# Keyboard shortcuts

> Every Canto shortcut by group, which ones you can change, and Quick capture from any app.

Applies to Canto 1.0 beta 6 · Updated Oct 18, 2026 · https://lonelyduck.io/docs/canto/shortcuts

Generated from Canto 1.0.0-beta.6's code: `src/renderer/lib/shortcuts/registry.ts`, `src/main/menu.ts`, `src/shared/settings/registry.ts`.

You can reach most of Canto from the keyboard. Three keys get you most of the way: `⌘K` finds and runs anything, `⌘J` opens Ask, and `⌥Space` captures a thought from any app.

In Canto, **Help › Keyboard Shortcuts** (`⌘/`) opens **Settings › Keyboard**, which lists the same shortcuts. The tables on this page are generated from Canto's own list, so they match the app.

## Shortcuts you can change

Change any of these in **Settings › Keyboard › Shortcuts you can change**: click the shortcut and type the new keys. If the keys you type already belong to another shortcut, Canto offers to swap them.

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⇧⌘K` | AI commands for this note | Opens ⌘K on this note’s AI commands. A selection is offered first. In a note. |
| `⌘.` | Ask about the selection | Opens Ask beside the note with the selected text quoted. In a note, with text selected. |
| `⌘L` | Quote the selection in Ask | Adds the selected text to what you are writing in Ask. In a note, with text selected. |
| `⌘J` | Show or hide Ask | The toolbar’s Ask button. Menu: View › Ask. Main window. |
| `⇧⌘V` | Dictation | Starts or stops dictation where you are typing. Where you type. |
| `⇧⌘R` | Read aloud | Reads the selection, or the note, aloud. In a note (in the Ask composer ⇧⌘R is Think). |
| `⌘T` | Live transcription | Opens the live transcription panel. Main window. |

## Quick capture

Quick capture works in every app, even when Canto's window is closed. A small window takes a thought, a link or a selection and saves it to your Inbox, without switching to Canto. Turn it off or choose other keys in **Settings › Keyboard › Quick capture**. It's also **File › Quick Capture…**.

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌥ Space` | Quick capture | Opens a small window that saves a thought to the Inbox, from any app. Menu: File › Quick Capture…. Anywhere on your Mac, even with Canto’s window closed. |

## Navigation

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌘N` | New note | Menu: File › New Note. |
| `⌥⌘N` | New note from a template | Menu: File › New Note from Template…. |
| `⇧⌘N` | New folder | Menu: File › New Folder. |
| `⌘W` | Close the document (the one before it shows) | Menu: File › Close. |
| `⇧⌘T` | Reopen the last closed document | Menu: File › Reopen Closed Document. |
| `⌘[` | Back | Menu: Go › Back. |
| `⌘]` | Forward | Menu: Go › Forward. |
| `⌃⇥` | Next split pane (⇧ for the one before) |  |
| `⇧⌘H` | Home | Menu: Go › Home. |

## View and search

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌘K` | Go to, search, run a command or ask (⌘P too) | Menu: View › Command Bar…. |
| `⌘↩` | Ask about what you typed in ⌘K |  |
| `⇧⌘F` | Search notes, chats and files, with filters | Menu: Go › Search…. |
| `⌘F` | Find in the note | Menu: Edit › Find…. |
| `⌘\` | Show or hide the sidebar | Menu: View › Show or Hide Sidebar. |
| `⇧⌘\` | Open the document in a split | Menu: View › Open in Split. |
| `⌥⌘I` | Move to the inspector (Ask · Context · Info) | Menu: View › Inspector. |
| `⌘,` | Settings | Menu: Canto › Settings…. |

## Editor

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌘B` | Bold |  |
| `⌘I` | Italic |  |
| `⌘E` | Code in a line |  |
| `⇧⌘Y` | The note’s history | Menu: View › Note History. |

Markdown shortcuts work as you type, too: type `#` and a space for a heading, `-` for a list, `[ ]` for a to-do, and so on. The "/" menu shows the shortcut beside each block type.

## Composer

These work in every Ask composer: beside a note, on a chat page and on Home.

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `↩` | Send |  |
| `⇧↩` | New line |  |
| `/` | Actions (type at the start of a message) |  |
| `⌘↩` | Research instead (a cited report for this message) |  |
| `Esc` | Stop the answer (when the field is empty) |  |
| `↑` | Edit your last message (when the field is empty) |  |
| `⇧⌘P` | Choose the model |  |
| `⇧⌘R` | Think on or off |  |
| `⌘U` | Attach files |  |
| `@` | Mention a note |  |
| `⇥` | Put the highlighted action in the message, to add words |  |

## Actions

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `/` | Actions and blocks in a note (type at the start of a line) |  |

## Export and import

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⇧⌘E` | Export as Markdown | Menu: File › Export › Markdown…. |
| `⇧⌘I` | Import a .canto file | Menu: File › Import › Canto File (.canto)…. |

## In the menu bar only

These are in the menu bar but not in Settings › Keyboard.

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌥⇧⌘V` | Paste and Match Style | Menu: Edit › Paste and Match Style. Main window. |
| `⇧⌘J` | Wide Chat | Menu: View › Wide Chat. Main window. |
| `⇧⌘G` | Vault Graph | Menu: Go › Vault Graph. Main window. |
| `⌘/` | Keyboard Shortcuts | Menu: Help › Keyboard Shortcuts. Main window. |

## Standard Mac keys

| Keys | Does | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `⌘H` | Hide Canto |  |
| `⌥⌘H` | Hide Others |  |
| `⌘Q` | Quit Canto |  |
| `⌘Z` | Undo |  |
| `⇧⌘Z` | Redo |  |
| `⌘X` | Cut |  |
| `⌘C` | Copy |  |
| `⌘V` | Paste |  |
| `⌘A` | Select All |  |
| `⌘M` | Minimize |  |

## Same keys, different places

A few keys do different things depending on where you are:

* `⌘↩` asks about what you typed in the `⌘K` bar; in the Ask composer it turns the message into Research instead.
* `⇧⌘R` reads aloud; while the Ask composer has the focus, it turns Think on or off.
* `/` at the start of a line in a note opens actions and blocks; at the start of a message in the composer it opens actions.
* `⌘W` closes the document in the main window, and closes the Settings window when that's in front.