VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts
A focused cheat sheet of the Visual Studio Code shortcuts developers reach for every day, covering editing, navigation, and the command palette. Mac users can read Ctrl as Cmd for most bindings.
14 shortcuts across 3 groups
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + P | Open the command palette |
| Ctrl + P | Quick open a file by name |
| Ctrl + , | Open settings |
| Ctrl + B | Toggle the sidebar |
| Ctrl + ` | Toggle the integrated terminal |
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Alt + Up / Down | Move the current line up or down |
| Shift + Alt + Down | Copy the line down |
| Ctrl + / | Toggle a line comment |
| Ctrl + D | Add the next matching selection |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Delete the current line |
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + G | Go to a line number |
| F12 | Go to definition |
| Ctrl + Tab | Cycle through open editors |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Search across all files |
Getting these into muscle memory
A cheat sheet only helps if the bindings move from the page into your hands. The fastest way is to pick two or three shortcuts from a single group above, force yourself to use them for a few days even when the mouse feels quicker, and only then add more. Trying to memorize an entire sheet at once rarely sticks, because none of the bindings get enough repetition to become automatic.
The groups here are ordered by how often you reach for them. Openers and palettes come first because they unlock everything else, then editing and navigation, which is where most of a session is spent. Keep this page open in a tab while you learn, and it will quietly work its way out of your sight and into your fingers.