Windsurf IDE

Windsurf IDE Keyboard Shortcuts

Master the Windsurf AI IDE with shortcuts for Cascade (agentic chat and codebase edits), Windsurf Command inline generation (docs), Windsurf Tab completions, and the integrated terminal. Windsurf ships a VS Code–style editor—defaults below follow common VS Code shortcuts where you use the default keymap; on Windows/Linux, Cmd maps to Ctrl and Opt to Alt for most chords. Compare with Cursor, Claude Code, and Perplexity when you mix tools.

Windsurf shortcuts at a glance (2026)

Windsurf-specific bindings in this guide are summarized from the official Windsurf documentation (Cascade, Command, Tab/autocomplete, and terminal). Editor baseline chords are standard VS Code defaults—they remain accurate for most users but can differ if you imported another editor’s keymap or customized bindings.

Coverage you get on this page

  • Cascade: open panel, send selection from editor or terminal, queued messages while Cascade is busy
  • Windsurf Command: invoke, submit, and reject inline generations; terminal Command mode
  • Windsurf Tab / autocomplete: accept, cancel, cycle suggestions, partial accepts, Tab to Jump / Tab to Import
  • Large VS Code–compatible section for daily coding (palette, editing, navigation, debug, Git, panels)

Tip: Open Keyboard Shortcuts with CtrlKCtrlS (Windows/Linux) or ⌘K⌘S (macOS) and search for “Windsurf” or “Cascade” to see every binding on your machine.

Cascade & Windsurf AI

Open Cascade panel
CtrlL
Send editor or terminal selection to Cascade
CtrlL(with text selected)
Windsurf Command — inline generate / edit
CtrlI
Submit Windsurf Command prompt
CtrlEnter
Reject or remove Command output
CtrlDelete
Queue Cascade message while a run is in progress
Enter
@-mention files & symbols in Cascade
@
Command in integrated terminal (natural-language CLI)
CtrlI
Command palette
CtrlShiftP
Keyboard shortcuts editor
CtrlKCtrlS

Windsurf Tab & autocomplete

Accept inline suggestion
Tab
Cancel suggestion
Esc
Trigger suggestion manually
Alt\
Next suggestion variant
Alt]
Previous suggestion variant
Alt[
Accept suggestion word-by-word
Ctrl→
Accept current line (grey suggestion)
End
Tab to Jump (go to prompted cursor position)
Tab
Tab to Import (add import when hinted)
Tab
Trigger IntelliSense (VS Code default)
CtrlSpace

General & workspace

Quick Open — go to file
CtrlP
Open Settings
Ctrl,
New window
CtrlShiftN
Open Recent
CtrlR
Show all commands
F1
Toggle primary sidebar
CtrlB
Toggle panel (Problems, Output, etc.)
CtrlJ
Toggle Zen Mode
CtrlKZ

Editing

Copy line (empty selection)
CtrlC
Cut line (empty selection)
CtrlX
Move line up / down
Alt↑↓
Copy line up / down
ShiftAlt↑↓
Delete line
CtrlShiftK
Insert line below
CtrlEnter
Insert line above
CtrlShiftEnter
Toggle line comment
Ctrl/
Toggle block comment
ShiftAltA
Indent / outdent lines
Ctrl]Ctrl[
Join lines
CtrlJ
Transform selection to lowercase
CtrlKCtrlL
Transform selection to uppercase
CtrlKCtrlU

Selection & multi-cursor

Add cursor above / below
CtrlAlt↑↓
Add selection to next find match
CtrlD
Select all occurrences of selection
CtrlShiftL
Column (box) selection
ShiftAltDrag
Expand selection
ShiftAlt→
Shrink selection
ShiftAlt←
Select whole line
CtrlL(VS Code — may conflict with Cascade)

Navigation

Go to line
CtrlG
Go to symbol in file
CtrlShiftO
Go to symbol in workspace
CtrlT
Go to definition
F12
Peek definition
AltF12
Go to references
ShiftF12
Go back / forward
Alt←Alt→
Go to matching bracket
CtrlShift\
Next error or warning
F8
Previous error or warning
ShiftF8
Breadcrumb: focus / picker
CtrlShift.

Search & replace

Find in file
CtrlF
Replace in file
CtrlH
Find in files
CtrlShiftF
Replace in files
CtrlShiftH
Find next / previous
F3ShiftF3

Debugging

Start / Continue
F5
Stop
ShiftF5
Step over
F10
Step into
F11
Step out
ShiftF11
Toggle breakpoint
F9

Files & editors

New file
CtrlN
Save
CtrlS
Save As
CtrlShiftS
Save all
CtrlKS
Close editor
CtrlW
Reopen closed editor
CtrlShiftT
Close all editors
CtrlKCtrlW
Split editor
Ctrl\
Focus editor group 1 / 2 / 3
Ctrl123
Next editor
CtrlTab
Previous editor
CtrlShiftTab

View & panels

Toggle full screen
F11
Explorer
CtrlShiftE
Search view
CtrlShiftF
Source control
CtrlShiftG
Extensions
CtrlShiftX
Problems panel
CtrlShiftM
Output panel
CtrlShiftU
Toggle word wrap
AltZ
Toggle minimap
CtrlKCtrlM
Markdown preview
CtrlShiftV
Markdown preview to side
CtrlKV

