Quick reference for macOS Terminal
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + C | Cancel current input or stop generation |
| Ctrl + U | Clear entire line |
| Ctrl + K | Delete from cursor to end of line |
| Esc Esc | Rewind conversation to previous point |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ | Navigate command history |
| Ctrl + R | Search command history |
| Alt + B | Move back one word |
| Alt + F | Move forward one word |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Submit message |
| Option + Enter | New line (multiline input) |
| \ + Enter | New line (works in all terminals) |
| Ctrl + J | Line feed (alternative multiline) |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Y | Paste deleted text (from Ctrl+K or Ctrl+U) |
| Alt + Y | Cycle through paste history |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + L | Clear screen (keeps conversation) |
| Ctrl + D | Exit Claude Code |
| Shift + Tab | Toggle permission modes |
| Option + P | Switch model without clearing input |
| Option + T | Toggle extended thinking mode |
| ? | Show all shortcuts |
| Prefix | Action |
|---|---|
| / | Slash command (e.g., /help, /memory) |
| ! | Run bash directly (e.g., !ls, !git status) |
| @ | File path autocomplete |
For Option/Alt shortcuts to work in Terminal.app, go to Settings → Profiles → Keyboard and check "Use Option as Meta Key".
In iTerm2: Settings → Profiles → Keys → Set Left/Right Option key to "Esc+".