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KeyboardShortcuts
As well as using your mouse to operate software,
you can also use your keyboard to perform specific
functions. This page provides a list of keyboard
shortcuts which you may find useful.

How to use a keyboard shortcut

Traditionally, keyboard shortcuts are written like so:
Alt + F1. This means that you should press the Alt
and F1 keys simultaneously. This is normally best
achieved by holding down the modifier key (such as
Ctrl or Alt or the Super(windows logo) key) and then
pressing the second key once. You can then release
the modifier key.

Finding keyboard shortcuts

Finding system keyboard shortcuts

Contents
1. How to use a keyboard
shortcut
2. Finding keyboard shortcuts
1. Finding system
keyboard shortcuts
2. Finding applicationspecific keyboard
shortcuts
3. Desktop shortcuts
1. Window shortcuts
4. Desktop Effects enabled
shortcuts
5. Common application shortcuts
6. System shortcuts
7. Application-specific shortcuts
1. Firefox Web Browser
2. LibreOffice Writer
8. Laptop Function Shortcuts
9. Text Entry Shortcuts
1. Replacing keys with
other keys
10. More information

To find (and change) system-level keyboard

shortcuts, one can (at least in later, GNOME-based
distros, e.g. ubuntu karmic) run the Keyboard
Shortcuts applet, e.g. via
System>Preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts on the main menu.

Finding application-specific keyboard shortcuts

While there are many standard keyboard shortcuts (see below), most applications also have
keyboard shortcuts which are specific to themselves. These can normally be found in the
pull-down menus at the top of the application's screen. The example below shows a menu in
OpenOffice.org Writer, with the keyboard shortcuts highlighted:

Desktop shortcuts
This section lists common keyboard shortcuts which you can use to operate parts of the
desktop (such as windows and the menu bar).
Alt + F1

Open the Applications menu

Alt + F2

Run an application by typing its name in the box which appears

Prt Sc

(Print Screen) Take a screenshot of the whole screen

Alt + Prt Sc Take a screenshot of the current window

Shift + Prt Sc Take a screenshot of a selected rectangle on the screen

Window shortcuts
Switch between currently-open windows. Press Alt + Tab and then release
Tab (but continue to hold Alt). Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the list of
Alt + Tab
available windows which appears on the screen. Release the Alt key to switch
to the selected window.
Switch between currently-open windows in all Workspaces. Press Tab
Ctrl + Alt
repeatedly to cycle through the list of available windows which appears on the
+ Tab
screen. Release the Ctrl and Alt keys to switch to the selected window.

Ctrl + Alt
+
Lets you quickly switch between your Workspaces.
Left/Right
Cursor
These might not work on every machine, but are reasonably common:
Alt+F7

Moves the current window (can be moved with mouse or keyboard).

Alt+F8

Resizes current window (again, can be moved with mouse or keyboard).

Alt+F9

Minimises current window.

Alt+F10

Maximises current window.

Alt+Space

Brings up window menu with with 'Always on Top' and 'Minimise' and
'Maximise' and above commands.

These might change depending on the application you're using, but work for most common
applications:
Alt+F5 Returns window to 'normal' or previous size.
Alt+F4 Closes window.

Desktop Effects enabled shortcuts

All of the shortcuts listed in this section require Desktop Effects to be enabled.
Ctrl + Alt +
Spins the 'cube' that your workspaces reside on, allowing you to select the
Left/Right
workspace you wish to use.
Cursor
Ctrl + Alt + Enables an 'expose' like feature that presents you with all the windows you
Up Cursor currently have open, allowing you to select the one you wish to give focus to.
Ctrl + Alt + Unfolds your workspace cube allowing you to see more than one of your
Down
workspaces at once, using the left and right cursor keys with this active will
Cursor
allow you to select the workspace you wish to use.

Ctrl + Alt +
Switch between currently-open windows across all workspaces.
Tab
Super + W Enables the 'scale' effect, it shows all windows from the current workspace.
Super + A Enables the 'scale' effect, it shows all windows from all workspaces.
Super + N Invert colours of the focused window.
Super + M Invert colours for the whole screen.
Super +
Mouse
Scroll
Wheel

Zooms in on the screen.

Super +
Middle
Mouse
Button

Select a region to zoom into, using a rectangle.

Ctrl +
Toggles 'Show Desktop'.
Super + D
Alt +
Middle
Mouse
Button

Resize focused window.

Alt + Left
Mouse
Button

Move focused window.

Alt + Right
Mouse
Show window menu.
Button
Super + S

Zoom out, show workspace switcher

Common application shortcuts

Common application shortcuts

These shortcuts do not apply in all applications, but usually perform the functions listed
below.
Ctrl + C

Copy the selected text/object

Ctrl + X

Cut the selected text/object

Ctrl + V

Paste/insert the selected text/object

Ctrl + A

Select all text

Ctrl + B

Make the selected text bold

Ctrl + I

Make the selected text italic

Ctrl + U

Underline the selected text

Ctrl + N

Open a new document or window

Ctrl + S

Save the current document

Ctrl + O

Open another document

Ctrl + P

Print the current document

Ctrl + Z

Undo the last change you made

Ctrl + Shift + Z Redo a change that you just undid

System shortcuts
Some of these shortcuts will restart important parts of your system. Only use them if you
have to.

