KDE Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

T.C. Hollingsworth (tchollingsworth gmail.com)

The KDE Plasma Workspaces provide keyboard shortcuts that allow you to perform many tasks without touching your mouse. If you use your keyboard frequently, using these can save you lots of time.

This list contains the most common shortcuts supported by the workspace itself and many applications available within. Every application also provides its own shortcuts, so be sure to check their manuals for a comprehensive listing.

Note

The Meta key described below is a generic name for the custom key found on many different keyboards. On keyboards designed for Microsoft® Windows®, this key is usually called the Windows key, and will have a picture of the Windows® logo. On keyboards designed for Mac® computers, this key is known as the Command key and will have a picture of the Apple® logo and/or the ⌘ symbol. On keyboards designed for UNIX® systems, this key is really known as the Meta key and is typically labeled with a diamond: ◆.

Working with Windows

These shortcuts allow you to perform all kinds of operations with windows, whether it be opening, closing, moving, or switching between them.

Starting and Stopping Applications

These shortcuts make it easy to start and stop programs.

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl+Q	Quit
Ctrl+Esc	System Activity
Ctrl+Alt+Esc	Force Quit
Alt+F2	Run Command Interface
Alt+F4	Close

Moving Around

These shortcuts allow you to navigate between windows, activities, and desktops efficiently.

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl+F10	Present Windows
Ctrl+F9	Present Windows on current desktop
Ctrl+F7	Present Windows of current application only
Ctrl+F11	Desktop Cube
Ctrl+F12	Show Dashboard
Ctrl+Alt+A	Activate Window Demanding Attention
Alt+Tab	Walk through windows
Alt+`	Walk through windows of the current application
Alt+F3	Open the Window Operations menu
Meta+Alt+Up	Switch to Window Above
Meta+Alt+Down	Switch to Window Below
Meta+Alt+Left	Switch to Window to the Left
Meta+Alt+Right	Switch to Window to the Right

Panning and Zooming

Need to get a closer look? The KDE Plasma Workspaces allow you to zoom in and out and move your entire desktop around, so you can zoom in even when the application you are using doesn't support it.

Shortcut	Description
Meta+=	Zoom In
Meta+-	Zoom Out
Meta+0	Zoom Normal
Meta+Up	Pan Up
Meta+Down	Pan Down
Meta+Left	Pan left
Meta+Right	Pan Right

Working with Activities and Virtual Desktops

These shortcuts allow you to switch between and manage Activities and virtual desktops.

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl+Q	View all your Activities
Meta+Tab	Next Activity
Meta+Shift+Tab	Previous Activity
Alt+D R	Remove this Activity
Alt+D S	Activities Settings
Ctrl+F1	Switch to Desktop 1
Ctrl+F2	Switch to Desktop 2
Ctrl+F3	Switch to Desktop 3
Ctrl+F4	Switch to Desktop 4

Working with the Desktop

These shortcuts allow you to work with the KDE Plasma Desktop and panels.

Shortcut	Description
Alt+D A	Add Widgets
Alt+D R	Remove Widgets
Alt+D L	Lock/Unlock Widgets
Alt+D N	Next Widget
Alt+D P	Previous Widget
Alt+D S	Widget Settings
Ctrl+F12	Show Dashboard
Alt+D T	Run the Associated Application
Alt+Shift+F12	Enable/Disable Desktop Effects

Getting Help

Need some help? The manual for the current application is only a keypress away, and some programs even have additional help that explains the element in focus.

Shortcut	Description
F1	Help
Shift+F1	What's This?

Working with Documents

Whether it's a text document, spreadsheet, or web site, these shortcuts make performing many kinds of tasks with them easy.

Shortcut	Description
F5	Refresh
Ctrl+A	Select All
Ctrl+Z	Undo
Ctrl+Shift+Z	Redo
Ctrl+X	Cut
Ctrl+C	Copy
Ctrl+V	Paste
Ctrl+N	New
Ctrl+P	Print
Ctrl+S	Save
Ctrl+F	Find
Ctrl+W	Close Document/Tab

Working with Files

Whether your in an Open/Save dialog or the Dolphin file manager, these shortcuts save you time when performing operations on files. Note that some of the concepts used with files are the same as with documents, so several of the shortcuts are identical to their counterparts listed above.

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl+Z	Undo
Ctrl+X	Cut
Ctrl+C	Copy
Ctrl+V	Paste
Ctrl+A	Select All
Ctrl+L	Replace Location
Ctrl+Shift+A	Invert Selection
Alt+Left	Back
Alt+Right	Forward
Alt+Up	Up (to folder that contains this one)
Alt+Home	Home Folder
Delete	Move to Trash
Shift+Delete	Delete Permanently

Changing Volume and Brightness

In addition to the standard keys, many computer keyboards and laptops nowadays have special keys or buttons to change the speaker volume, as well as the brightness of your monitor if applicable. If present, you can use these keys in the KDE Plasma Workspaces to perform those tasks.

If you do not have such keys, see the section called “Modifying Shortcuts” for information on how to assign keys for these tasks.

Leaving Your Computer

All done? Use these shortcuts and put your computer away!

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl+Alt+Insert	Switch User
Ctrl+Alt+L	Lock Session
Ctrl+Alt+Delete	Logout
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Delete	Logout without confirmation
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Page Down	Shut Down without confirmation
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Page Up	Reboot without confirmation

Modifying Shortcuts

The shortcuts described in Working With Windows, Leaving Your Computer, and Changing Volume and Brightness are called global shortcuts, since they work regardless of which window you have open on your screen. These can be modified in the Global Shortcuts panel of System Settings, where they are separated by KDE component.

The shortcuts described in Working with Activities and Virtual Desktops and Working with the Desktop can be modified by clicking on the Desktop Toolbox and selecting Shortcut Settings.

The shortcuts described in Working with Documents and Getting Help are set by individual programs. Most KDE programs allow you to use the common shortcut editing dialog to modify these. The shortcuts described in Working With Files can be edited in the same manner when used inside a file manager like Dolphin or Konqueror, but cannot be modified in the case of Open/Save dialogs, etc.

https://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kde-runtime/fundamentals/kbd.html