title	Windows Terminal Key Bindings
description	Learn how to create custom key bindings for Windows Terminal.
author	cinnamon-msft
ms.author	cinnamon
ms.date	06/18/2020
ms.topic	how-to
ms.service	terminal
ms.localizationpriority	high

Custom key bindings in Windows Terminal

You can create custom key bindings (keyboard shortcuts) inside Windows Terminal that give you control of how you interact with the terminal using your keyboard.

Key binding formats

Key bindings can be structured in the following formats:

Commands without arguments

{ "command": "commandName", "keys": "modifiers+key" }

For example, this default setting uses the shortcut key alt+f4 to close the terminal window:

{ "command": "closeWindow", "keys": "alt+f4" }

Commands with arguments

{ "command": { "action": "commandName", "argument": "value" }, "keys": "modifiers+key" }

For example, this default setting uses the shortcut key ctrl+shift+1 to open a new tab in the terminal based on whichever profile is listed first in your dropdown menu (typically this will open the PowerShell profile):

{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+1" }

Key binding properties

Key bindings can be constructed using the following properties.

Command

This is the command executed when the associated keys are pressed.

Property name: command

Necessity: Required

Accepts: String

Keys

This defines the key combinations used to call the command. Keys can have any number of modifiers with one key. Accepted modifiers and keys are listed below.

Property name: keys

Necessity: Required

Accepts: String or array[string]

Action

This adds additional functionality to certain commands.

Property name: action

Necessity: Optional

Accepts: String

Accepted modifiers and keys

Modifiers

ctrl+, shift+, alt+

Modifier keys

Type	Keys
Function and alphanumeric keys	`f1-f24`, `a-z`, `0-9`
Symbols	`, `-`, `=`, `[`, `]`, `\`, `;`, `'`, `,`, `.`, `/`
Arrow keys	`down`, `left`, `right`, `up`, `pagedown`, `pageup`, `pgdn`, `pgup`, `end`, `home`, `plus`
Action keys	`tab`, `enter`, `esc`, `escape`, `space`, `backspace`, `delete`, `insert`
Numpad keys	`numpad_0-numpad_9`, `numpad0-numpad9`, `numpad_add`, `numpad_plus`, `numpad_decimal`, `numpad_period`, `numpad_divide`, `numpad_minus`, `numpad_subtract`, `numpad_multiply`

Application-level commands

Close window

:::row::: :::column span=""::: This closes the current window and all tabs within it. If confirmCloseAllTabs is set to true, a confirmation dialog will appear to ensure you'd like to close all your tabs. More information on this setting can be found on the Global settings page.

Command name: closeWindow

Default binding:

{ "command": "closeWindow", "keys": "alt+f4" }

:::column-end::: :::column span="":::

:::column-end::: :::row-end:::

Find

This opens the search dialog box. More information on search can be found on the Search page.

Command name: find

Default binding:

{ "command": "find", "keys": "ctrl+shift+f" }

Open the dropdown

This opens the dropdown menu.

Command name: openNewTabDropdown

Default binding:

{ "command": "openNewTabDropdown", "keys": "ctrl+shift+space" }

Open settings files

This opens either the default or custom settings files. Without the target field, this will open the settings.json file.

Command name: openSettings

Default binding:

{ "command": "openSettings", "keys": "ctrl+," },
{ "command": { "action": "openSettings", "target": "defaultsFile" }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+," },

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`target`	Optional	`"settingsFile"`, `"defaultsFile"`, `"allFiles"`	The settings file to open.

Important

The target field is only available in Windows Terminal Preview.

Toggle full screen

This allows you to switch between full screen and default window sizes.

Command name: toggleFullscreen

Default bindings:

{ "command": "toggleFullscreen", "keys": "alt+enter" },
{ "command": "toggleFullscreen", "keys": "f11" }

Tab management commands

Close tab

This closes the current tab.

Command name: closeTab

Duplicate tab

This makes a copy of the current tab and opens it.

Command name: duplicateTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "duplicateTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+d" }

New tab

This creates a new tab. Without any arguments, this will open the default profile in a new tab. If an action is not specified, the default profile's equivalent setting will be used.

Command name: newTab

Default bindings:

{ "command": "newTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+t" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+1" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+2" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 2 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+3" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 3 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+4" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 4 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+5" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 5 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+6" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 6 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+7" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 7 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+8" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 8 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+9" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`commandLine`	Optional	Executable file name as a string	Executable run within the tab.
`startingDirectory`	Optional	Folder location as a string	Directory in which the tab will open.
`tabTitle`	Optional	String	Title of the new tab.
`index`	Optional	Integer	Profile that will open based on its position in the dropdown (starting at 0).
`profile`	Optional	Profile's name or GUID as a string	Profile that will open based on its GUID or name.

Open next tab

This opens the tab to the right of the current one.

Command name: nextTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "nextTab", "keys": "ctrl+tab" }

Open previous tab

This opens the tab to the left of the current one.

