---
title: "Keyboard shortcuts"
description: "Every keyboard shortcut and menu letter in the Codewhale desktop app."
works_on: [desktop]
---

# Keyboard shortcuts

Everything in Codewhale works from the keyboard.

**Works on:** the desktop app. Web and phone: not available yet.

## See every shortcut in the app

Press ⌘/ (Ctrl+/ on Windows and Linux), or search for "Keyboard shortcuts"
in the palette. Every control's tooltip shows its shortcut too.

Tab and Shift+Tab move focus in reading order everywhere. Esc closes the
innermost menu or dialog first; with nothing open, Esc in an empty composer
stops the reply.

## Shortcuts

**Ask Whale** (⌥Space, Ctrl+Alt+Space) works even when Codewhale isn't the
front window; see [The whale on your screen](whale-on-screen.md).

### Everywhere

| Action | macOS | Windows and Linux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Search | `⌘K` | `Ctrl+K` |
| New conversation | `⌘N` | `Ctrl+N` |
| Open folder… | `⌘O` | `Ctrl+O` |
| Answer what it needs | `⇧⌘A` | `Shift+Ctrl+A` |
| Ask Whale | `⌥Space` | `Ctrl+Alt+Space` |
| Choose model | `⌘'` | `Ctrl+'` |
| Change what asks first… | `⇧⌘E` | `Shift+Ctrl+E` |
| Change mode | `⇧⌘M` | `Shift+Ctrl+M` |
| Settings | `⌘,` | `Ctrl+,` |
| Keyboard shortcuts | `⌘/` | `Ctrl+/` |

### This conversation

| Action | macOS | Windows and Linux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mark conversation as read | `⌥⌘U` | `Alt+Ctrl+U` |
| Rename conversation | `⌥⌘R` | `Alt+Ctrl+R` |
| Archive conversation | `⌥⌘E` | `Alt+Ctrl+E` |
| Delete conversation… | `⌘⌫` | `Ctrl+Backspace` |

### Cards and files

| Action | macOS | Windows and Linux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delete… (a routine, from its menu in Routines) | `⌘⌫` | `Ctrl+Backspace` |

### Composer

| Action | macOS | Windows and Linux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Send, or queue while it works | `↩` | `↩` |
| New line | `⇧↩` | `Shift+↩` |
| Send into this turn | `⌘↩` | `Ctrl+↩` |
| Stop, or close the innermost menu | `esc` | `Esc` |
| Commands | `/` | `/` |
| Complete a command | `Tab` | `Tab` |
| Open the menu for what has focus | `⇧F10` | `Shift+F10` |
| Undo, while its toast shows | `⌘Z` | `Ctrl+Z` |

## Menu letters

In an open menu, one letter chooses an item, with no modifier. Letters never
fire while you're typing with an input method. Items with a ⌥⌘ shortcut take
their bare letter in the menu.

Menus for plugins, connectors, skills, routines and tickets are on their own
pages: [Plugins](plugins.md), [Connectors and skills](connectors-and-skills.md),
[Routines](routines.md) and [Maintainer mode](maintainer-mode.md).

### A conversation (its row, or the title at the top)

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Rename | `⌥⌘R` |
| Fork › Everything so far | `E` |
| Fork › Fresh start, same setup | `F` |
| Make room | `K` |
| Copy › Conversation ID | `I` |
| Archive | `⌥⌘E` |
| Delete… | `⌘⌫` |

The title menu at the top has the same items except **Rename** and
**Delete…**; use the sidebar row for those.

In a group conversation the menu has **Copy › Conversation ID**, plus
**Invite people…** (`S`) for the owner or **Leave conversation…** (`L`) for
everyone else.

### The whale

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Answer what it needs | `⇧⌘A` |
| New conversation with Whale | `N` |
| Open profile | `↩` |
| Open home conversation | `O` |
| Show on desktop | `D` |
| Hide from desktop | `D` |
| Ask Whale | `⌥Space` |
| Check in later… | `L` |
| Pause check-ins | `P` |
| Resume check-ins |  |

### Your message

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Edit | `E` |
| Fork from here | `F` |
| Copy › Text | `T` |

### A reply

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Retry | `R` |
| Fork from here | `F` |
| Copy › As Markdown | `⌘C` |
| Copy › Text | `T` |

### Someone else's message

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Copy › As Markdown | `⌘C` |
| Copy › Text | `T` |

### An agent's message

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Copy › As Markdown | `⌘C` |
| Copy › Text | `T` |

### Selected text

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Copy | `⌘C` |

### A tool card

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Show details | `⌥V` |
| Hide details | `⌥V` |
| Copy › Command | `M` |
| Copy › Text | `T` |
| Copy › Output | `O` |

### An approval card

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Change what asks first… | `⇧⌘E` |
| Quote in reply | `Q` |
| Show details | `⌥V` |
| Hide details | `⌥V` |
| Copy › Command | `M` |

### A changed file

| Item | Key |
| --- | --- |
| Open | `↩` |
| Show changes | `D` |
| Conversations that changed this file | `H` |
| Copy › Path | `⌥⌘C` |
| Copy › Name | `N` |

These menu items are not available yet. They are left out of menus, and the palette lists them as "Not available yet":

| Item | On |
| --- | --- |
| Pin conversation, Mark conversation as unread, Move to section, Share…, Copy conversation link, Copy conversation as Markdown, Open in new window, Delete for everyone… | a conversation |
| Attach as context | a conversation, a message, a card or a file |
| Rewind files to here… | your message |
| Good reply, What it did | a reply |
| Comment | a message, selected text, or a line in Review |
| Use on all your devices…, Show folder in Finder | the whale |
| Edit… | a profile, a connector or a routine |
| Update, Show in folder, Roll back | a plugin |
| Sign in | a connector |
| Use in this conversation | a skill |
| Open ticket conversation, Take over | a ticket in maintainer mode |

## On the web

Not available yet.

## On your phone

Not available yet.

## Related

- [Commands and the palette](commands.md)
- [Accessibility](accessibility.md)

Previous: [Commands and the palette](commands.md) · Next: [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md)