Refactoring & IntelliSense

Rename symbol
F2
Quick Fix
Ctrl.
Format document
ShiftAltF
Format selection
CtrlKCtrlF
Trigger parameter hints
CtrlShiftSpace
Show hover at cursor
CtrlKCtrlI

Integrated terminal

Toggle terminal
Ctrl`
New terminal
CtrlShift`
Kill terminal
CtrlShiftK
Scroll terminal
Ctrl↑↓
Terminal tab navigation
CtrlPgUpPgDn

Undo, zoom & folding

Undo
CtrlZ
Redo
CtrlY
Select all
CtrlA
Fold all regions
CtrlKCtrl0
Unfold all regions
CtrlKCtrlJ
Zoom editor in / out
Ctrl=Ctrl-

Git & SCM

Open Source Control view
CtrlShiftG
SCM: focus Git message box
CtrlShiftGthenG

Cascade & Windsurf AI

Open Cascade panel
⌘L
Send editor or terminal selection to Cascade
⌘L(with text selected)
Windsurf Command — inline generate / edit
⌘I
Submit Windsurf Command prompt
⌘Enter
Reject or remove Command output
⌘⌫
Queue Cascade message while a run is in progress
Enter
@-mention files & symbols in Cascade
@
Command in integrated terminal
⌘I
Command palette
⌘⇧P
Keyboard shortcuts editor
⌘K⌘S

Windsurf Tab & autocomplete

Accept inline suggestion
Tab
Cancel suggestion
Esc
Trigger suggestion manually
⌥\
Next suggestion variant
⌥]
Previous suggestion variant
⌥[
Accept next word of suggestion
⌥→
Accept word-by-word / full grey line (VS Code + Windsurf)
⌘→
Tab to Jump
Tab
Tab to Import
Tab
Trigger IntelliSense (VS Code on Mac)
CtrlSpace

General & workspace

Quick Open — go to file
⌘P
Open Settings
⌘,
New window
⌘⇧N
Open Recent
⌘R
Show all commands
F1
Toggle primary sidebar
⌘B
Toggle panel
⌘J
Toggle Zen Mode
⌘KZ

Editing

Copy line (empty selection)
⌘C
Cut line (empty selection)
⌘X
Move line up / down
⌥↑↓
Copy line up / down
⇧⌥↑↓
Delete line
⌘⇧K
Insert line below
⌘Enter
Insert line above
⌘⇧Enter
Toggle line comment
⌘/
Toggle block comment
⇧⌥A
Indent / outdent lines
⌘]⌘[
Join lines
⌃J
Transform selection to lowercase
⌘K⌘L
Transform selection to uppercase
⌘K⌘U

Selection & multi-cursor

Add cursor above / below
⌘⌥↑↓
Add selection to next find match
⌘D
Select all occurrences of selection
⌘⇧L
Column (box) selection
⇧⌥Drag
Expand selection
⇧⌥→
Shrink selection
⇧⌥←
Select whole line
⌘L(VS Code — conflicts with Cascade)

Navigation

Go to line
⌃G
Go to symbol in file
⌘⇧O
Go to symbol in workspace
⌘T
Go to definition
F12
Peek definition
⌥F12
Go to references
⇧F12
Go back / forward
⌃-⌃⇧-
Go to matching bracket
⌘⇧\
Next error or warning
F8
Previous error or warning
⇧F8
Breadcrumb picker
⇧⌘.

Search & replace

Find in file
⌘F
Replace in file
⌥⌘F
Find in files
⇧⌘F
Replace in files
⇧⌘H
Find next / previous
⌘G⇧⌘G

Debugging

Start / Continue
F5
Stop
⇧F5
Step over
F10
Step into
F11
Step out
⇧F11
Toggle breakpoint
F9

Files & editors

New file
⌘N
Save
⌘S
Save As
⇧⌘S
Save all
⌥⌘S
Close editor
⌘W
Reopen closed editor
⇧⌘T
Close all editors
⌘K⌘W
Split editor
⌘\
Focus editor group 1 / 2 / 3
⌘123
Next editor in group
⌘⌥→
Previous editor in group
⌘⌥←

View & panels

Toggle full screen
⌃⌘F
Explorer
⇧⌘E
Search view
⇧⌘F
Source control
⌃⇧G
Extensions
⇧⌘X
Problems panel
⇧⌘M
Output panel
⇧⌘U
Toggle word wrap
⌥Z
Toggle minimap
⌘K⌘M
Markdown preview
⇧⌘V
Markdown preview to side
⌘KV

Refactoring & IntelliSense

Rename symbol
F2
Quick Fix
⌘.
Format document
⇧⌥F
Format selection
⌘K⌘F
Trigger parameter hints
⇧⌘Space
Show hover at cursor
⌘K⌘I

Integrated terminal

Toggle terminal
⌃`
New terminal
⌃⇧`
Kill terminal
⌘⇧K
Scroll terminal
⌘↑↓
Terminal tab navigation
⌃⇧[]

Undo, zoom & folding

Undo
⌘Z
Redo
⇧⌘Z
Select all
⌘A
Fold all regions
⌘K⌘0
Unfold all regions
⌘K⌘J
Zoom editor in / out
⌘=⌘-

Git & SCM

Open Source Control view
⌃⇧G
SCM: focus Git message box
⌃⇧GthenG

Also see: VS Code • Cursor • Claude Code

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