Obsidian Keyboard Shortcuts
Complete keyboard shortcut reference for Obsidian on MacWindowsLinux.
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open command palette | CmdPCtrlPCtrlP |
| Open settings | Cmd,Ctrl,Ctrl, |
| Open quick switcher | CmdOCtrlOCtrlO |
| Create new note | CmdNCtrlNCtrlN |
| Close current tab | CmdWCtrlWCtrlW |
| Toggle edit/preview mode | CmdECtrlECtrlE |
| Undo | CmdZCtrlZCtrlZ |
| Redo | CmdShiftZCtrlYCtrlShiftZ |
| Open graph view | CmdGCtrlGCtrlG |
| Delete current file | CmdBackspaceCtrlDeleteCtrlDelete |
Editing & Formatting
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold text | CmdBCtrlBCtrlB |
| Italic text | CmdICtrlICtrlI |
| Insert/edit link | CmdKCtrlKCtrlK |
| Indent list item | TabTabTab |
| Outdent list item | ShiftTabShiftTabShiftTab |
| Select all | CmdACtrlACtrlA |
| Cut | CmdXCtrlXCtrlX |
| Copy | CmdCCtrlCCtrlC |
| Paste | CmdVCtrlVCtrlV |
| Paste without formatting | CmdShiftVCtrlShiftVCtrlShiftV |
| Toggle highlight | CmdShiftHCtrlShiftHCtrlShiftH |
| Toggle strikethrough | CmdShiftXCtrlShiftXCtrlShiftX |
Search
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Search in all files | CmdShiftFCtrlShiftFCtrlShiftF |
| Find in current file | CmdFCtrlFCtrlF |
| Find and replace in current file | CmdHCtrlHCtrlH |
| Find next match | CmdGF3F3 |
| Find previous match | CmdShiftGShiftF3ShiftF3 |
Window & View
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open link in new pane (click) | CmdClickCtrlClickCtrlClick |
| Close current pane | CmdWCtrlWCtrlW |
| Zoom in | Cmd=Ctrl=Ctrl= |
| Zoom out | Cmd-Ctrl-Ctrl- |
| Reset zoom | Cmd0Ctrl0Ctrl0 |
| Toggle left sidebar | CmdShiftLCtrlShiftLCtrlShiftL |
| Toggle right sidebar | CmdShiftRCtrlShiftRCtrlShiftR |
| Toggle default new pane direction | CmdAltVCtrlAltVCtrlAltV |
Markdown Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Create heading 1 | #Space#Space#Space |
| Create heading 2 | ##Space##Space##Space |
| Create heading 3 | ###Space###Space###Space |
| Create bullet list | -Space-Space-Space |
| Create numbered list | 1.Space1.Space1.Space |
| Create checkbox | -[ ]Space-[ ]Space-[ ]Space |
| Create blockquote | >Space>Space>Space |
| Create inline code | `code``code``code` |
| Create code block | ````````` |
| Insert internal link | [[[[[[ |
| Insert tag | #tag#tag#tag |
| Insert horizontal rule | --------- |
| Create bold text | **text****text****text** |
| Create italic text | *text**text**text* |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open the command palette in Obsidian?
Press Cmd+P on Mac or Ctrl+P on Windows/Linux to open the command palette. This gives you quick access to every Obsidian command, including ones without a default keyboard shortcut.
How do I quickly switch between notes in Obsidian?
Use the Quick Switcher with Cmd+O on Mac or Ctrl+O on Windows/Linux. Start typing a note name and press Enter to open it. This is the fastest way to navigate between notes in your vault.
Can I customize keyboard shortcuts in Obsidian?
Yes, go to Settings > Hotkeys to view and reassign any keyboard shortcut. You can search for commands by name and assign custom key combinations. Community plugins can also add new commands that you can bind to shortcuts.
What are the most important Obsidian shortcuts to learn?
Start with Quick Switcher (Cmd/Ctrl+O), Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl+P), Search in Vault (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F), Toggle Edit/Preview (Cmd/Ctrl+E), and Insert Link (Cmd/Ctrl+K). These five shortcuts cover the most common daily tasks in Obsidian.
Does Obsidian support Vim keybindings?
Yes, Obsidian has a built-in Vim mode. Enable it in Settings > Editor > Vim key bindings. This gives you standard Vim motions and commands for text editing within the note editor.