / →

Visual Studio Code Keyboard Shortcuts

File management Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut New File Ctrl+N ⌘N Ctrl+N Open File...

Ctrl+O ⌘O Ctrl+O Save

Ctrl+S ⌘S Ctrl+S Save As... Ctrl+Shift+S ⇧⌘S Ctrl+Shift+S Save All

Ctrl+K S ⌥⌘S Ctrl+K S Close / Close All Ctrl+F4 / Ctrl+K Ctrl+W ⌘W / ⌘K ⌘W Ctrl+W / Ctrl+K Ctrl+W Reopen closed editor

Ctrl+Shift+T ⇧⌘T Ctrl+Shift+T Keep preview mode editor open

Ctrl+K Enter ⌘K Enter Ctrl+K Enter Open next Ctrl+Tab ⌃Tab Ctrl+Tab Open previous Ctrl+Shift+Tab ⌃⇧Tab Ctrl+Shift+Tab Copy path of active file Ctrl+K P ⌘K P Ctrl+K P Reveal active file in Explorer

Ctrl+K R ⌘K R Ctrl+K R Show active file in new window/instance

Ctrl+K O ⌘K O Ctrl+K O

Display Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Toggle full screen

F11 ⌃⌘F F11 Toggle editor layout (horizontal/vertical) Shift+Alt+1 ⌥⌘1 Shift+Alt+1 Zoom in/out

Ctrl+ = / - ⌘= / ⇧⌘- Ctrl+ = / - Toggle Sidebar visibility Ctrl+B ⌘B Ctrl+B Show Explorer / Toggle focus

Ctrl+Shift+E ⇧⌘E Ctrl+Shift+E Show Search Ctrl+Shift+F ⇧⌘F Ctrl+Shift+F Show Source Control Ctrl+Shift+G ⌃⇧G Ctrl+Shift+G Show Debug

Ctrl+Shift+D ⇧⌘D Ctrl+Shift+D Show Extensions

Ctrl+Shift+X ⇧⌘X Ctrl+Shift+X Replace in files Ctrl+Shift+H ⇧⌘H Ctrl+Shift+H Toggle Search details

Ctrl+Shift+J ⇧⌘J Ctrl+Shift+J Show Output panel Ctrl+Shift+U ⇧⌘U Ctrl+K Ctrl+H Open Markdown preview Ctrl+Shift+V ⇧⌘V Ctrl+Shift+V Open Markdown preview to the side Ctrl+K V ⌘K V Ctrl+K V Zen Mode (Esc Esc to exit) Ctrl+K Z ⌘K Z Ctrl+K Z

Debug Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Toggle breakpoint F9 F9 F9 Start/Continue F5 F5 F5 Stop Shift+F5 ⇧F5 Shift+F5 Step into/out F11 / Shift+F11 F11 / ⇧F11 F11 / Shift+F11 Step over F10 F10 F10 Show hover Ctrl+K Ctrl+I ⌘K ⌘I Ctrl+K Ctrl+I

Integrated terminal Shortcuts:

Command Action

Windows keyboard Shortcut Mac keyboard Shortcut Linux keyboard Shortcut Show integrated terminal Ctrl+` ⌃` Ctrl+` Create new terminal Ctrl+Shift+` ⌃⇧` Ctrl+Shift+` Copy selection Ctrl+C ⌘C Ctrl+C Paste into active terminal

Ctrl+V ⌘V Ctrl+V Scroll up/down

Ctrl+↑ / ↓ ⌘↑ / ↓ Ctrl+↑ / ↓ Scroll page up/down

Shift+PgUp / PgD PgUp / PgDn Shift+PgUp / PgD Scroll to top/bottom Ctrl+Home / End ⌘Home / End Ctrl+Home / End

Changing Keyboard Shortcuts for Visual Studio Code:

To change the keyboard shortcuts for visual studio code follow the below steps

Open Visual Studio Code and navigate to File>>Preferences>>Keyboard Shortcut

Open Visual Studio Code Keyboard ShortCuts

Click on edit keybindings.json You will see two files Default bindings and keybindings.json side by side as shown below.

Visual Studio Code Keyboard Shortcut Window

Custom Keyboard Bindings

And now click on define keybindings

new Keyboard Shortcut

I am adding “Ctrl+a” shortcut to open a file by adding below json setting in keybindings.json file

And property “when” is optional. For instance, The new command to open a file Ctrl+a applicable only when language is typescript.

Now Ctrl+a and Ctrl+o both can be used to open a file (If the language is typescript).

Happy Coding….

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