Windows Terminal keyboard shortcuts
Windows Terminal is Microsoft's modern, GPU-accelerated terminal that hosts PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL side by side in tabs and split panes. Its defaults cover tabs, panes, search and a quake-style dropdown window, and mastering them turns it into a true multiplexer without ever touching the mouse. This cheat sheet covers 49 default shortcuts.
Tabs
| New tab (default profile) | Ctrl+Shift+T |
| Open new tab dropdown (choose profile) | Ctrl+Shift+Space |
| New tab with profile 1 | Ctrl+Shift+1 |
| New tab with profile 2 | Ctrl+Shift+2 |
| New tab with profile 3 | Ctrl+Shift+3 |
| New tab with profile 4 | Ctrl+Shift+4 |
| Duplicate current tab | Ctrl+Shift+D |
| Close current pane (or tab when last pane) | Ctrl+Shift+W |
| Next tab | Ctrl+Tab |
| Previous tab | Ctrl+Shift+Tab |
| Switch to tab 1 | Ctrl+Alt+1 |
| Switch to tab 2 | Ctrl+Alt+2 |
| Switch to tab 3 | Ctrl+Alt+3 |
| Switch to tab 4 | Ctrl+Alt+4 |
| Switch to tab 5 | Ctrl+Alt+5 |
| Switch to tab 6 | Ctrl+Alt+6 |
| Switch to tab 7 | Ctrl+Alt+7 |
| Switch to tab 8 | Ctrl+Alt+8 |
Panes
| Split pane automatically (duplicate profile) | Alt+Shift+D |
| Split pane horizontally (stacked) | Alt+Shift+- |
| Split pane vertically (side by side) | Alt+Shift+= |
| Move focus between panes | Alt+Arrow keys |
| Resize current pane | Alt+Shift+Arrow keys |
Window
| New window | Ctrl+Shift+N |
| Toggle full screen | F11 |
| Toggle full screen (alternative) | Alt+Enter |
| Summon quake-mode dropdown window | Win+` |
| Close window | Alt+F4 |
| Open system menu | Alt+Space |
Clipboard & Selection
| Copy selection | Ctrl+Shift+C |
| Copy selection (alternative) | Ctrl+Insert |
| Paste | Ctrl+Shift+V |
| Paste (alternative) | Shift+Insert |
| Select all text in buffer | Ctrl+Shift+A |
| Enter mark mode (keyboard selection) | Ctrl+Shift+M |
| Find | Ctrl+Shift+F |
Scrolling & Zoom
| Scroll up one line | Ctrl+Shift+Up |
| Scroll down one line | Ctrl+Shift+Down |
| Scroll up one page | Ctrl+Shift+Page Up |
| Scroll down one page | Ctrl+Shift+Page Down |
| Scroll to top of history | Ctrl+Shift+Home |
| Scroll to bottom of history | Ctrl+Shift+End |
| Increase font size | Ctrl+= |
| Decrease font size | Ctrl+- |
| Reset font size | Ctrl+0 |
Settings & Commands
| Open command palette | Ctrl+Shift+P |
| Open settings UI | Ctrl+, |
| Open settings.json file | Ctrl+Shift+, |
| Open defaults.json file (read-only defaults) | Ctrl+Alt+, |
Put your top Windows Terminal shortcuts on real keys
The five Windows Terminal actions most worth binding to a physical macropad key:
Win+` Summon quake-mode window A terminal from anywhere in Windows on one physical key is peak workflow speed.
Alt+Shift+D Split pane automatically Instant side-by-side shells without reaching for an awkward three-key chord.
Ctrl+Shift+P Open command palette Reaches every Terminal action, including unbound ones, from a single key.
Ctrl+Shift+D Duplicate current tab Clones the current profile and working directory, the fastest way to fan out work.
Ctrl+Shift+F Find Searching scrollback for errors and IDs happens constantly during debugging.
I hand-build small-batch programmable macropads (QMK/VIA) in Barcelona. One press, any shortcut, any app.
Windows Terminal shortcut FAQs
How do I split the screen in Windows Terminal?
Press Alt+Shift+D to split with the current profile, Alt+Shift+Minus for a horizontal split or Alt+Shift+Plus for a vertical one. Move between panes with Alt+Arrow keys and resize them with Alt+Shift+Arrow keys.
Why does Windows Terminal use Ctrl+Shift+C to copy?
Plain Ctrl+C must keep sending the interrupt signal to console programs, so Ctrl+Shift+C is the guaranteed copy binding. By default Ctrl+C also copies when text is selected and interrupts otherwise.
What is quake mode in Windows Terminal?
Pressing Win+` summons a dropdown terminal window that slides from the top of the screen, similar to the Quake game console. Press it again to dismiss the window.
How do I change keyboard shortcuts in Windows Terminal?
Open the settings UI with Ctrl+, and use the Actions page, or edit settings.json directly with Ctrl+Shift+, and add entries to the actions array. Ctrl+Alt+, opens the read-only defaults.json for reference.
How do I select text with the keyboard in Windows Terminal?
Press Ctrl+Shift+M to enter mark mode, move the cursor with the arrow keys, hold Shift to extend the selection, then copy with Ctrl+Shift+C or Enter.