GNOME Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts: Full List

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

GNOME desktop keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that let you launch apps, switch windows, navigate workspaces, and control system functions without touching the mouse. This article lists the default shortcuts in current GNOME versions (40 and later) and explains how to view, customize, and troubleshoot them.

Why the Default Shortcuts Matter

GNOME ships with a set of pre-assigned shortcuts that cover the most common desktop actions. These defaults are chosen to be easy to reach with one hand and to avoid conflicts with common application shortcuts (like Ctrl+C for copy). Knowing them saves time, but the real power comes from customizing them to match your workflow.

Current GNOME versions (40+) use a horizontal workspace layout. Super key (the Windows key on most keyboards, or Command on Mac keyboards) is the primary modifier for system-level actions. This is a deliberate design choice: it keeps Ctrl and Alt free for application-level shortcuts.

Essential Default Shortcuts

These are the shortcuts most users will use daily. They work in GNOME 40 through the latest stable releases (GNOME 46/47 as of late 2024).

Workspace Navigation

Super – Open the Activities overview.
Super + Page Down / Page Up – Move to the next/previous workspace.
Super + Home / End – Jump to the first/last workspace.
Super + Ctrl + Arrow keys – Move the current window to another workspace without switching to it.

Window Management

Super + Arrow keys – Snap window to left/right half, maximize, or restore.
Super + Up – Maximize window; Super + Down – Restore or minimize.
Alt + Tab – Switch between windows; hold Alt and press Tab repeatedly to cycle.
Alt + F4 – Close the focused window.
Super + H – Minimize the focused window.

System Control

Super + L – Lock the screen.
Super + A – Open the app grid (all applications).
Print Screen – Take a screenshot of the entire screen.
Alt + Print Screen – Screenshot only the focused window.
Shift + Print Screen – Select a region to screenshot.

Quick Settings and Notifications

Super + N – Toggle the notification center.
Super + V – Open the quick settings menu (volume, Wi-Fi, brightness).
Super + Space – Switch input source (keyboard layout).

How to View and Customize Shortcuts

GNOME provides a graphical settings panel for shortcuts. To open it:

Press Super and type “Keyboard” or navigate to Settings → Keyboard.
Scroll to the View and Customize Shortcuts section.
Click any category (e.g., Navigation, Windows, System) to see the assigned keys.
Click a row, then press the new key combination to reassign it. Press Backspace to disable a shortcut.

You can also set custom shortcuts for launching applications. In the same panel, click the + button at the bottom of the Custom Shortcuts list. You will need to provide a name, the command (e.g., firefox), and the key combination.

For advanced users, shortcuts are stored in the GSettings database. You can dump all shortcuts with gsettings list-recursively org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings and modify them with gsettings set. This is useful for scripting or syncing settings across machines, but the GUI method is safer for most users.

Common Problems and Fixes

Shortcuts sometimes stop working or behave unexpectedly. Here are the most frequent issues and their solutions.

Shortcut Does Nothing

Check if the shortcut is actually assigned: open Settings → Keyboard and look at the category.
Verify the key combination is not being intercepted by an application. Some apps (e.g., games, terminals, remote desktop clients) capture keys globally.
If you are using a non-standard keyboard layout, the physical key may not map to the expected symbol. Test with a different keyboard layout.

Shortcut Conflicts with an Application

If an application uses the same combination (for example, Ctrl+Alt+T for terminal in some setups), GNOME will usually prioritize the application when it is focused. To resolve, either change the application’s shortcut or reassign the GNOME one in Settings.

Super Key Opens Overview Unintentionally

Some keyboards have a dedicated Super key that is easy to press accidentally. You can disable the Super key binding entirely in Settings → Keyboard → View and Customize Shortcuts → System → Show the overview. Reassign it to another key or press Backspace to disable.

Workspace Shortcuts Not Working on Wayland

On Wayland (the default display server in modern GNOME), some window-manager shortcuts behave differently than on X11. For instance, Super + Ctrl + Arrow moves windows between workspaces, but the animation may be subtle. If a shortcut truly fails, try switching to Xorg from the login screen (gear icon) to test whether it is a Wayland limitation.

