# Gemini CLI keyboard shortcuts Gemini CLI ships with a set of default keyboard shortcuts for editing input, navigating history, and controlling the UI. Use this reference to learn the available combinations. #### Basic Controls | Action | Keys | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | | Confirm the current selection or choice. | `Enter` | | Dismiss dialogs or cancel the current focus. | `Esc` | | Cancel the current request or quit the CLI when input is empty. | `Ctrl + C` | | Exit the CLI when the input buffer is empty. | `Ctrl + D` | #### Cursor Movement | Action | Keys | | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | Move the cursor to the start of the line. | `Ctrl + A`
`Home (no Shift, Ctrl)` | | Move the cursor to the end of the line. | `Ctrl + E`
`End (no Shift, Ctrl)` | | Move the cursor up one line. | `Up Arrow (no Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Cmd)` | | Move the cursor down one line. | `Down Arrow (no Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Cmd)` | | Move the cursor one character to the left. | `Left Arrow (no Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Cmd)`
`Ctrl + B` | | Move the cursor one character to the right. | `Right Arrow (no Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Cmd)`
`Ctrl + F` | | Move the cursor one word to the left. | `Ctrl + Left Arrow`
`Alt + Left Arrow`
`Alt + B` | | Move the cursor one word to the right. | `Ctrl + Right Arrow`
`Alt + Right Arrow`
`Alt + F` | #### Editing | Action | Keys | | ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Delete from the cursor to the end of the line. | `Ctrl + K` | | Delete from the cursor to the start of the line. | `Ctrl + U` | | Clear all text in the input field. | `Ctrl + C` | | Delete the previous word. | `Ctrl + Backspace`
`Alt + Backspace`
`Ctrl + W` | | Delete the next word. | `Ctrl + Delete`
`Alt + Delete` | | Delete the character to the left. | `Backspace`
`Ctrl + H` | | Delete the character to the right. | `Delete`
`Ctrl + D` | | Undo the most recent text edit. | `Cmd + Z (no Shift)`
`Alt + Z (no Shift)` | | Redo the most recent undone text edit. | `Shift + Ctrl + Z`
`Shift + Cmd + Z`
`Shift + Alt + Z` | #### Scrolling | Action | Keys | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------- | | Scroll content up. | `Shift + Up Arrow` | | Scroll content down. | `Shift + Down Arrow` | | Scroll to the top. | `Ctrl + Home`
`Shift + Home` | | Scroll to the bottom. | `Ctrl + End`
`Shift + End` | | Scroll up by one page. | `Page Up` | | Scroll down by one page. | `Page Down` | #### History & Search | Action | Keys | | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | | Show the previous entry in history. | `Ctrl + P (no Shift)` | | Show the next entry in history. | `Ctrl + N (no Shift)` | | Start reverse search through history. | `Ctrl + R` | | Submit the selected reverse-search match. | `Enter (no Ctrl)` | | Accept a suggestion while reverse searching. | `Tab` | | Browse and rewind previous interactions. | `Double Esc` | #### Navigation | Action | Keys | | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | Move selection up in lists. | `Up Arrow (no Shift)` | | Move selection down in lists. | `Down Arrow (no Shift)` | | Move up within dialog options. | `Up Arrow (no Shift)`
`K (no Shift)` | | Move down within dialog options. | `Down Arrow (no Shift)`
`J (no Shift)` | | Move to the next item or question in a dialog. | `Tab (no Shift)` | | Move to the previous item or question in a dialog. | `Shift + Tab` | #### Suggestions & Completions | Action | Keys | | --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Accept the inline suggestion. | `Tab`
`Enter (no Ctrl)` | | Move to the previous completion option. | `Up Arrow (no Shift)`
`Ctrl + P (no Shift)` | | Move to the next completion option. | `Down Arrow (no Shift)`
`Ctrl + N (no Shift)` | | Expand an inline suggestion. | `Right Arrow` | | Collapse an inline suggestion. | `Left Arrow` | #### Text Input | Action | Keys | | ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Submit the current prompt. | `Enter (no Shift, Alt, Ctrl, Cmd)` | | Insert a newline without submitting. | `Ctrl + Enter`
`Cmd + Enter`
`Alt + Enter`
`Shift + Enter`
`Ctrl + J` | | Open the current prompt in an external editor. | `Ctrl + X` | | Paste from the clipboard. | `Ctrl + V`
`Cmd + V`
`Alt + V` | #### App Controls | Action | Keys | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | | Toggle detailed error information. | `F12` | | Toggle the full TODO list. | `Ctrl + T` | | Show IDE context details. | `Ctrl + G` | | Toggle Markdown rendering. | `Alt + M` | | Toggle copy mode when in alternate buffer mode. | `Ctrl + S` | | Toggle YOLO (auto-approval) mode for tool calls. | `Ctrl + Y` | | Cycle through approval modes: default (prompt), auto_edit (auto-approve edits), and plan (read-only). | `Shift + Tab` | | Expand a height-constrained response to show additional lines when not in alternate buffer mode. | `Ctrl + O`
`Ctrl + S` | | Focus the shell input from the gemini input. | `Tab (no Shift)` | | Focus the Gemini input from the shell input. | `Tab` | | Clear the terminal screen and redraw the UI. | `Ctrl + L` | | Restart the application. | `R` | | Suspend the application (not yet implemented). | `Ctrl + Z` | ## Additional context-specific shortcuts - `Option+B/F/M` (macOS only): Are interpreted as `Cmd+B/F/M` even if your terminal isn't configured to send Meta with Option. - `!` on an empty prompt: Enter or exit shell mode. - `\` (at end of a line) + `Enter`: Insert a newline without leaving single-line mode. - `Esc` pressed twice quickly: Clear the input prompt if it is not empty, otherwise browse and rewind previous interactions. - `Up Arrow` / `Down Arrow`: When the cursor is at the top or bottom of a single-line input, navigate backward or forward through prompt history. - `Number keys (1-9, multi-digit)` inside selection dialogs: Jump directly to the numbered radio option and confirm when the full number is entered. - `Double-click` on a paste placeholder (`[Pasted Text: X lines]`) in alternate buffer mode: Expand to view full content inline. Double-click again to collapse.