Skip to content

Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Canvas Chat provides keyboard shortcuts for common operations to improve efficiency.

Global Shortcuts

These work anywhere in the application:

Shortcut Action Notes
Cmd/Ctrl + K Open search Search for nodes by content
Cmd/Ctrl + Z Undo Undo last action
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Z Redo Redo previously undone action
? Show help modal Display keyboard shortcuts help
Esc Close modal/search Closes whatever is currently open

Note: Cmd refers to the Command key on macOS, Ctrl refers to the Control key on Windows/Linux.

Node Selection & Editing

These shortcuts work when nodes are selected or when the canvas has focus:

Shortcut Action Notes
Cmd/Ctrl + Click Multi-select nodes Add/remove nodes from selection
Delete or Backspace Delete selected nodes Only when not typing in an input
R Focus reply input When a node is selected
C Center view on content Centers viewport on all nodes
Arrow Up Navigate to parent Shows menu if multiple parents; message if none
Arrow Down Navigate to child Shows menu if multiple children; message if none

Chat Input

These shortcuts work when the chat input field is focused:

Shortcut Action Notes
Enter Send message Send current message
Shift + Enter New line Add line break without sending
/ Trigger slash commands Start typing a slash command
Tab Navigate slash menu Cycle through command suggestions
Arrow Up/Down Navigate slash menu When slash command menu is visible
Esc Close slash menu Close command suggestions

Search Panel

These shortcuts work when the search panel is open (Cmd/Ctrl + K):

Shortcut Action Notes
Arrow Up/Down Navigate results Move through search results
Enter Select result Jump to selected node
Esc Close search Close the search panel

All modal dialogs support:

Shortcut Action Notes
Esc Close modal Works for settings, help, etc.
Enter Confirm action When editing text fields

When navigating to a node with multiple parents or children, a selection menu appears:

Shortcut Action Notes
Arrow Up Select previous Wraps from first to last
Arrow Down Select next Wraps from last to first
Enter Confirm selection Navigates to highlighted node
Esc Close menu Returns focus to selected node

Canvas Navigation

Mouse/trackpad actions on the canvas:

Action Result Notes
Click + Drag canvas Pan viewport Move around the canvas
Scroll wheel Zoom in/out Centered on cursor position
Double-click canvas Fit content Centers and zooms to show all nodes
Drag node handle (⋮⋮) Move node Reposition individual nodes

Slash Commands Quick Reference

Type these in the chat input to trigger special commands:

Command Description Example
/note Add note or fetch URL /note https://example.com
/search Web search via Exa /search quantum computing
/research Deep research report /research CRISPR applications
/factcheck Verify claims with web search /factcheck verify these
/matrix Create comparison table /matrix compare options
/committee Multi-LLM consultation /committee should we use X?

See How to use web search, How to conduct deep research, How to fact-check claims, and How to use the LLM committee for details.

Undo/Redo Actions

The following actions can be undone with Cmd/Ctrl + Z:

  • Creating nodes (message sent, note added, etc.)
  • Deleting nodes
  • Moving nodes
  • Editing node titles
  • Creating edges (replies, branches, etc.)

Note: Some actions cannot be undone:

  • Changing settings
  • Importing/exporting sessions
  • API calls already in progress

Tips for Power Users

Workflow: Fast node creation and reply

  1. Type message, press Enter (creates node)
  2. Press R immediately (focuses reply input)
  3. Type reply, press Enter
  4. Repeat from step 2

No mouse needed!

Workflow: Multi-node operations

  1. Cmd/Ctrl + Click to select multiple nodes
  2. Type in chat input (uses all as context)
  3. Or press Delete to remove all selected
  4. Cmd/Ctrl + Z to undo if needed

Workflow: Search and navigate

  1. Cmd/Ctrl + K to open search
  2. Type search query
  3. Arrow Down to navigate results
  4. Enter to jump to node
  5. R to start replying

Slash command speed

  1. Type / to trigger autocomplete
  2. Type first few letters (/se → shows /search)
  3. Tab or Arrow Down to select
  4. Enter to insert command
  5. Type your query and Enter

Customization

You can override default keyboard shortcuts in Settings → Shortcuts. Open the Settings modal, click "Shortcuts" in the sidebar, then:

  • Change: Click "Change" for an action, then press the key combination you want (e.g. ⌘K). You must press a full combo (modifier + key); pressing only a modifier (Cmd, Ctrl, Shift, Alt) is ignored. Press Escape to cancel without changing.
  • Reset to default: This button appears only when the shortcut for that action differs from the default. If you click "Change" and press the same key as the default, no override is stored and "Reset to default" is not shown.

Keybindings are stored in your browser and are not included in session export/import.

Accessibility

Canvas Chat aims to be keyboard-accessible. If you find operations that require a mouse and shouldn't, please report them as accessibility issues.

Current limitations:

  • Resizing nodes requires mouse drag (no keyboard alternative)
  • Some tooltips only appear on mouse hover
  • Canvas panning requires mouse or trackpad (keyboard pan not implemented)

Browser Conflicts

Some shortcuts may conflict with browser defaults:

Shortcut Conflict Solution
Cmd + K Browser search on some browsers Canvas Chat captures this; use browser menu if needed
Ctrl + K Browser search on Chrome/Edge Same as above
Cmd + Z Browser undo Canvas Chat's undo takes precedence when app has focus

If a shortcut doesn't work, check that:

  1. The canvas or an input field has focus (click on it first)
  2. You're not typing in a text editor where the shortcut means something else
  3. No browser extension is intercepting the shortcut