Claude Code Keyboard Shortcuts

17:35 The Claude Code shortcuts most people need are Esc to stop Claude mid-task, Esc twice to rewind, Shift+Tab to cycle permission modes, Ctrl+R to search past prompts, Ctrl+O to open the full transcript and Ctrl+C to cancel or, pressed twice on an empty prompt, quit (Interactive mode). A new line in a prompt is \ then Enter in any terminal, or Shift+Enter in terminals that support it. Almost every shortcut can be changed in ~/.claude/keybindings.json, which /keybindings creates and opens; changes apply without a restart (Keybindings). The shortcuts below are for the terminal; the VS Code extension and the desktop app have their own, listed on Claude Code in VS Code and JetBrains and Claude Code Desktop.

Quick facts

Sources: Interactive mode, Keybindings, read Nov 6, 2026.

Controlling Claude

Source: Interactive mode, Keybindings, read Nov 6, 2026.

0:15 Messages typed while Claude works are queued and delivered when its current tool calls finish; Ctrl+X Enter queues a message so that it never interrupts the turn. The permission modes Shift+Tab cycles through are explained on Claude Code Permissions and Modes, and the rewind menu on Claude Code Checkpoints. On Windows terminals without VT mode, the mode shortcut falls back to Alt+M (Keybindings).

Writing prompts

Source: Interactive mode, read Nov 6, 2026.

Prefixes

A character at the start of the prompt changes what it does (Interactive mode):

• / runs a command or skill (Claude Code Slash Commands).
• ! runs a shell command directly, adds its output to the conversation, and Claude responds to it.
• @ mentions a file path, with tab completion.
• ? on an empty prompt shows the shortcut help.
• : starts an emoji shortcode.

Vim mode

Vim-style editing is turned on in /config under Editor mode; the old /vim command was removed in version 2.1.92. It offers NORMAL, INSERT and VISUAL modes with familiar motions such as w, b, gg, G and f{char} and text objects. In vim mode Esc switches from INSERT to NORMAL rather than canceling, / in NORMAL mode searches history and ? shows help. Vim keys themselves cannot be remapped in the keybindings file; a sequence such as jj for Esc goes in the vimInsertModeRemaps setting (Keybindings).

How do I change Claude Code keyboard shortcuts?

1. Run /keybindings. It creates or opens ~/.claude/keybindings.json.
2. Add a block per context, mapping keys to actions written as namespace:action.
3. Save. Claude Code picks the change up at once and writes any mistakes to the debug log (start it with --debug to see them).

This example, from Anthropic's page, makes Ctrl+E open the external editor and frees Ctrl+S:

{
  "$schema": "https://www.schemastore.org/claude-code-keybindings.json",
  "bindings": [
    {
      "context": "Chat",
      "bindings": {
        "ctrl+e": "chat:externalEditor",
        "ctrl+s": null
      }
    }
  ]
}

Source: Keybindings, read Nov 6, 2026.

Contexts include Global, Chat, Autocomplete, Confirmation, Transcript, HistorySearch, Task, Select, Settings, Plugin and Agents, among 27 listed. Writing null removes a default. Modifiers are ctrl, shift, alt (also meta or option) and cmd, though most terminals never send cmd, so ctrl or meta is safer. Chords are keys separated by spaces, such as ctrl+k ctrl+s, each pressed within 3 seconds of the last. command:<name> binds a key to a slash command: "meta+g": "command:compact" makes Alt+G run /compact. Since version 2.1.280, y and n no longer confirm prompts by default; add them to a Confirmation block to get that back.

Some keys can never be rebound: Ctrl+C and Ctrl+D are fixed, and terminals deliver Ctrl+M as Enter, Ctrl+[ as Esc and Ctrl+I as Tab. Others collide with terminal tools: Ctrl+B is the tmux prefix, Ctrl+A GNU screen's and Ctrl+Z suspends the process (Keybindings).

Frequently asked questions

How do I add a new line in Claude Code? Type \ and then Enter, or press Ctrl+J, in any terminal; Shift+Enter also works in terminals that support it, and /terminal-setup installs it for VS Code, Cursor, Alacritty and Zed.

How do I stop Claude Code while it is working? Press Esc. Claude Code stops the current turn and keeps the work done so far, so you can redirect it; Ctrl+C also cancels.

How do I undo in Claude Code? Press Esc twice on an empty prompt, or run /rewind, to choose an earlier prompt and restore the code, the conversation or both; Ctrl+_ undoes typing in the prompt itself.

How do I switch to plan mode in Claude Code? Press Shift+Tab until the mode reads Plan, or type /plan; on some Windows setups the shortcut is Alt+M.

Where is the Claude Code keybindings file? Claude Code keeps custom shortcuts in ~/.claude/keybindings.json; /keybindings creates or opens it.

How do I paste an image into Claude Code? Press Ctrl+V in the Claude Code prompt (Alt+V on Windows and WSL, Cmd+V in iTerm2); the image appears as an [Image #N] chip.

Sources

• Interactive mode, Claude Code Docs, read Nov 6, 2026
• Customize keyboard shortcuts, Claude Code Docs, read Nov 6, 2026
• Commands, Claude Code Docs, read Nov 6, 2026
• Checkpointing, Claude Code Docs, read Nov 6, 2026
• Claude Code best practices | Code w/ Claude, Anthropic, Jul 31, 2025 (video)
• Your first Claude Code prompt, Claude, May 15, 2026 (video)