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Codex CLI keyboard shortcuts

Codex CLI is OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal, and OpenAI documents only a short list of its keys. Every row below is one of them. The two worth learning first are Enter and Tab while Codex is working: Enter adds to the turn already running, and Tab holds your message for the next one.

17 shortcutsWindows and MacChecked 25 September 2026

Checked against OpenAI — Codex CLI commands and interactive shortcuts, OpenAI — Codex CLI customization and OpenAI — Codex best practices. Version: Codex CLI, current release, default keymap.

The same actions in the other AI coding tools, side by side: AI coding tools compared.

17 shortcuts

The top 11 are the Codex CLI shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.

The 11 to learn first: the shortcuts the Codex CLI page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.

Your own sheet: the Codex CLI shortcuts you ticked.

While Codex is working

What you type during a turn does not have to wait. These decide whether it joins the turn that is running or the next one.

Practise these
Add new instructions to the turn that is running # OpenAI calls this steering. Use it to change direction or add a detail Codex is missing, without stopping it.WinEnterMacReturn
Queue a follow-up for the next turn # A prompt, a slash command or a shell command all queue the same way. A queued slash command is only read when it runs, so its menu or error appears after the current turn.WinTabMacTab
Edit your previous message and fork the chat from there # With the composer empty.WinEscapethenEscapeMacEscapethenEscape
Switch plan mode on or off # From OpenAI's best-practices guide, which gives /plan as the other way. In plan mode Codex gathers context and asks clarifying questions before it starts implementing.WinShift plusTabMacShift plusTab
Close the session # Or type /exit.WinControl plusCMacControl plusC

Writing the prompt

Practise these
Search for a file and add its path to the prompt # Searches the files in the workspace.Win@Mac@
Run a shell command yourself # At the start of a line. It runs under the session's current approval and sandbox settings.Win!Mac!
Open the list of slash commands # Type the start of a command's name to filter the list.WinSlashMacSlash
Write the prompt in your own editor # Opens the editor named in VISUAL, or in EDITOR when VISUAL is not set. Save and close it to bring the text back to the composer before sending.WinControl plusGMacControl plusG
Bring back an earlier draft # OpenAI calls this draft history.WinUp arroworDown arrowMacUp arroworDown arrow
Search your earlier prompts # Enter uses the match, Esc gives up.WinControl plusRMacControl plusR

The screen and the output

Practise these
Copy Codex's latest finished answer # The same as /copy. It takes the last completed output, never one that is still being written.WinControl plusOMacControl plusO
Clear the terminal view but keep the chat # Unlike /clear, which starts a new chat. Codex turns both off while a task is running.WinControl plusLMacControl plusL
Switch raw scrollback on or off # Raw scrollback makes selecting and copying text in the terminal more direct. /raw does the same.WinAlt plusRMacOption plusR
Turn an installed plugin on or off # In the list /plugins opens.WinSpace barMacSpace bar

Changing the keys

Typed as commands rather than pressed.

Change or remove a key binding # Codex saves the change to tui.keymap in config.toml. A binding for one context overrides the global one./keymap
Switch the composer to Vim keys # For this session. Set tui.vim_mode_default to true in config.toml to start every session that way./vim

Next

Claude Code

This covers Claude Code, the terminal tool, which is where the shortcuts are.

52 shortcuts · Windows and Mac

Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI is Google's coding agent for the terminal, and Google publishes a full table of its default keys, many with two or three alternatives.

65 shortcuts · Windows and Mac

Terminal

Almost everything here comes from readline, the line editor that bash and zsh both use.

73 shortcuts · Windows and Mac

Copilot

This covers GitHub Copilot inside VS Code, where Microsoft's documentation gives each Copilot key for Windows and for Mac.

40 shortcuts · Windows and Mac

Codex CLI keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 25 September 2026 against OpenAI — Codex CLI commands and interactive shortcuts.