Comparing GNOME Shortcuts to Other Desktops

GNOME’s shortcut scheme differs notably from Windows, macOS, and other Linux desktops.

Windows: Uses the Windows key similarly (Win+Tab for task view, Win+Arrow for snapping). GNOME’s Super+Arrow matches this closely. However, Windows has no built-in workspace switching by default in older versions; GNOME’s Super+Page Up/Down is more direct.
macOS: Uses Command (⌘) as the primary modifier. GNOME uses Super (Windows key) for system actions and Ctrl for many text-editing actions. If you come from macOS, you may find Ctrl+C/V/Z work in GNOME apps (they do), but window snapping requires Super+Arrow instead of the green button.
KDE Plasma: KDE defaults to Meta (Super) for many actions too, but also uses Alt+Tab for window switching (same as GNOME). KDE offers far more configurable shortcuts out of the box, while GNOME keeps the default set minimal.

The key difference is philosophy: GNOME provides a small, curated set of shortcuts that cover essential actions, while KDE exposes hundreds of bindings. If you need a specific shortcut that GNOME lacks, you can add it as a custom shortcut, but you may need to research the exact command (e.g., gnome-screenshot -a for region capture).

Alternative Ways to Accomplish the Same Actions

If you prefer not to use keyboard shortcuts, GNOME offers mouse and touch gestures for many of the same tasks.

Activities overview: Move the mouse to the top-left hot corner, or click the “Activities” button in the top bar.
Workspace switching: On a touchpad, swipe with three fingers left or right. On a touchscreen, swipe with three fingers.
Window snapping: Drag a window to the left or right screen edge until the highlight appears, then release.
App grid: Click the grid icon (nine dots) in the dock (Dash) at the bottom of the Activities overview.
Screenshots: Use the built-in Screenshot app (search “Screenshot” in Activities) which offers a GUI for selecting area, window, or full screen.

These alternatives are especially useful on laptops where the Super key may be small or on touch-enabled devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset all GNOME shortcuts to defaults?

Open Settings → Keyboard, scroll to the bottom, and click Reset All. This restores every shortcut to its factory default. If you want to reset only one shortcut, click its row and press Backspace to disable it, then reassign the original key combination manually.

Why does Alt+Tab show a different window than expected?

GNOME’s Alt+Tab switches between windows in the current workspace only. If you want to switch across all workspaces, press Super+Tab instead, which opens the app switcher and includes windows from all workspaces. Alternatively, change the “Switch windows” binding in Settings to use a different modifier.

Can I use Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal?

Not by default in GNOME. The default terminal shortcut is Super+T (in GNOME 40+). To use Ctrl+Alt+T, go to Settings → Keyboard → View and Customize Shortcuts → Custom Shortcuts, click +, name it “Terminal”, enter gnome-terminal as the command, and press Ctrl+Alt+T when prompted.

Do these shortcuts work on GNOME with extensions installed?

Most extensions do not change default shortcuts, but some (like Dash to Dock or Pop Shell) may add or rebind keys. If a shortcut stops working after installing an extension, disable extensions one by one via the Extensions app to identify the culprit. The default shortcuts are defined by the GNOME Shell itself, not extensions.

How do I take a screenshot of only one monitor in a multi-monitor setup?

Use Shift+Print Screen to select a region, then drag over the monitor you want. There is no default shortcut for “current monitor only”. You can install the GNOME Screenshot extension or use the command gnome-screenshot -w (window) or gnome-screenshot -a (area) from a terminal.

Are these shortcuts the same on Ubuntu with GNOME?

Ubuntu uses stock GNOME but applies a few custom shortcuts. For example, Ubuntu binds Super+T to open the terminal (same as GNOME), but also adds Super+E for file manager and Super+F for Firefox (in some versions). Check Settings → Keyboard on your specific Ubuntu version to see the full list, as it may differ from vanilla GNOME.

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