Grok Build

Grok Build Keyboard Shortcuts

Searchable Grok Build shortcuts for the xAI agent TUI — open the live help with Ctrl+. (or Ctrl+X), cycle modes with Shift+Tab, navigate scrollback in vim mode, and interject while a turn runs. Pair with Claude Code shortcuts, Codex shortcuts, Muse Code shortcuts, and Cursor shortcuts for AI coding workflows.

Verified against xAI Grok Build docs · Last checked 2 October 2026

What this Grok Build cheat sheet covers

Grok Build is xAI’s terminal coding agent. Bindings are built into the TUI and are not user-remapped in most builds — the authoritative list is always the in-app panel (Ctrl+. or Ctrl+X). This page groups shortcuts the way developers search: prompt control, mid-turn interject, agent screen panes, scrollback (arrow vs vim mode), slash prefixes, and the VS Code / Cursor / Windsurf / Zed terminal exceptions that trip people up daily.

Use the Windows / Linux and macOS tabs below. Grok Build is a TUI, so most chords stay on Ctrl on both platforms — macOS mainly changes Alt → Option and Apple Terminal quirks. If you run Grok Build inside Cursor or VS Code, check the Integrated terminal overrides group in each tab before memorizing Ctrl+L. On Ghostty or WezTerm, enable Kitty keyboard protocol if Ctrl+Enter or Shift+Enter misbehave.

Learn these five first

Ctrl+P or ? (command palette) · Ctrl+. / Ctrl+X (shortcut list) · Shift+Tab (cycle Normal / Plan / Auto / Always-approve) · Ctrl+C (cancel turn) · @ and / (file search and slash commands).

Help, palette & settings

Open keyboard shortcuts list (live, context-aware)
Ctrl.
Open shortcuts list when Ctrl+. does not work
CtrlX
Open command palette
CtrlPor?
Open settings
F2orCtrl,
Quit (confirm; press twice where noted)
CtrlQ/CtrlD

Prompt, send & focus

Send the prompt
Enter
Move focus between prompt and scrollback
Tab
Toggle multiline input (Enter vs Shift+Enter behavior)
CtrlM
Insert newline (multiline mode)
ShiftEnter
Newline when Shift+Enter is unsupported
AltEnter
Search prompt history
CtrlR
Shell mode (empty prompt)
!
Start slash command
/
File mention / fuzzy file search
@
Toggle vim-style scrollback keys
/vim-mode

While a turn is running

Interject (inject instruction immediately)
CtrlEnterorCtrlI
Cancel the running turn
EscorCtrlC
Clear prompt draft (Esc Esc within ~800 ms)
EscEsc
Open rewind when prompt is empty (Esc Esc)
EscEsc
Queue follow-up while running (plain Enter on empty composer)
Enter

Modes & permissions

Cycle mode (Normal / Plan / Auto / Always-approve)
ShiftTab
Toggle always-approve
CtrlO
Pick model (when prompt not focused)
CtrlM

Agent screen — panes & sessions

Open sessions picker
CtrlS
New session (press twice to confirm)
CtrlN
Open extensions / plugins modal
CtrlL
Toggle tasks pane
CtrlG
Toggle todo pane
CtrlT
Toggle prompt queue
Ctrl;orCtrl'
Send running command to background
CtrlB
Open Agent Dashboard
Ctrl\
Edit draft in external editor (minimal mode)
CtrlG

Scrollback navigation (default)

Select next / previous entry
↓/↑
Jump to next / previous turn (user prompt)
Shift→/Shift←
Jump to next / previous assistant response
ShiftJ/ShiftK
Scroll one line without moving selection
CtrlJ/CtrlK
Page down / page up in scrollback
PageDown/PageUp
Half-page scroll down / up
CtrlD/CtrlU
Focus prompt from scrollback
Space
Expand / collapse thinking blocks
CtrlE

Scrollback (vim mode — /vim-mode)

Move selection (requires vim mode)
j/k
Jump turns
ShiftL/ShiftH
Top / bottom of scrollback
g/ShiftG
Fold / expand entry
h/l·e/ShiftE
Copy selection (yank)
y/ShiftY
Focus prompt (insert)
i/Tab/Space

Voice & media

Start / stop voice dictation (when enabled)
CtrlSpaceorF8
Paste image from clipboard into prompt
CtrlV

Integrated terminal overrides (Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed)

Interject while a turn is running (not Ctrl+I)
CtrlL
Quit Grok Build (Ctrl+Q may not apply)
CtrlD
Half-page scroll down (use instead of Ctrl+D)
ShiftD
Open extensions — use slash command instead of Ctrl+L
/plugins
Insert newline without sending
AltEnter
Shortcut help when Ctrl+. is blocked
CtrlXor?

