Codex App Keyboard Shortcuts
Default keyboard shortcuts for the Codex app — OpenAI’s desktop coding agent — on MacWindowsLinux. The app runs on macOS and Windows only; there is no Linux build, so the Linux column mirrors Windows. This is the desktop app — the terminal agent is Codex CLI, and the IDE extension has almost no default keys.
Chats & Tasks
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New chat | CmdNCtrlNCtrlN |
| New chat (alternate binding) | CmdShiftOCtrlShiftOCtrlShiftO |
| New standalone chat | CmdOptionOCtrlAltOCtrlAltO |
| Quick chat | CmdOptionNCtrlAltNCtrlAltN |
| Temporary chat | CmdShiftNCtrlShiftNCtrlShiftN |
| Open side chat | CmdOptionSCtrlAltSCtrlAltS |
| Rename chat | CmdOptionRCtrlAltRCtrlAltR |
| Archive chat | CmdShiftACtrlShiftACtrlShiftA |
| Pin or unpin chat | CmdOptionPCtrlAltPCtrlAltP |
| Next chat | CmdShift]CtrlShift]CtrlShift] |
| Next chat (alternate binding) | CmdOptionRight—— |
| Previous chat | CmdShift[CtrlShift[CtrlShift[ |
| Previous chat (alternate binding) | CmdOptionLeft—— |
| Next recently viewed chat | CtrlTabCtrlTabCtrlTab |
| Previous recently viewed chat | CtrlShiftTabCtrlShiftTabCtrlShiftTab |
| Go to chat 1–9 | Cmd+1 … Cmd+9Ctrl+1 … Ctrl+9Ctrl+1 … Ctrl+9 |
| Clear all unreads | ShiftEscapeShiftEscapeShiftEscape |
| Toggle activity view | CmdOptionUCtrlAltUCtrlAltU |
Panels & Layout
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle sidebar | CmdBCtrlBCtrlB |
| Toggle bottom panel | CmdJCtrlJCtrlJ |
| Toggle file tree | CmdShiftECtrlShiftECtrlShiftE |
| Toggle review panel | CmdOptionBCtrlAltBCtrlAltB |
| Open terminal | Ctrl`Ctrl`Ctrl` |
| Open review tab | CtrlShiftGCtrlShiftGCtrlShiftG |
Composer, Voice & Approvals
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open model picker | CtrlShiftMCtrlShiftMCtrlShiftM |
| Open project picker | CmdOptionShiftOCtrlAltShiftOCtrlAltShiftO |
| Start dictation | CtrlShiftDCtrlShiftDCtrlShiftD |
| Toggle voice chat | CtrlShiftVCtrlShiftVCtrlShiftV |
| Approve request | EnterEnterEnter |
| Decline request | EscapeEscapeEscape |
| Undo last action | CmdZCtrlZCtrlZ |
Built-in Browser
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open browser tab | CmdTCtrlTCtrlT |
| Toggle browser panel | CmdShiftBCtrlShiftBCtrlShiftB |
| Reload browser page | CmdRCtrlRCtrlR |
| Force reload browser page | CmdShiftRCtrlShiftRCtrlShiftR |
| Focus browser address bar | CmdLCtrlLCtrlL |
| Browser back | Cmd[Ctrl[Ctrl[ |
| Browser forward | Cmd]Ctrl]Ctrl] |
Windows & Tabs
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Close tab | CmdWCtrlWCtrlW |
| Close window | CmdWCtrlWCtrlW |
| Next tab | CtrlTabCtrlShift]CtrlShift] |
| Previous tab | CtrlShiftTabCtrlShift[CtrlShift[ |
Copy & Share
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy deeplink | CmdOptionLCtrlAltLCtrlAltL |
| Copy session id | CmdOptionCCtrlAltCCtrlAltC |
| Copy working directory | CmdShiftCCtrlShiftCCtrlShiftC |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Codex app?
The Codex app is OpenAI's desktop client for Codex, its agentic coding system. It runs on macOS and Windows (the Windows build arrived in March 2026) and is built around running several agents at once — parallel chats, a file tree, a built-in browser, and a review panel in one window. It's available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu accounts, and you sign in with your ChatGPT account.
Is the Codex app the same as Codex CLI?
No — they are different surfaces with different keys. Codex CLI is the terminal agent you start by running codex, and its shortcuts are on the Codex CLI keyboard shortcuts page. The Codex app is the desktop window covered here. OpenAI also ships a Codex IDE extension for VS Code and Cursor, and Codex cloud for delegated background tasks. All four share your account; only the CLI and the desktop app have real keymaps.
How do I open the command menu in the Codex app?
Press Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows. Cmd+Shift+P and Ctrl+Shift+P are bound to the same command as a second default, which surprises people coming from VS Code — there, that combination opens the editor's own command palette. Both open the Codex command menu here.
How do I see every shortcut inside the app?
Press Cmd+/ on Mac or Ctrl+/ on Windows to open the app's own keyboard shortcuts window. That list is the authoritative, always-current one for your installed version — use it if a key here doesn't match, since the app ships updates frequently.
Why is the same key listed for two different actions?
Because the app really does register some keys twice. Cmd+L is bound to both “Go to line” and “Focus browser address bar”; Cmd+W to both “Close tab” and “Close window”; and on Mac, Ctrl+Tab to both “Next tab” and “Next recently viewed chat”. OpenAI doesn't document a precedence rule, so which one fires depends on context — treat the second binding in each pair as situational rather than guaranteed.
Do the Mac and Windows shortcuts differ beyond Cmd and Ctrl?
Mostly no, but there are real exceptions. Chat and tab switching carry extra Mac-only bindings: besides Cmd+Shift+] and Cmd+Shift+[, macOS also accepts Cmd+Option+Right and Cmd+Option+Left for next and previous chat. A few commands use Ctrl on both platforms rather than Cmd on Mac — the model picker (Ctrl+Shift+M), dictation (Ctrl+Shift+D), voice chat (Ctrl+Shift+V), and the terminal (Ctrl+`).
How do I approve or reject what Codex wants to do?
When the app asks for approval, Enter approves the request and Escape declines it. Cmd+Z or Ctrl+Z undoes the last action the app took.
Can I change these shortcuts?
Open the app's keyboard shortcuts window with Cmd+/ or Ctrl+/ to see the current bindings. The keys listed here are the defaults that ship with the app; anything you rebind there replaces them.