Command name: prevTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "prevTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+tab" }

Open a specific tab

This opens a specific tab depending on the index.

Command name: switchToTab

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+1" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+2" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 2 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+3" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 3 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+4" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 4 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+5" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 5 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+6" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 6 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+7" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 7 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+8" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 8 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+9" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`index`	Required	Integer	Tab that will open based on its position in the tab bar (starting at 0).

Pane management commands

Close pane

This closes the active pane. If there aren't any split panes, this will close the current tab. If there is only one tab open, this will close the window.

Command name: closePane

Default binding:

{ "command": "closePane", "keys": "ctrl+shift+w" }

Move pane focus

This changes focus to a different pane depending on the direction.

Command name: moveFocus

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "down" }, "keys": "alt+down" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "left" }, "keys": "alt+left" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "right" }, "keys": "alt+right" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "up" }, "keys": "alt+up" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`direction`	Required	`"left"`, `"right"`, `"up"`, `"down"`	Direction in which the focus will move.

Resize a pane

This changes the size of the active pane.

Command name: resizePane

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "down" }, "keys": "alt+shift+down" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "left" }, "keys": "alt+shift+left" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "right" }, "keys": "alt+shift+right" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "up" }, "keys": "alt+shift+up" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`direction`	Required	`"left"`, `"right"`, `"up"`, `"down"`	Direction in which the pane will be resized.

Split a pane

This halves the size of the active pane and opens another. Without any arguments, this will open the default profile in the new pane. If an action is not specified, the default profile's equivalent setting will be used.

Command name: splitPane

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "auto", "splitMode": "duplicate" }, "keys": "alt+shift+d" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "horizontal"}, "keys": "alt+shift+-" },
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "vertical"}, "keys": "alt+shift+plus" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`split`	Required	`"vertical"`, `"horizontal"`, `"auto"`	How the pane will split. `"auto"` will split in the direction that provides the most surface area.
`commandLine`	Optional	Executable file name as a string	Executable run within the pane.
`startingDirectory`	Optional	Folder location as a string	Directory in which the pane will open.
`tabTitle`	Optional	String	Title of the tab when the new pane is focused.
`index`	Optional	Integer	Profile that will open based on its position in the dropdown (starting at 0).
`profile`	Optional	Profile's name or GUID as a string	Profile that will open based on its GUID or name.
`splitMode`	Optional	`"duplicate"`	Controls how the pane splits. Only accepts `"duplicate"`, which will duplicate the focused pane's profile into a new pane.

Clipboard integration commands

Copy

This copies the selected terminal content to your clipboard.

Command name: copy

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+c" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+c" },
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+insert" }

Clipboard Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`singleLine`	Optional	`true`, `false`	When `true`, the copied content will be copied as a single line. When `false`, newlines persist from the selected text.

Paste

This inserts the content that was copied onto the clipboard.

Command name: paste

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "ctrl+v" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "ctrl+shift+v" },
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "shift+insert" }

Scrollback commands

Scroll up

This scrolls the screen up.

Command name: scrollUp

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollUp", "keys": "ctrl+shift+up" }

Scroll down

This scrolls the screen down.

Command name: scrollDown

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollDown", "keys": "ctrl+shift+down" }

Scroll up a whole page

This scrolls the screen up by a whole page, which is the height of the window.

Command name: scrollUpPage

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollUpPage", "keys": "ctrl+shift+pgup" }

Scroll down a whole page

This scrolls the screen down by a whole page, which is the height of the window.

Command name: scrollDownPage

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollDownPage", "keys": "ctrl+shift+pgdn" }

Visual adjustment commands

Adjust font size

This changes the text size by a specified point amount.

Command name: adjustFontSize

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+=" },
{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": -1 }, "keys": "ctrl+-" }

Actions

Name	Necessity	Accepts	Description
`delta`	Required	Integer	Amount of size change per command invocation.

Reset font size

This resets the text size to the default value.

Command name: resetFontSize

Default binding:

{ "command": "resetFontSize", "keys": "ctrl+0" }

Unbind keys

This unbinds the associated keys from any command.

Command name: unbound

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Custom key bindings in Windows Terminal

Key binding formats

Commands without arguments

Commands with arguments

Key binding properties

Command

Keys

Action

Accepted modifiers and keys

Modifiers

Modifier keys

Application-level commands

Close window

Find

Open the dropdown

Open settings files

Actions

Toggle full screen

Tab management commands

Close tab

Duplicate tab

New tab

Actions

Open next tab

Open previous tab

Open a specific tab

Actions

Pane management commands

Close pane

Move pane focus

Actions

Resize a pane

Actions

Split a pane

Actions

Clipboard integration commands

Copy

Clipboard Actions

Paste

Scrollback commands

Scroll up

Scroll down

Scroll up a whole page

Scroll down a whole page

Visual adjustment commands

Adjust font size

Actions

Reset font size

Unbind keys