Help, palette & settings

Open keyboard shortcuts list (live, context-aware)
Ctrl.
Open shortcuts list when Ctrl+. does not work
CtrlX
Open command palette
CtrlPor?
Open settings
F2orCtrl,
Quit (confirm; press twice where noted)
CtrlQ/CtrlD

Prompt, send & focus

Send the prompt
Return
Move focus between prompt and scrollback
Tab
Toggle multiline input (Return vs Shift+Return behavior)
CtrlM
Insert newline (multiline mode)
ShiftReturn
Newline when Shift+Return is unsupported
OptionReturn
Search prompt history
CtrlR
Shell mode (empty prompt)
!
Start slash command
/
File mention / fuzzy file search
@
Toggle vim-style scrollback keys
/vim-mode

While a turn is running

Interject (inject instruction immediately)
CtrlReturnorCtrlI
Interject on Apple Terminal
CtrlO
Cancel the running turn
EscorCtrlC
Clear prompt draft (Esc Esc within ~800 ms)
EscEsc
Open rewind when prompt is empty (Esc Esc)
EscEsc
Queue follow-up while running (plain Return on empty composer)
Return

Modes & permissions

Cycle mode (Normal / Plan / Auto / Always-approve)
ShiftTab
Toggle always-approve
CtrlO
Pick model (when prompt not focused)
CtrlM

Agent screen — panes & sessions

Open sessions picker
CtrlS
New session (press twice to confirm)
CtrlN
Open extensions / plugins modal
CtrlL
Toggle tasks pane
CtrlG
Toggle todo pane
CtrlT
Toggle prompt queue
Ctrl;orCtrl'
Send running command to background
CtrlB
Open Agent Dashboard
Ctrl\
Edit draft in external editor (minimal mode)
CtrlG

Scrollback navigation (default)

Select next / previous entry
↓/↑
Jump to next / previous turn (user prompt)
Shift→/Shift←
Jump to next / previous assistant response
ShiftJ/ShiftK
Scroll one line without moving selection
CtrlJ/CtrlK
Page down / page up in scrollback
PageDown/PageUp
Half-page scroll down / up
CtrlD/CtrlU
Focus prompt from scrollback
Space
Expand / collapse thinking blocks
CtrlE

Scrollback (vim mode — /vim-mode)

Move selection (requires vim mode)
j/k
Jump turns
ShiftL/ShiftH
Top / bottom of scrollback
g/ShiftG
Fold / expand entry
h/l·e/ShiftE
Copy selection (yank)
y/ShiftY
Focus prompt (insert)
i/Tab/Space

Voice & media

Start / stop voice dictation (when enabled)
CtrlSpaceorF8
Paste image from clipboard into prompt
CtrlV

Integrated terminal overrides (Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed)

Interject while a turn is running (not Ctrl+I)
CtrlL
Quit Grok Build (Ctrl+Q may not apply)
CtrlD
Half-page scroll down (use instead of Ctrl+D)
ShiftD
Open extensions — use slash command instead of Ctrl+L
/plugins
Insert newline without sending
OptionReturn
Shortcut help when Ctrl+. is blocked
CtrlXor?

Also see: Codex • Claude Code • Muse Code • OpenCode • Cursor • Warp • Ghostty • Gemini

Grok Build Shortcuts — Frequently Asked Questions

How do I see all Grok Build keyboard shortcuts?

Press Ctrl+. inside the TUI. If nothing happens, use Ctrl+X — xAI documents that fallback for Windows and terminals without the Kitty keyboard protocol. The panel lists every binding for your current focus (prompt vs scrollback vs dashboard).

Why does Ctrl+L open something different in Cursor?

VS Code-family integrated terminals reserve Ctrl+L for mid-turn interject. Extensions move to /plugins. See the Integrated terminal overrides group in the Windows / Linux or macOS tab above, and our Cursor shortcuts page for editor chords that sit beside Grok Build.

How do I enable vim mode in Grok Build?

Run /vim-mode or set [ui].vim_mode = true in ~/.grok/config.toml. Single-letter scrollback keys (j/k, h/l, g/G) only apply in vim mode; arrows and Ctrl chords work either way.

What does Shift+Tab do in Grok Build?

It cycles permission / planning modes — typically Normal, Plan, Auto (when enabled), and Always-approve. Ctrl+O toggles always-approve directly. Exact modes depend on your build and settings.

How is Grok Build different from Claude Code or Codex?

All three are terminal agents with slash commands, but the maps differ. Grok Build emphasizes in-TUI help (Ctrl+.), vim scrollback, rewind via double-Esc, and terminal-specific interject keys. Use our Claude Code and Codex cheat sheets for those tools.

Where does xAI document Grok Build shortcuts?

Official reference: docs.x.ai/build/keyboard-shortcuts. The changelog at x.ai/build/changelog notes when bindings change (voice, dashboard, multiline, WezTerm).

🔥 Explore More Shortcuts

Discover other powerful keyboard shortcuts to boost your productivity