Kilo CLI Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts for Kilo CLI, Kilo Code's open-source terminal coding agent, on MacWindowsLinux. Launched with kilo. Kilo CLI is a fork of opencode, so it inherits opencode's leader-key scheme — most chords start with Ctrl + X, released, then a second key. Below are the keys Kilo's own docs confirm, plus its full slash-command catalog.
Starting & Core Keys
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Install with npm | npm install -g @kilocode/clinpm install -g @kilocode/clinpm install -g @kilocode/cli |
| Check the installed version | kilo --versionkilo --versionkilo --version |
| Start Kilo in the current project | kilokilokilo |
| Add your provider credentials (run this first) | /connect/connect/connect |
| Send the current message | EnterEnterEnter |
| Insert a new line without sending | ShiftEnterShiftEnterShiftEnter |
| Exit Kilo CLI | CtrlCCtrlCCtrlC |
| Exit Kilo CLI (empty input box) | CtrlDCtrlDCtrlD |
Leader-Key Chords
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Leader key — the prefix for the chords below | CtrlXCtrlXCtrlX |
| Quit Kilo (leader chord) | Ctrl+X then QCtrl+X then QCtrl+X then Q |
| Start a new session (leader chord) | Ctrl+X then NCtrl+X then NCtrl+X then N |
Sub-Agent Sessions
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Jump to the first child session (leader chord) | Ctrl+X then ↓Ctrl+X then ↓Ctrl+X then ↓ |
| Cycle forward through child sessions | →→→ |
| Cycle backward through child sessions | ←←← |
| Go back to the parent session | ↑↑↑ |
Undo, Suspend & Scrolling
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo in the input box | Ctrl-CtrlZCtrl- |
| Suspend Kilo to the shell (not available on Windows) | CtrlZ—CtrlZ |
| Scroll the conversation up a page | PageUpPageUpPageUp |
| Scroll up a page without leaving the home row | CtrlAltBCtrlAltBCtrlAltB |
| Remap any keybind (global config) | ~/.config/kilo/tui.jsonc~/.config/kilo/tui.jsonc~/.config/kilo/tui.jsonc |
| Remap any keybind (per project) | .kilo/tui.json.kilo/tui.json.kilo/tui.json |
Slash Commands — Sessions
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start a new session | /new/new/new |
| Switch between saved sessions | /sessions/sessions/sessions |
| Resume the last session | /resume/resume/resume |
| Fork a new session from a chosen message | /fork/fork/fork |
| Jump to an earlier message in the session | /timeline/timeline/timeline |
| Compact the session to free up context | /compact/compact/compact |
| Undo the last message | /undo/undo/undo |
| Redo an undone message | /redo/redo/redo |
| Rename the current session | /rename/rename/rename |
| Share the session (or /unshare to stop) | /share/share/share |
| Copy the latest agent response | /copy/copy/copy |
| Copy the whole session transcript | /copy-session/copy-session/copy-session |
| Export the session to a file | /export/export/export |
| Show or hide the model's thinking blocks | /thinking/thinking/thinking |
| Show or hide message timestamps | /timestamps/timestamps/timestamps |
Slash Commands — Agents, Models & System
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Switch agent mode (Architect, Ask, Debug, Orchestrator, custom) | /agents/agents/agents |
| Switch the model — Kilo is not tied to one vendor | /models/models/models |
| Turn MCP servers on or off | /mcps/mcps/mcps |
| Review your staged, unstaged, and untracked changes | /review/review/review |
| Create or update AGENTS.md for this project | /init/init/init |
| Open your external editor | /editor/editor/editor |
| Reload config and skills without restarting | /reload/reload/reload |
| Switch the terminal UI theme | /themes/themes/themes |
| View the current status | /status/status/status |
| Toggle remote mode | /remote/remote/remote |
| Switch organization or team | /teams/teams/teams |
| Show the built-in help | /help/help/help |
| Exit Kilo CLI | /exit/exit/exit |
Terminal Commands
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Run a single message without the TUI | kilo run "your message"kilo run "your message"kilo run "your message" |
| Manage stored credentials | kilo authkilo authkilo auth |
| List the available models | kilo modelskilo modelskilo models |
| Start the web interface | kilo webkilo webkilo web |
| Start an ACP server (editor integration) | kilo acpkilo acpkilo acp |
| Update to the latest version | kilo upgradekilo upgradekilo upgrade |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I exit Kilo CLI?
Press Ctrl+C, or Ctrl+D with an empty input box. Kilo also binds quit to a leader chord: press Ctrl+X, release it, then press Q. You can also type /exit (or /quit, or /q). The leader chord is the one that catches people out — it's a two-step sequence, not a simultaneous combo.
What is the leader key in Kilo CLI?
Ctrl+X by default. Kilo CLI is a fork of opencode and inherits its leader-key scheme, so a lot of actions are chords: you press Ctrl+X, release, then press a second key — Q to quit, N for a new session, or ↓ to drop into the first sub-agent session. You can change the leader (and any other keybind) in tui.jsonc.
How do I add a new line in Kilo CLI without sending?
Shift+Enter inserts a newline. On Windows Terminal specifically, Kilo's docs note this needs a one-time settings.json change before Shift+Enter inserts a newline instead of submitting the message — otherwise the terminal never reports the Shift modifier and your message just sends.
Why does Ctrl+Z do different things on Windows and Mac?
Because Windows terminals have no POSIX suspend. On macOS and Linux, Ctrl+Z suspends Kilo to the shell, the way it does with any terminal program. On Windows there's nothing to suspend to, so Kilo reassigns Ctrl+Z to undo in the input box instead (alongside Ctrl+minus and Win+Z), and disables suspend entirely.
Is Kilo CLI the same as the Kilo Code VS Code extension?
They're two front ends onto the same platform, and their shortcuts do not carry over. Kilo CLI is the terminal agent covered on this page. The Kilo Code extension runs inside VS Code and uses editor keybindings — for example Cmd+. / Ctrl+. cycles agents there, and that key does nothing in the CLI. If you work in both, learn the leader chords for the terminal and the editor keybindings separately.
How do I change agent mode in Kilo CLI?
Type /agents and pick from the list — Architect, Ask, Debug, Orchestrator, or any custom agent you've defined. Unlike most terminal agents, Kilo has no Shift+Tab mode cycle; mode switching goes through the slash command. /models is the matching command for switching LLM, and Kilo is deliberately not tied to a single vendor's model.
How is Kilo CLI different from opencode?
Kilo CLI is a fork of opencode, so the terminal UI, the leader-key chords, and the tui config file all work the same way, and Kilo says it contributes fixes back upstream. What Kilo adds is platform integration: /connect for provider credentials, /remote and /teams for its gateway and organizations, /mcps for toggling MCP servers, and shared agents with the Kilo VS Code and JetBrains extensions. If you only want the terminal agent, opencode's keybind reference is the more complete keymap.