VS Code Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Every keyboard shortcut — editing, multi-cursor, search & debugging.

A free, searchable Visual Studio Code keyboard shortcut guide on one long page. Covers essential editing, multi-cursor & selection, navigation, search & replace, code editing & refactoring, panels/views, Source Control (Git) and debugging — every shortcut shown as real Windows/Linux AND Mac key-cap chips, with a plain-English explanation of when to use it. Includes a quick-reference table clarifying the four similar-looking "Go To" shortcuts (files, commands, line numbers, symbols). Search “format”, “multi cursor” or “git” to jump straight to it. Runs fully in your browser, no sign-up, no API.

About VS Code Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

• Every shortcut shown as real Windows/Linux AND Mac key-cap chips — no guessing which platform it's for.
• Covers essential editing, multi-cursor, navigation, search & replace, refactoring, panels, Source Control (Git) and debugging.
• A quick-reference table for the four similar-looking "Go To" shortcuts — files, commands, line numbers and symbols.
• Instant search — type "comment", "multi cursor" or "git" to jump straight to it.
• Plain-English explanation of WHEN to use each shortcut, not just what key to press.
• The Command Palette and Quick Open explained up front — the two shortcuts that unlock everything else.
• 100% free reference, no sign-up — works the same on a phone, tablet or desktop.

VS Code Shortcuts Cheat Sheet features

• Every shortcut shown as visual Windows/Linux AND Mac key-cap chips
• Covers editing, multi-cursor, navigation, search, refactoring, panels, Source Control (Git) and debugging
• A quick-reference table for the four similar "Go To" shortcuts
• Plain-English explanation of when to use each shortcut
• The Command Palette and Quick Open explained up front
• Instant search across every shortcut and section
• 100% free, no sign-up, no API

Best practices

Shortcuts most VS Code users never discover

The Command Palette covers everything, but these specific combos save the most repeated clicks.

• TIP Ctrl+K then Ctrl+S (⌘+K ⌘+S on Mac) opens the full keyboard shortcuts list — searchable and rebindable, no settings menu needed.
• TIP Alt+Click (Option+Click on Mac) drops an extra cursor exactly where you click — combine several clicks for cursors in unrelated spots at once.
• FACT Ctrl+Shift+P and Ctrl+P look similar but search completely different things — one searches ACTIONS, the other searches FILES.

Type ">" inside Quick Open (Ctrl/⌘+P) to turn it into the Command Palette instantly — you never have to remember two separate shortcuts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most important VS Code shortcut to learn first?

The Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux, ⌘+Shift+P on Mac). It's a searchable list of literally every action VS Code can do — type a few letters of what you want and press Enter, no menu-hunting required.

How do I quickly open a file without using the mouse?

Press Ctrl+P (⌘+P on Mac) to open Quick Open, then type a few letters of the filename and press Enter. It searches every file in your project instantly.

How do I select and edit multiple lines at once in VS Code?

Hold Ctrl+Alt and press ↑ or ↓ (⌘+Option+↑/↓ on Mac) to add a cursor directly above or below your current one. Anything you type from then on is typed on every active cursor at once.

How do I rename a variable everywhere it's used?

Put your cursor on the variable name and press F2. Type the new name and press Enter — VS Code updates every reference to it across the whole project, not just the current file.

How do I format my code automatically?

Press Shift+Alt+F (Shift+Option+F on Mac) to auto-format the current file using whichever formatter is installed for that language, such as Prettier.

How do I search across my entire project, not just one file?

Press Ctrl+Shift+F (⌘+Shift+F on Mac) to open project-wide search. It searches every file in your open folder and lets you replace across all of them too with Ctrl+Shift+H.

How do I select every occurrence of the same word?

Press Ctrl+D (⌘+D on Mac) repeatedly to select the word under your cursor and then each next matching occurrence one at a time, or Ctrl+Shift+L (⌘+Shift+L on Mac) to select every occurrence in the file instantly.

How do I open or close the built-in terminal?

Press Ctrl+` (the backtick key, ⌘+` on Mac) to toggle VS Code's integrated terminal panel without leaving the editor.

Are VS Code shortcuts different on Windows, Linux and Mac?

Mostly the same, but Ctrl on Windows/Linux becomes ⌘ (Command) on Mac for most shortcuts, and Alt becomes Option. This guide shows both key combinations side by side for every shortcut.

How do I comment out a line of code quickly?

Press Ctrl+/ (⌘+/ on Mac) with your cursor on the line, or with several lines selected, to toggle a comment on or off using the correct syntax for that file's language.

How do I jump to where a function is defined?

Put your cursor on the function name and press F12 to jump straight to its definition, even if it's in a different file.

Can I customize VS Code's keyboard shortcuts?

Yes — open the Command Palette and search "Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts", or press Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (⌘+K ⌘+S on Mac), to see and rebind every shortcut in the editor.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to open Git / Source Control in VS Code?

Yes — Ctrl+Shift+G (⌘+Shift+G on Mac) opens the Source Control panel. Most other Git actions (staging, discarding) are click-driven with no default keybinding, but once you've typed a commit message, Ctrl+Enter (⌘+Enter on Mac) commits it without touching the mouse.

What is the difference between Ctrl+P, Ctrl+Shift+P, Ctrl+G and Ctrl+Shift+O?

All four open a similar searchable dropdown, but each searches something different: Ctrl+P searches file NAMES, Ctrl+Shift+P searches COMMANDS (actions), Ctrl+G jumps to a LINE NUMBER, and Ctrl+Shift+O searches SYMBOLS (functions/classes/variables) within the current file.

Is this VS Code shortcuts cheat sheet free to use?

Yes — it's 100% free with no sign-up, no login and no limits. Every shortcut and the search box work fully in your browser.

Related tools — Guides & Tutorials

• Git & GitHub Guide — Clone, commit, push, branch & merge — every Git command with examples.
• Keyboard Shortcuts Guide (Windows & Mac) — Every shortcut for copy/paste, browsers, Word & Excel — Windows & Mac side by side.
• Regex Cheat Sheet — Syntax Reference — Every regex symbol, quantifier, group & flag explained with copy-ready patterns.
• SQL Cheat Sheet — Syntax & Query Reference — SELECT to window functions, transactions & indexes — with copy-ready queries.
• Python Basics Cheat Sheet — Syntax Reference — Variables, strings, lists, loops & functions — every Python basic with copy-ready code.
• Excel Cheat Sheet — Every essential Excel shortcut & top formula on one page.
• Excel Guide — How Excel works — the fundamentals, explained simply.
• Beginner Excel — Everyday Excel skills — with step-by-step examples.
• Advanced Excel — Lookups, dropdowns, duplicates & PivotTables — with examples.
• Master Excel — Dynamic arrays, Power Query, macros & dashboards.
• Google Sheets Cheat Sheet — Every formula — text, math, lookups, dates & QUERY — with examples.
• Linux / Bash Commands Cheat Sheet — Every terminal command — files, permissions, processes & networking.
• Vim Cheat Sheet — Movement, editing, search & how to actually save and quit.
• Docker Commands Cheat Sheet — Images, containers, Compose, volumes & cleanup — with examples.