Shortcut tips for Visual Studio

Article • 07/13/2022

Applies to: Visual Studio Visual Studio for Mac Visual Studio Code

You can navigate in Visual Studio more easily by using the shortcuts in this article. These
shortcuts include keyboard and mouse shortcuts as well as text you can enter to help
accomplish a task more easily.

For a comprehensive list of command shortcuts and a printable keyboard shortcut cheat
sheet, see Keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio.

７ Note

This topic applies to Visual Studio on Windows. For Visual Studio for Mac, see Default
keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio for Mac.

Window management
Task Shortcut

Maximize floating window Double-click on title bar

Maximize/minimize windows Win+Up arrow / Win+Down arrow

Redock floating window Ctrl+double-click on title bar

Move/dock floating windows Win+Left arrow / Win+Right arrow

Close active document Ctrl+F4

Show open file list Ctrl+Alt+Down arrow

Show all floating windows Ctrl+Shift+M

Show jump list Win+Alt+N

Start new instance Win+Shift+N

Switch between windows Win+N

Search
Task Shortcut
Task Shortcut

Solution Explorer search Ctrl+;

Place focus in search box in any tool window (except editor) Alt+` when the tool window has focus

Search Visual Studio Ctrl+Q

Search box results filter @opt - Options

@cmd - Commands
@mru - Most recently used
@doc - Open documents

Search in Tools Options Ctrl+E

Find in the editor

Task Shortcut

Quick Find Ctrl+F

Quick Find Next Result Enter

Quick Find Previous Result Shift+Enter

Quick Find Expand Drop Down Alt+Down arrow

Dismiss Find Esc

Quick Replace Ctrl+H

Quick Replace - Replace Next Alt+R

Quick Replace - Replace All Alt+A

Find in Files Ctrl+Shift+F

Replace in Files Ctrl+Shift+H

Code editor
Task Shortcut

Go To All Ctrl+T

Go to recent files Ctrl+T,R

Multi-caret multiple insertion points Ctrl+Alt+click

Multi-caret add matching selection Shift+Alt+Ins

Task Shortcut

Format Document Ctrl+K,D

IntelliSense suggestion mode Ctrl+Alt+Space (Toggle)

Force show IntelliSense Ctrl+J

Quick Actions Ctrl+.

Snippet picker Ctrl+K,X or ?,Tab (Visual Basic)

Surround With Ctrl+K,S

Show Quick Info Ctrl+K,I

Navigate To Ctrl+,

Navigate highlighted references Ctrl+Shift+Up (Previous)

Ctrl+Shift+Down (Next)

Editor zoom Ctrl+Shift+> (In)

Ctrl+Shift+< (Out)

Block selection Hold Alt and drag mouse

Shift+Alt+Arrow keys

Move line up/down Alt+Up arrow / Alt+Down

arrow

Duplicate line Ctrl+E,V

Expand selection Shift+Alt+=

Contract selection Shift+Alt+-

Go To Definition F12

Peek Definition Alt+F12

Go To Definition stack Ctrl+Shift+8 (Back)

Ctrl+Shift+7 (Forward)

Close the Peek Definition window Esc

Promote the Peek Definition window to a regular document tab Ctrl+Alt+Home

Navigate between multiple Peek Definition windows Ctrl+Alt+- and Ctrl+Alt+=

Navigate between multiple Peek results F8 and Shift+F8

Toggle between the code editor window and the Peek Definition Shift+Esc
window

Go to enclosing block Ctrl+Alt+Up arrow

Task Shortcut

Go to next/previous issue Alt+PgUp / Alt+PgDn

Contextual navigation menu Alt+`

Toolbars
Task Shortcut

Add buttons Select the toolbar overflow button

Find combo in standard toolbar Ctrl+D

Find textbox command mode Type >

Create new alias Type alias <new alias> <command> in the Command window

Debugging
Task Shortcut

Start debugging F5

Stop debugging Shift+F5

Restart debugging Ctrl+Shift+F5

Step over F10

Step into F11

Step out Shift+F11

Run to cursor Ctrl+F10

Set next statement Ctrl+Shift+F10

Set and toggle breakpoint F9

Disable breakpoint Ctrl+F9

Immediate window Ctrl+Alt+I

Immediate window command mode Type >

Immediate window - clear buffer Type cls

Immediate window - print value Type ?varname

See also
• Accessibility tips and tricks
• Productivity features in Visual Studio
• Keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio
• Default keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio for Mac