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The GNU/Linux is without a doubt one of the most used, flexible and robust operating system in the world today. To unlock the power, and its full potential lies in mastering the keyboard shortcuts. This guide is designed to provide a good starting point in learning the most essential keyboard shortcuts available that will not just help in using a GNU/Linux graphical environment, but also in the command line. Once this has been achieved the benefit is in saving time and enhancing one’s own efficiency.
In computing a keyboard shortcut or also known as a hotkey or a key binding is done by pressing one or more keys to preform a specific action. The actions can be built into a given application, operating system or added in by using another application or scripting language.
For a complete explanation about keyboard shortcuts please refer to, What are Keyboard Shortcuts?
Actions preformed in a graphical user interface (GUI) by a keyboard shortcut maybe common between each application, but the keyboard shortcut used can vary from application to application. However, there are still some that are commonly used that we can look at to help have a general understanding of where to begin and what one can experiment with to determine how to achieve a desired action. With this said it is always recommended referring to the application itself or the documentation to determine the correct keyboard shortcut for the desired action.
Close Window Close a window within an application, also known as a child window. Shortcuts: Ctrl + W or Ctrl + F4 Close/Quit Application Quit or end an application’s session, also known as a parent window. Shortcuts: Ctrl + Q , Alt + F4 Copy Duplicate text or an object (e.g. image file) into the clipboard with the intention to place (paste) at another location. Shortcut: Ctrl + C Cut Remove text or an object (e.g. image file) into the clipboard with the intention to place (paste) at a new location. Shortcut: Ctrl + X Find Locate text within the contents of an application window or document. Shortcut: Ctrl + F Find & Replace Locate text within the contents of an application window or document and then replace with predefined text. Shortcut: Ctrl + H Full Screen Maximize the application window size to use the entire screen. Shortcut: F11 Go To Move the cursor to a specific line number. Shortcut: Ctrl + G New Tab Create or open a new tab within an application’s parent window. Shortcut: Ctrl + T New Window or Document Create a new parent window or child window (document) within an application. Shortcut: Ctrl + N Open File Open a document or file within the application. Shortcut: Ctrl + O Paste Output what has been cut or copied into the clipboard to be placed at another location. This usually provides the ability to paste multiple time as required. Shortcut: Ctrl + V Print Open the print dialog to set printing properties and to send a document to be printed. Shortcut: Ctrl + P Redo Reverse an undo action that has been completed previously. Shortcut: Ctrl + Y Select All Select all text or objects within an active application window. Shortcut: Ctrl + A Undo Reverse the last action that was completed previously. Shortcut: Ctrl + Z Zoom In Increase focus inward to make text or objects appear larger. Shortcut: Ctrl + + Zoom Out Decrease focus outward to make text or objects appear smaller. Shortcut: Ctrl + -
There are quite a few GNU/Linux desktop environments to choose from that are made up of a group of components that produce the graphical user interface (GUI). There is even the option to change out components for another. This allows for a user to have the perfect tailored environment. With this custom ability comes with varying keyboard shortcuts from each another, therefore instead of an exhausted list the most popular based environments are shown below.
