Keyboard Shortcuts
Published February 27, 2026 · Last updated March 5, 2026 · 2 min read
A complete reference of keyboard shortcuts available in Obvious. Open this list anytime by pressing ? or clicking the keyboard icon in the toolbar.
Note: Global shortcuts use Cmd on Mac and Ctrl on Windows/Linux. Project shortcuts use Ctrl on all platforms.
Threads
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+T | Create new thread |
| Ctrl+[ | Previous thread |
| Ctrl+] | Next thread |
| Ctrl+D | Archive active thread |
Agent Mode
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9 | Select agent mode by position |
| Ctrl+Shift+[ | Previous agent mode |
| Ctrl+Shift+] | Next agent mode |
The number shortcuts map to the order shown in the mode dropdown — Ctrl+1 selects the first mode (Auto), Ctrl+2 selects the second (Fast), and so on. The available modes depend on your plan and feature access.
Chat Input
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+/ | Focus chat input |
| Ctrl+Shift+M | Open @mention in chat |
| Ctrl+Shift+/ | Open /command in chat |
Layout
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+\ | Toggle split view |
| Ctrl+B | Toggle chat sidebar |
| Ctrl+E | Toggle chat focus mode |
| Ctrl+G | Toggle grid/list view |
| Ctrl+H | Toggle hidden folders |
Sidebar Panels
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+C | Toggle comments panel |
| Ctrl+Shift+K | Toggle tasks panel |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Toggle files panel |
| Ctrl+Shift+X | Toggle context panel |
| Ctrl+Shift+A | Toggle activity panel |
| Ctrl+Shift+Tab | Cycle to next sidebar panel |
Actions
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+N | Create new artifact |
| Ctrl+Shift+O | Create new folder |
Global (Available Everywhere)
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd/Ctrl+N | Create new project |
| Cmd/Ctrl+P | Navigate to projects page |
| Cmd/Ctrl+L | Navigate to library page |
| Ctrl+, | Open personalization settings |
| Ctrl+A | Toggle assistant sidebar |
| Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+N | Open quick note |
| Ctrl+Shift+D | Toggle dark mode |
Tips
Shortcuts are contextual. Thread, mode, layout, and sidebar shortcuts are available when you're inside a project. Global shortcuts work on every page. The keyboard shortcuts modal shows only the shortcuts active on the current page, so you always see what's relevant.
Next Steps
- Navigating the Dashboard — learn the Obvious interface
- Agent Modes — what each mode does and when to use it
- Chatting with Your Agent — work faster with your agent