Useful Shortcut Keys in Ubuntu

Ubuntu Keyboard Shortcuts Featured

For those shortcut key lovers out there, here is a long list of keyboard shortcuts for Ubuntu. Most of them should work in most Gnome-based distros. Enjoy the list.

General Keyboard Shortcuts
Ctrl + ASelect all
Ctrl + CCopy the highlighted content to clipboard
Ctrl + VPaste the clipboard content
Ctrl + NNew (Create a new document or new application, not in terminal)
Ctrl + OOpen file
Ctrl + SSave file
Ctrl + PPrint file
Ctrl + WClose file
Ctrl + QQuit current application
F1Show help/documentation about app/function (if available)
Keyboard Shortcuts for GNOME Desktop
Ctrl + Alt + DeleteLog out
Ctrl + Alt + BackspaceRestart GNOME
Ctrl + Alt + F1Switch to the first virtual terminal
Ctrl + Alt + F2(F3)(F4)(F5)(F6)Select the different virtual terminals
Ctrl + Alt + F7Restore back to the current terminal session with X
Ctrl + Alt + TabSwitch between system controls
Ctrl + Alt + EscapeSwitch system controls directly
Ctrl + Alt + TLaunch terminal
Ctrl + Super + DHide all windows/Show desktop
Alt + TabSwitch between open programs
Alt + SpaceOpen the window menu
Alt + F1Open the Activities overview
Alt + F2Open the “Run a Command” dialog box.
Alt + F4Close the current window
Alt + F5Unmaximizes the current window
Alt + F6Switch windows of an app directly
Alt + F7Move the current window
Alt + F8Resize the current window
Alt + F10Toggle maximization for the current window
Super + AShow all applications
Super + HHide window
Super + LLock the screen
Super + NFocus the active notification
Super + SShow the overview
Super + VShow the notification list
Super + F10Open the application menu
Super + TabSwitch applications
Super + `Switch windows of an application
Super + EscapeRestore the keyboard shortcuts
Super + UpMaximize window
Super + DownRestore window
Super + LeftView split on left
Super + RightView split on right
Super + PageUp/PageDownMove to the workspace above/below
Super + Home/EndMove to the first/last workspace
Super + SpaceSwitch to the next input source
Super + Shift + SpaceSwitch to the previous input source
Super + Shift + Up/Down/Left/RightMove window one monitor up/down/left/right
Super + Shift + PageUp/PageDownMove window one workspace up/down
Super + Shift + Home/EndMove window to first/last workspace
Super + Alt + STurn screen reader on or off
Super + Alt + 8Turn zoom on or off
Super + Alt + =Zoom in
Super + Alt + -Zoom out
Keyboard Shortcuts for Terminal
Arrow Up/DownBrowse command history
F11Full screen
Alt + F/RightMove forward one word
Alt + B/LeftMove backward one word
Alt + (any number from 1 to 0)Switch to respective tab (out of the first ten)
Shift + PageUp / PageDownScroll terminal output
Ctrl + AMove cursor to beginning of line
Ctrl + EMove cursor to end of line
Ctrl + CKill the current process
Ctrl + ZSuspend the current process by sending the signal SIGSTOP
Ctrl + RFind the last command matching the entered letters
Enter a letter, followed by Tab + TabList the available commands beginning with those letters
Ctrl + UDelete the current line
Ctrl + KDelete everything to the right of the cursor’s position
Ctrl + WDelete the word before the cursor
Ctrl + LClears the terminal output
Ctrl + PageUpSwitch to previous tab
Ctrl + PageDownSwitch to next tab
Ctrl + +Zoom In
Ctrl + -Zoom out
Ctrl + 0Normal size (Reset zoom)
Ctrl + Shift + PageUpMove tab to the left
Ctrl + Shift + PageDownMove tab to the right
Ctrl + Shift + CCopy the highlighted command to the clipboard
Ctrl + Shift + V (or Shift + Insert)Paste the contents of the clipboard
Ctrl + Shift + FFind
Ctrl + Shift + GFind next
Ctrl + Shift + HFind previous
Ctrl + Shift + JClear highlight
Ctrl + Shift + TNew hab
Ctrl + Shift + NNew window
Ctrl + Shift + WClose tab
Ctrl + Shift + QClose window
Keyboard Shortcuts for Taking Screenshots
PrintSave a screenshot to Pictures folder
Alt + PrintSave a screenshot of a window to Pictures folder
Shift + PrintSave a screenshot of an area to Pictures folder
Ctrl + Alt + PrintCopy a screenshot of a window to clipboard
Ctrl + Shift + PrintCopy a screenshot of an area to clipboard
Ctrl + PrintCopy a screenshot to clipboard
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + RStart screencast recording
Keyboard Shortcut for Files/Nautilus
DeleteMove selected files/folders to Trash
Shift + DeleteDelete selected files/folders permanently
Ctrl + ?/F1Open the Keyboard Shortcut window
Ctrl + TOpen a new tab
Ctrl + PageUpGo to previous tab
Ctrl + PageDownGo to next tab
Ctrl + Shift + PageUpMove tab left
Ctrl + Shift + PageDownMove tab right
Ctrl + Shift + TRestore closed tab
Alt + 0 … . 8Go to the specified tab
Ctrl + Shift + NCreate new folder
Ctrl + Shift + IInvert selection
Ctrl + ENTEROpen the selected folder in a new tab
Shift + ENTEROpen the selected folder in a new window
Ctrl + I or Alt + ENTERShow file/folder properties
Ctrl + 1Toggle view as list
Ctrl + 2Toggle view as grid
Ctrl + SSelect pattern
Ctrl + ASelect all files and folders
Ctrl + FSearch
Ctrl + DBookmark current location
Ctrl + ZUndo
Ctrl + Shift + ZRedo
Ctrl + WClose window
Ctrl + O or EnterOpen selected file/folder (with default application)
Ctrl + Shift + DownOpen file and close window
Ctrl + RReload window
Alt + UpGo up
Alt + LeftGo back
Alt + RightGo forward
Alt + DownGo down
Alt + HomeGo to Home folder
Ctrl + LShow/go to location bar
Ctrl + Alt + OOpen item location (search and recent only)
/Show/go to location bar with root location
~Show/go to location bar with Home location
Ctrl + HShow/hide hidden files
Ctrl + +Zoom in
Ctrl + -Zoom out
Ctrl + 0Reset zoom
Alt + DownOpen selected file with default application
F2Rename selected file/folder
F5 or Ctrl + RRefresh view
F9Show/hide sidepane
F10Show/hide action menu

If you want to configure your own keyboard shortcuts, you can do so at “Settings -> Devices -> Keyboard.”

Which ones are your favorite keyboard shortcuts? Are there more shortcuts that I left out? Let me know in the comments, and I will add them to the lists.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox