Keyboard Shortcuts

Introduction

Standard keyboard shortcuts for the GNOME 3 OS and applications.

Designers

JakubSteiner

Objectives

Separate system level shortcuts and application level shortcuts. Right now we 'steal' some key modifier keys from applications.

Constraints

Relevant Art

Discussion

- find a possible work around for non-existent keys like PrnScr, !Meta/!Super.

Tentative Design

System

The primary system modifier key should be <Super> (Super/Windows/Command key).

Behavior/Action

Shortcut

Notes

Status

Enter overview

Super, Super+S

685974

Done in 3.9

Enter "Show Applications"

Super+A

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+, #685738

Window modifier

Super

We should not steal alt for system, very commonly used.

Done in 3.5+

Access Application Menu

Super+F10

Done in 3.4.1+

Switch focus in overview

Tab

To do

Toggle maximized/windowed

Super+Up / Super+Down

OK

Toggle tiled left

Super+Left

OK

Toggle tiled right

Super+Right

OK

Hide window

Super+H

Rebranded minimize (used to use Alt+F9)

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Switch to next workspace

Super+PgDown

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Switch to previous workspace

Super+PgUp

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Switch to first workspace

Super+Home

Done

Switch to last workspace

Super+End

Done

Move Window to next workspace

Super+Shift+PgDown

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Move Window to previous workspace

Super+Shift+PgUp

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Move Window to monitor left

Super+Shift+Left

OK

Move Window to monitor right

Super+Shift+Right

OK

Switch to next application

Super+Tab

Maybe the familiarity is too strong on this one

Done in 3.7+

Switch to previous application

Super+Shift+Tab

Done in 3.7+

Switch to next window

This is the 'classic' Alt-Tab

Done in 3.7+

Switch to previous window

This is the 'classic' Alt-Tab

Done in 3.7+

Switch to next window of the current application

Super+<key above tab>

Done in 3.7+

Switch to previous window of the current application

Super+Shift+<key above tab>

Done in 3.7+

Switch input source

Super+Space

Problems with Ctrl+Space

Done 3.7+

Toggle Message Tray

Super+M

Done in GNOME Shell 3.7+

Expand a notification and give it keyboard focus

Super+N

OK

Take a screenshot

PrintScr

OK

Take a screenshot of a window

Alt+Print

OK

Take a screenshot of a region

Shift+Print

OK

Take a screenshot and paste in a clipboard

Ctrl+Print

OK

Take a screenshot of a window and paste in a clipboard

Ctrl+Alt+Print

OK

Take a screenshot of a region and paste in a clipboard

Ctrl+Shift+Print

OK

Video capture desktop

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R

OK

Hush Mode (set busy)

?

Log Out

?

Power Off

Ctrl+Alt+Del

Also: PowerOff key

Super+F4 to bring up the power off modal #746945

Lock screen

Super+L

Also: ScreenSaver key (Fn-F2)

#667327

Run Console

Alt+F2

OK

Toggle Zoom

Alt+Super+8

OK

Toggle Screen Reader

Alt+Super+S

Done in 3.9

Applications

Behavior/Action

Existing

Proposed

Notes

Close Active Window

Alt+F4, Ctrl+W

Super+W

Quit Application

Ctrl+Q

Gear Menu

F10

Switch to next tab

Ctrl+Tab

Switch to previous tab

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Comments

  • I was looking for it! I think Mac OS X shortcuts are a lot better than Windows shortcuts. What about Super+Z for undo and Super+Shift+Z for redo? Super+T for open a new tab and Super+Shift+T for reopen the last closed tab? Super+C for copy and Super+V for paste? I think it's very annoying to have to memorize Ctrl+Shift+C for copy and Ctrl+Shift+V for paste while using Terminal. And what about remove the Alt+F1 shortcut or replace it with Super+F1 (and do the same with Alt+F2/Super+F2)? --TaeSandoval

    • Instead of moving to Super+F2 we could use Super+R (R like run and it's nice for windows switchers) --RobertPrömper

  • If we want to establish Super as system modifier, is it really a good idea to use it in default application shortcuts? --FlorianMuellner

    • Default application shortcuts would be very useful imho, something like Super+T for Terminal, Super+F for Files and Super+B for the default browser would be free for example. --RobertPrömper

      • By "default application shortcuts" I mean "default shortcuts used by applications" like the proposed Super+W to close a tab/window. Any global shortcut to launch an application is a system shortcut, so super would indeed be an appropriate modifier ... --FlorianMuellner

  • It should be possible to move a application to the next Display in a Multi-Monitor-Setup --Wutzara
  • After the closure of bug 681528, having default shortcuts for some accessibility features became more relevant. Quoting comment 26 "Toggling frequently can be done with hotkeys or gestures in both cases". I have just added some links on the "See also" section, about accessibility related links on other OSs and distros. See also bug 632363 for more information.
  • I think OSX got it right here. Using Super/cmd/GNOME key for system level and app level is the best. It also has the effect of freeing Control for exclusive use on the terminal and additional complex functionality. My scenario today was using gnome-terminal: I couldn't copy the selection without some finger yoga, when my thumbs are already on "Super/cmd" because of Super+tab, Super as overview trigger, etc... --DiegoEscalanteUrrelo

    • Another thing: we would need to convince some apps like Firefox to sync with us so instead of having alt+# to switch tabs it would be Super+# (although I believe they are using alt to mimic GNOME already?) --DiegoEscalanteUrrelo

  • Changing the most used shortcuts to something else than Ctrl+[key] would be the best decision! We've got the problem with the shell (mostly copy&paste) and the Ctrl key is not really well positioned for such a frequent usage. But instead of switching to Super, which isn't well positioned on most keyboards either, Alt would be a very good candidate for that job. BeOS (now HaikuOS) would be an example for this. --JochenBreuer

See Also

Design/OS/KeyboardShortcuts (last edited 2021-11-06 08:16:46 by AlbertoFanjul)