VS Code Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Learn powerful VS Code keyboard shortcuts for Windows. Save time with essential and advanced commands. Improve coding speed and development workflow.
Total Shortcuts:
120
Categories:
11
Application:
Visual Studio Code
Platform:
Windows
All Keyboard Shortcuts
120 Shortcuts| Category | Shortcut | Description | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| General |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ P
or F1
|
Show Command Palette | |
| General |
Ctrl
+ P
|
Quick Open, Go to File… | |
| General |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ N
|
New window/instance | |
| General |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ W
|
Close window/instance | |
| General |
Ctrl
+ ,
|
User Settings | |
| General |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ S
|
Keyboard Shortcuts | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ X
|
Cut line (empty selection) | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ C
|
Copy line (empty selection) | |
| Basic editing |
Alt
+ ↑
or Alt
+ ↓
|
Move line up/down | |
| Basic editing |
Shift
+ Alt
+ ↓
or Shift
+ Alt
+ ↑
|
Copy line up/down | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ K
|
Delete line | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Enter
|
Insert line below | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Enter
|
Insert line above | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ \
|
Jump to matching bracket | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ ]
or Ctrl
+ [
|
Indent/outdent line | |
| Basic editing |
Home
or End
|
Go to beginning/end of line | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Home
|
Go to beginning of file | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ End
|
Go to end of file | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ ↑
or Ctrl
+ ↓
|
Scroll line up/down | |
| Basic editing |
Alt
+ PgUp
or Alt
+ PgDn
|
Scroll page up/down | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ [
|
Fold (collapse) region | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ ]
|
Unfold (uncollapse) region | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ [
|
Fold (collapse) all subregions | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ ]
|
Unfold (uncollapse) all subregions | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ 0
|
Fold (collapse) all regions | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ J
|
Unfold (uncollapse) all regions | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ C
|
Add line comment | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ U
|
Remove line comment | |
| Basic editing |
Ctrl
+ /
|
Toggle line comment | |
| Basic editing |
Shift
+ Alt
+ A
|
Toggle block comment | |
| Basic editing |
Alt
+ Z
|
Toggle word wrap | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ T
|
Show all Symbols | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ G
|
Go to Line... | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ O
|
Go to Symbol... | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ M
|
Show Problems panel | |
| Navigation |
F8
|
Go to next error or warning | |
| Navigation |
Shift
+ F8
|
Go to previous error or warning | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Tab
|
Navigate editor group history | |
| Navigation |
Alt
+ ←
or Alt
+ →
|
Go back / forward | |
| Navigation |
Ctrl
+ M
|
Toggle Tab moves focus | |
| Search and replace |
Ctrl
+ F
|
Find | |
| Search and replace |
Ctrl
+ H
|
Replace | |
| Search and replace |
F3
or Shift
+ F3
|
Find next/previous | |
| Search and replace |
Alt
+ Enter
|
Select all occurrences of Find match | |
| Search and replace |
Ctrl
+ D
|
Add selection to next Find match | |
| Search and replace |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ D
|
Move last selection to next Find match | |
| Search and replace |
Alt
+ C
or Alt
+ R
or Alt
+ W
|
Toggle case-sensitive / regex / whole word | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Alt
+ Click
|
Insert cursor | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ Alt
+ ↑
or Ctrl
+ Alt
+ ↓
|
Insert cursor above / below | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ U
|
Undo last cursor operation | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Shift
+ Alt
+ I
|
Insert cursor at end of each line selected | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ L
|
Select current line | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ L
|
Select all occurrences of current selection | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ F2
|
Select all occurrences of current word | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Shift
+ Alt
+ →
|
Expand selection | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Shift
+ Alt
+ ←
|
Shrink selection | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Shift
+ Alt
+ (drag mouse)
|
Column (box) selection | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Alt
+ (arrow key)
|
Column (box) selection | |
| Multi-cursor and selection |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Alt
+ PgUp/PgDn
|
Column (box) selection page up/down | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ Space
or Ctrl
+ I
|
Trigger suggestion | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Space
|
Trigger parameter hints | |
| Rich languages editing |
Shift
+ Alt
+ F
|
Format document | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ F
|
Format selection | |
| Rich languages editing |
F12
|
Go to Definition | |
| Rich languages editing |
Alt
+ F12
|
Peek Definition | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or F12
|
Open Definition to the side | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ .
|
Quick Fix | |
| Rich languages editing |
Shift
+ F12
|
Show References | |
| Rich languages editing |
F2
|
Rename Symbol | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ X
|
Trim trailing whitespace | |
| Rich languages editing |
Ctrl
+ K
or M
|
Change file language | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ F4
or Ctrl
+ W
|
Close editor | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ K
or F
|
Close folder | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ \
|
Split editor | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ 1
or Ctrl
+ 2
or Ctrl
+ 3
|
Focus into 1st, 2nd or 3rd editor group | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ ←
or Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ →
|
Focus into previous/next editor group | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ PgUp
or Ctrl
+ Shift
+ PgDn
|
Move editor left/right | |
| Editor management |
Ctrl
+ K←
or Ctrl
+ K→
|
Move active editor group | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ N
|
New File | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ O
|
Open File... | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ S
|
Save | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ S
|
Save As... | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or S
|
Save All | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ F4
|
Close | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ W
|
Close All | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ T
|
Reopen closed editor | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or Enter
|
Keep preview mode editor open | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ Tab
|
Open next | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ Tab
|
Open previous | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or P
|
Copy path of active file | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or R
|
Reveal active file in Explorer | |
| File management |
Ctrl
+ K
or O
|
Show active file in new window/instance | |
| Display |
F11
|
Toggle full screen | |
| Display |
Shift
+ Alt
+ 0
|
Toggle editor layout (horizontal/vertical) | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ =
or Ctrl
+ -
|
Zoom in/out | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ B
|
Toggle Sidebar visibility | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ E
|
Show Explorer / Toggle focus | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ F
|
Show Search | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ G
|
Show Source Control | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ D
|
Show Debug | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ X
|
Show Extensions | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ H
|
Replace in files | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ J
|
Toggle Search details | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ U
|
Show Output panel | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ V
|
Open Markdown preview | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ K
or V
|
Open Markdown preview to the side | |
| Display |
Ctrl
+ K
or Z
|
Zen Mode (Esc Esc to exit) | |
| Debug |
F9
|
Toggle breakpoint | |
| Debug |
F5
|
Start/Continue | |
| Debug |
Shift
+ F5
|
Stop | |
| Debug |
F11
or Shift
+ F11
|
Step into/out | |
| Debug |
F10
|
Step over | |
| Debug |
Ctrl
+ K
or Ctrl
+ I
|
Show hover | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ `
|
Show integrated terminal | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ Shift
+ `
|
Create new terminal | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ C
|
Copy selection | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ V
|
Paste into active terminal | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ ↑
or Ctrl
+ ↓
|
Scroll up/down | |
| Integrated terminal |
Shift
+ PgUp
or Shift
+ PgDn
|
Scroll page up/down | |
| Integrated terminal |
Ctrl
+ Home
or Ctrl
+ End
|
Scroll to top/bottom |
Why Keyboard Shortcuts Matter
Keyboard shortcuts are essential for developer productivity. They allow you to perform actions quickly without moving your hands away from the keyboard, maintaining your coding flow and focus. Studies show that developers using keyboard shortcuts can be up to 30% more productive than those relying heavily on mouse interactions.
Increased Productivity
Perform actions 3-5x faster than using mouse navigation.
Reduced Context Switching
Stay focused on coding without breaking flow to reach for mouse.
Ergonomic Benefits
Reduce repetitive strain by keeping hands on home row position.
Professional Skill
Essential skill for professional developers and power users.
Frequently Asked Questions
To reset all keyboard shortcuts to their default values:
- Open Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P)
- Search for "Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON)"
- Delete or rename your
keybindings.jsonfile - Restart VS Code to regenerate default shortcuts
Note: This will remove all your custom keyboard shortcuts.
Yes, but with some considerations:
- When the terminal is focused, most VS Code shortcuts are intercepted by the terminal itself
- Use Ctrl + Shift + ` to toggle terminal focus
- Some shortcuts like Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V work directly in the terminal
- You can customize terminal-specific shortcuts in settings
VS Code helps identify shortcut conflicts:
- Open Keyboard Shortcuts editor (Ctrl + K Ctrl + S)
- Search for a key combination to see all commands using it
- Conflicts are shown with warning icons
- You can reassign or disable conflicting shortcuts
Extensions can also cause conflicts, so check extension settings if you notice unexpected behavior.
VS Code Insiders (the preview version) generally uses the same keyboard shortcuts as the stable version, with a few exceptions:
- New features may introduce new shortcuts
- Experimental features might have temporary shortcuts
- Shortcuts can change between Insiders builds
- Always check release notes for changes
The core navigation and editing shortcuts remain consistent across both versions.
There are several ways to sync keyboard shortcuts:
- Settings Sync: Enable in VS Code to automatically sync across machines
- Manual Export: Copy
keybindings.jsonfrom:- Windows:
%APPDATA%\Code\User\keybindings.json - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/keybindings.json - Linux:
~/.config/Code/User/keybindings.json
- Windows:
- Extension: Use the "Settings Sync" extension
- Git: Version control your settings directory