Cline Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts for Cline, the open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, on MacWindowsLinux. Cline ships only a couple of default keybindings on purpose — this page covers those plus its @-mention and slash-command systems.
Core Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Focus the Cline chat input (nothing selected) | Cmd'Ctrl'Ctrl' |
| Add selected code to Cline chat (text selected) | Cmd'Ctrl'Ctrl' |
| Toggle Plan / Act mode (in-chat shortcut) | CmdShiftACtrlShiftACtrlShiftA |
| Send your message | EnterEnterEnter |
| New line without sending | ShiftEnterShiftEnterShiftEnter |
@ Mentions — Add Context
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Reference a file's contents | @/path/to/file@/path/to/file@/path/to/file |
| Reference a folder (structure + contents) | @/path/to/folder/@/path/to/folder/@/path/to/folder/ |
| Fetch a URL as context | @https://…@https://…@https://… |
| Add Problems panel errors and warnings | @problems@problems@problems |
| Add the last terminal output | @terminal@terminal@terminal |
| Add git changes and commits | @git@git@git |
Slash Commands
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start a new task | /newtask/newtask/newtask |
| Create a new .clinerules rule | /newrule/newrule/newrule |
| Compact the conversation to save context | /smol/smol/smol |
| Report a bug to the Cline team | /reportbug/reportbug/reportbug |
Command Palette Actions (no default key)
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start a new task | Cline: New TaskCline: New TaskCline: New Task |
| Open task history | Cline: HistoryCline: HistoryCline: History |
| Manage MCP servers | Cline: MCP ServersCline: MCP ServersCline: MCP Servers |
| Open settings | Cline: SettingsCline: SettingsCline: Settings |
| Add terminal output to chat | Cline: Add to ClineCline: Add to ClineCline: Add to Cline |
| Explain selected code | Cline: Explain with ClineCline: Explain with ClineCline: Explain with Cline |
| Improve selected code | Cline: Improve with ClineCline: Improve with ClineCline: Improve with Cline |
| Generate a git commit message | Cline: Generate Commit MessageCline: Generate Commit MessageCline: Generate Commit Message |
No shortcuts found. Try a different search term.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I switch Cline from Plan mode to Act mode?
Press Cmd+Shift+A (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+A (Windows/Linux) to toggle between Plan and Act mode, or click the Plan/Act toggle in the chat input. Plan mode lets Cline read your codebase and propose an approach without making changes; Act mode lets it edit files and run commands. A common workflow is to plan first, review, then switch to Act.
What is the keyboard shortcut to add code to Cline?
Select code in the editor and press Cmd+' (Mac) or Ctrl+' (Windows/Linux) to add the selection to the Cline chat. With nothing selected, the same key just focuses the chat input. This dual-purpose key is the one Cline shortcut worth committing to memory.
Does Cline have many keyboard shortcuts?
No, and that's by design. Cline ships essentially one default keybinding — the dual-purpose Cmd/Ctrl+' — plus the in-chat Plan/Act toggle. Everything else is either a slash command, an @-mention, or a Command Palette action you can assign your own key to. Most of Cline's power is driven through chat, not hotkeys.
How do I add a file, terminal output, or URL to Cline's context?
Type @ in the chat to open the context menu. Use @ followed by a file or folder path to add code, @problems for the errors in the Problems panel, @terminal for the last terminal output, @git for recent changes and commits, and @ with a URL to fetch a web page as Markdown.
What slash commands does Cline support?
Type / in the Cline chat to access slash commands. The built-in ones are /newtask (start a fresh task), /newrule (create a .clinerules file), /smol (compact the conversation to free up context), and /reportbug. You can also define your own reusable workflows that appear in the same menu.
How do I customize Cline's keyboard shortcuts?
Open the VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts editor (Cmd/Ctrl+K then Cmd/Ctrl+S) and search for 'Cline' to rebind its commands or assign keys to the Command Palette actions that ship without one. Note that the Plan/Act toggle is handled inside Cline's chat panel rather than as a standard VS Code keybinding, so it won't appear in that editor.