Ctrl + Alt + Delete

Restart the computer immediately, without saving

open files

Ctrl + Alt + Plus (numeric

keypad)

Rotate through supported screen resolutions

Ctrl + Alt + Minus (numeric

keypad)

Rotate backwards through supported screen

resolutions

A list of low-level keyboard shortcuts is available on Wikipedia.

Application-specific shortcuts
This section covers common keyboard shortcuts for some important applications which are
installed by default in Ubuntu.

Firefox Web Browser

Ctrl + T

Open a new tab

Ctrl + Tab

Rotate through each tab

Ctrl + Shift + Tab Rotate backwards through each tab

Ctrl + W

Close the current tab (or browser if on last tab)

Ctrl + L

Enter a new web address

Ctrl + B

Show a list of your bookmarks

Ctrl + H

Show your browsing history

Ctrl + K

Enter a new web search in the search bar

Ctrl + Y

Show a list of downloaded files

F11

Display the current page full-screen

Esc

Stop loading the current page

Ctrl + R

Reload the current page

These might not work for everyone, but can help with accessibility issues:
Alt Gr+Space Scrolls current tab/window down.
Alt Gr+Backspace Scrolls current tab/window up. You may find Alt Gr+Shift+Space
works if Alt Gr+Backspace does not.
If you don't have Alt Gr, it might be labelled something else. It's usually to the right of the
space bar.
See Mozilla Support for a full list of keyboard shortcuts in Firefox.

LibreOffice Writer
F7

Check the spelling of the current document

Ctrl + F

Find and replace words

Ctrl + Z

Undo the last change

Ctrl + Y

Redo a change which you just undid

Ctrl + L

Align the current paragraph/selection to the left

Ctrl + E

Align the current paragraph/selection to the center of the document

Ctrl + R

Align the current paragraph/selection to the right

Ctrl + Shift + J Show the current document full-screen

Press Tools Customize Keyboard to change keyboard shortcuts in LibreOffice.

Laptop Function Shortcuts

Many laptops have function (Fn) keys which you can hold down to access more functions
on the laptop's keyboard. A list of these functions should be available from the manufacturer
of the laptop.

Text Entry Shortcuts

If you want to have quick access to lines of text by using a hotkey, for example to enter your
email address in forms, then you can use xbindkeys. Xbindkeys has a GUI utility to allow

easy settings of hotkeys, but be aware that it's a little more complicated than the default
Ubuntu Shortcutkeys interface.
Install xbindkeys
sudo apt-get install xbindkeys

Create the default config file for xbindkeys

xbindkeys --defaults > /home/your-user-name/.xbindkeysrc

When thats done, install xbindkeys-config, the GUI for xbindkeys

sudo apt-get install xbindkeys-config

Now the utility that actually does the "typing"

sudo apt-get install xvkbd

Once each is installed, start both applications by bringing up "Run Application" with ALT F2.
xbindkeys

and
xbindkeys-config

To keep the xbindkeys hotkeys active when you next start the computer you will have to add
a new session, System --> Preferences --> Sessions. Put in the command "xbindkeys" into
the command field (without the quotes).
You should be able to see the "Xbindkeys Config" window. Start a new hotkey. Hit "New"
on the bottom row of buttons. Then use the edit area at the top right. Give the hotkey a
name. Hit the "GetKey" button to set the keypress for a hotkey. Some hotkeys may conflict
with other hotkeys on the system (a window will open or a compiz plugin will activate). If
this happens then choose another combination like CTRL - ALT - F for example.
Now put the command to activate with that hotkey in the "Action" field. This can be
anything, but to allow for the entry of a line of text into part of the GUI enter
xvkbd -xsendevent -text "myemail@server.com"

The example shows an email address but it can be any line of text. Now hit "Apply" and test
the hotkey in a Firefox field, text editor, or anywhere that text can be entered. Please note
that using "Run Action" will not be able to test the command in xbindkeys-config, you will
have to test it somewhere else.

Replacing keys with other keys

If you want to use xbindkeys to override certain keys on your keyboard, you can catch them
with xbindkeys, and then emit new keypresses using xmacro. To install xmacro, use:
sudo apt-get install xmacro

After this, you can find out the commands for specific keypresses by starting xmacrorec:

xmacrorec :0.0

First give it the key which will allow you to quit the app, then press the keys you want to
know the codes for. After this, you can use those codes in the commands you tell xbindkeys
to run, for example:
xmacroplay-keys :0.0 KeyStr Next

will simulate a key press of the PageDown key. Thus, in my .xbindkeysrc the following
contents
"xmacroplay-keys :0.0 KeyStr Prior"
XF86Back
"xmacroplay-keys :0.0 KeyStr Next"
XF86Forward

will turn the Backward/Forward buttons on my Thinkpad T41 into PageDown and PageUp
keys, and will no longer disturb my browsing as I accidentally press those
Backward/Forward while browsing.

More information
A table of keyboard shortcuts is available on Wikipedia
A list of Linux keyboard shortcuts is available at tuxfiles.org
KeyboardShortcuts (last edited 2014-05-21 16:56:50 by wt-penguintechs-org @ 75-149-605-SFBA.hfc.comcastbusiness.net[75.149.60.5]:wt-penguintechs-org)