Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigation, editing, debugging, and shortcut troubleshooting on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Learn actions first
Start with Command Palette, Quick Open, definition/references, Rename, and Quick Fix. Practice following a call path and completing a small change. Shortcuts do not install extensions: language actions such as F12 and F2 require a working language service.
Defaults by operating system
Checked on 2026-09-06 with the default US keyboard layout. An arrow means a chord: press the first combination, then the second. Function keys on macOS may require Fn. Linux differs from Windows for Peek Definition, Go Back, and Format Document.
| Command | Windows | Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Command Palette | Ctrl+Shift+P | Ctrl+Shift+P | Cmd+Shift+P |
| Quick Open | Ctrl+P | Ctrl+P | Cmd+P |
| Search | Ctrl+Shift+F | Ctrl+Shift+F | Cmd+Shift+F |
| Go to Symbol in Editor | Ctrl+Shift+O | Ctrl+Shift+O | Cmd+Shift+O |
| Go to Symbol in Workspace | Ctrl+T | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
| Go to Definition | F12 | F12 | F12 |
| Peek Definition | Alt+F12 | Ctrl+Shift+F10 | Option+F12 |
| Go to References | Shift+F12 | Shift+F12 | Shift+F12 |
| Go Back | Alt+Left | Ctrl+Alt+- | Ctrl+- |
| Rename Symbol | F2 | F2 | F2 |
| Quick Fix | Ctrl+. | Ctrl+. | Cmd+. |
| Go to Next Error or Warning | F8 | F8 | F8 |
| Format Document | Shift+Alt+F | Ctrl+Shift+I | Shift+Option+F |
| Move Line Up/Down | Alt+Up/Down | Alt+Up/Down | Option+Up/Down |
| Add Selection to Next Find Match | Ctrl+D | Ctrl+D | Cmd+D |
| Toggle Line Comment | Ctrl+/ | Ctrl+/ | Cmd+/ |
| Problems | Ctrl+Shift+M | Ctrl+Shift+M | Cmd+Shift+M |
| Toggle Integrated Terminal | Ctrl+Backtick | Ctrl+Backtick | Ctrl+Backtick |
| Keyboard Shortcuts | Ctrl+K → Ctrl+S | Ctrl+K → Ctrl+S | Cmd+K → Cmd+S |
| Toggle Breakpoint | F9 | F9 | F9 |
| Start/Continue Debugging | F5 | F5 | F5 |
| Step Over | F10 | F10 | F10 |
| Step Into | F11 | F11 | F11 |
| Step Out | Shift+F11 | Shift+F11 | Shift+F11 |
| Stop Debugging | Shift+F5 | Shift+F5 | Shift+F5 |
Sources: command reference, Windows PDF, Linux PDF, macOS PDF.
Diagnose a shortcut
Find the command in Keyboard Shortcuts, record the pressed keys, and inspect competing bindings and their when conditions. Terminal focus, the OS, or an input method can change which action receives a key. Use Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting to inspect dispatch, then turn logging off. Keybinding troubleshooting
With an IntelliJ or Vim keymap, prefer the current Keyboard Shortcuts display over this table. Keep personal bindings in your Profile.
Five-minute exercise
- Append
:42to an actual filename in Quick Open. - Visit a function definition and its references, then navigate back.
- Rename it with F2 and run tests. Ctrl+D selects matching text; it does not replace symbol-aware Rename.
- Set a breakpoint and try F5, F10, F11, and Shift+F11 while watching variables. Practice on a function call; debugger settings may skip asynchronous or external code.
- Format the document and inspect the diff. Formatting invokes the selected provider, not type checking or every lint rule.
Start language-specific tests, test debugging, and import organization through extension commands or CodeLens. They do not share a universal default shortcut. Continue with extensions and the navigation exercise.