Lock Screen Lock the graphical user interface. Shortcut: Super + L Logout / Restart Show the power off / restart dialog. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + Del (delete) Maximize Window Increase the active application window size to maximum. Shortcut: Super + ↑ Move to Workspace Above Switch to the workspace above. Shortcut: Super + Page Up Move to Workspace Down Switch to the workspace down. Shortcut: Super + Page Down Move Window One Monitor Down Move the active window down one monitor. Shortcut: Super + ↓ Move Window One Monitor Up Move the active window up one monitor. Shortcut: Super + ↑ Move Window One Monitor Left Move the active window left one monitor. Shortcut: Super + ← Move Window One Monitor Right Move the active window right one monitor. Shortcut: Super + → Restore Window Restore the active application window size. Shortcut: Super + ↓ Run Command Show the run command prompt. Shortcut: Alt + F2 Show Activities Overview Display the activities overview of open applications, search and Dash. Shortcut: Super Switch Applications Switch to an open application. Shortcut: Super + Tab Screenshot Interactively Capture the desktop to an image interactively. Shortcut: Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Capture the entire desktop to an image. Shortcut: Shift + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Active Window Capture the active window to an image interactively. Shortcut: Alt + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Tile Window Left Move the active window to the left on current the screen and then select desired application to fill the rest. Shortcut: Super + ← Title Window Right Move the active window to the right on current the screen and then select desired application to fill the rest. Shortcut: Super + →
Emoji Selector Open the Emoji Selector application. Shortcut: Super + . (period) File Manager Open the file manager application. Shortcut: Super + E KRunner Open the command-line launcher application. Shortcut: Alt + F2 or Alt + Space bar Lock Screen Lock the graphical user interface. Shortcut: Super + L Logout / Restart / Shutdown Show the logout / restart / shut down dialog. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + Del (delete) Maximize Window Increase the active application window size to maximum. Shortcut: Super + Page Up Minimize Window Increase the active application window size to maximum. Shortcut: Super + Page Down Tile Window Left Move and tile the active window to the left on the current screen. Shortcut: Super + ← Tile Window Right Move and tile the active window to the right on the current screen. Shortcut: Super + → Tile Window Top Move and tile the active window to the top on the current screen. Shortcut: Super + ↑ Tile Window Bottom Move and tile the active window to the bottom on the current screen. Shortcut: Super + ↓ Screenshot Interactively Capture the desktop to an image interactively. Shortcut: Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Capture the entire desktop to an image. Shortcut: Shift + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Active Window Capture the active window to an image interactively. Shortcut: Super + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Switch Applications Switch to an open application. Shortcut: Alt + Tab Terminal Open the terminal emulator application. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T
Application Launcher Open the application launcher Whisker Menu. Shortcut: Alt + F1 Display Settings Open the monitor display settings. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + P File Manager Open the file manager application. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + F Find Application Locate an application with the Application Finder. Shortcut: Alt + F2 Lock Screen Lock the graphical user interface. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + Del (delete) Screenshot Capture the entire desktop screen to an image interactively. Shortcut: Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Selected Area Capture a selected area of the screen to an image interactively. Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Screenshot Active Window Capture the active window to an image interactively. Shortcut: Shift + Print Screen (Print Scrn) Stop Application Abruptly stop or kill a selected application. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + X Task Manager Open the task manager. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + M Terminal Open the terminal emulator application. Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T
How one chooses to access the command line interface (CLI) and which command-line interpreter (shell) is used determines what keyboard shortcuts are made available. For instances accessing via the console would be quite limiting compared to accessing via a terminal emulator (e.g. GNOME Console/Terminal). It is best to refer to the documentation for the shell, and terminal used in order to unleash the full potential. In either case, here are a few keyboard shortcuts one would prefer to not live without that will work with Bash or Bash compatible shells.
Break Command Abruptly stop the current foreground running process. Shortcut: Ctrl + C Clear Screen Clear the screen contents and redraw the current line, leaving current line at the top of screen. This shortcut when used executes the clear command. Shortcut: Ctrl + L Complete Typing Type a partial text to complete the command, directory or file name. Shortcut: Tab Copy Text Duplicate text into the clipboard with the intention to place (paste) at another location (if supported). Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + C Delete To Start Delete from the current cursor position to the start of the line. Shortcut: Ctrl + U Delete To End Delete from the current cursor position to the end of the line. Shortcut: Ctrl + K Delete Word Delete the word before the current cursor position. Shortcut: Ctrl + W Delete Undo Restore the last deleted text from Ctrl + K , Ctrl + U or Ctrl + W . Shortcut: Ctrl + Y Exit Shortcut for the command exit . The command line must be empty to work. Shortcut: Ctrl + D History Search Search the entire command history using a provided keyword or string. Shortcut: Ctrl + R Move To Start of Line Move the cursor to the beginning of the current line. Shortcut: Ctrl + A Move To End of Line Move the cursor to the end of the current line. Shortcut: Ctrl + E Paste Text Output what has been copied from the clipboard at the current cursor location. This usually provides the ability to paste multiple time as required. Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + C Run In Background Suspend the current command/process in the background. Refer to commands bg and fg. Shortcut: Ctrl + Z
For a more complete list of keyboard shortcuts considering reading Bash Terminal Keyboard Shortcuts.
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