Windsurf IDE Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Cheat Sheet (2026)
Complete Windsurf keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet for Cascade, Tab, Command, and navigation. macOS and Windows/Linux keybindings.
Last updated: March 3, 2026
The three shortcuts every Windsurf user needs: Cmd+L (open Cascade AI agent), Cmd+I (inline Command edits), and Tab (accept AI suggestions). Windsurf is built on VS Code, so all standard VS Code shortcuts work — plus Windsurf adds AI-specific keybindings for Cascade, Tab autocomplete, and Command mode. This cheat sheet covers every shortcut across macOS and Windows/Linux.
Every Windsurf Keyboard Shortcut in One Place
Windsurf — the AI coding IDE formerly known as Codeium — went from startup to OpenAI’s largest acquisition at $3 billion in under two years. With over 200K developers using it (Codecademy) and a Cascade AI agent that tracks your edits, terminal commands, and clipboard in real time, Windsurf is built around one idea: keep your hands on the keyboard.
But most developers only know Cmd+L for Cascade and Tab for autocomplete. The full shortcut set covers 50+ keybindings across seven categories — and knowing them cuts your mouse usage to near zero.
Below is every Windsurf keyboard shortcut, organized by feature, with macOS and Windows/Linux variants side by side.
Cascade AI Shortcuts
Cascade is Windsurf’s agentic AI assistant — it reads your codebase, runs terminal commands, searches the web, and writes code across multiple files. These shortcuts control the entire Cascade workflow.
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Open Cascade | Cmd+L | Ctrl+L |
| New Cascade conversation | Cmd+Shift+L | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Send selected text to Cascade | Select text, then Cmd+L | Select text, then Ctrl+L |
| Send terminal selection to Cascade | Select in terminal, then Cmd+L | Select in terminal, then Ctrl+L |
| Send problems to Cascade | Click “Send to Cascade” in Problems panel | Same |
| Queue message while Cascade is working | Type and press Enter | Same |
| Send queued message immediately | Press Enter on empty input | Same |
Pro tip: Select a stack trace in the terminal and press Cmd+L to send it directly to Cascade. It will automatically diagnose the error using your full codebase context — no copy-pasting needed.
Command Mode Shortcuts (Inline Edits)
Command generates or edits code inline using natural language — directly in the editor. It does not consume premium credits, making it the most cost-effective way to use Windsurf’s AI.
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Open Command (inline edit) | Cmd+I | Ctrl+I |
| Submit Command prompt | Cmd+Enter | Ctrl+Enter |
| Accept generated code | Cmd+Enter | Ctrl+Enter |
| Reject generated code | Cmd+Delete | Ctrl+Delete |
| Open Command in terminal | Cmd+I (with terminal focused) | Ctrl+I (with terminal focused) |
How it works: Highlight code and press Cmd+I to edit the selection with a natural language instruction. Without a selection, Command generates new code at your cursor position. Try prompts like “Add error handling” or “Convert to async/await.”
Tab Autocomplete Shortcuts
Windsurf Tab has evolved beyond basic autocomplete — it’s a context-aware diff-suggestion engine that can edit code both before and after your cursor position, auto-import dependencies, and predict where you’ll navigate next.
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Accept suggestion | Tab | Tab |
| Cancel suggestion | Esc | Esc |
| Accept word-by-word | Cmd+Right Arrow | — |
| Tab to Jump (go to predicted location) | Tab (when jump label appears) | Tab (when jump label appears) |
| Tab to Import (auto-add import) | Tab (when import hint shows) | Tab (when import hint shows) |
Tab to Jump is one of Windsurf’s standout features — the editor predicts where you need to navigate next and shows a label. Just press Tab to jump there instantly instead of scrolling or using Cmd+G.
Essential Editor Shortcuts
Since Windsurf is built on VS Code, all standard editor shortcuts work — similar to how ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini each inherit conventions from their respective platforms. Here are the ones developers use most:
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Command Palette | Cmd+Shift+P | Ctrl+Shift+P |
| Quick Open file | Cmd+P | Ctrl+P |
| Open keyboard shortcuts editor | Cmd+K, Cmd+S | Ctrl+K, Ctrl+S |
| Toggle terminal | Cmd+` | Ctrl+` |
| New terminal | Cmd+Shift+` | Ctrl+Shift+` |
| Toggle sidebar | Cmd+B | Ctrl+B |
| Open settings | Cmd+, | Ctrl+, |
| Split editor | Cmd+\ | Ctrl+\ |
| Focus breadcrumbs | Cmd+Shift+. | Ctrl+Shift+. |
| Go to line | Cmd+G | Ctrl+G |
| Go to symbol in file | Cmd+Shift+O | Ctrl+Shift+O |
| Go to symbol in workspace | Cmd+T | Ctrl+T |
Code Navigation Shortcuts
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Go to definition | F12 | F12 |
| Peek definition | Option+F12 | Alt+F12 |
| Go to references | Shift+F12 | Shift+F12 |
| Go back | Ctrl+- | Alt+Left Arrow |
| Go forward | Ctrl+Shift+- | Alt+Right Arrow |
| Find in file | Cmd+F | Ctrl+F |
| Find and replace | Cmd+Option+F | Ctrl+H |
| Search across files | Cmd+Shift+F | Ctrl+Shift+F |
| Next error or warning | F8 | F8 |
| Previous error or warning | Shift+F8 | Shift+F8 |
Code Editing Shortcuts
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Move line up/down | Option+Up/Down | Alt+Up/Down |
| Copy line up/down | Option+Shift+Up/Down | Alt+Shift+Up/Down |
| Delete line | Cmd+Shift+K | Ctrl+Shift+K |
| Insert line below | Cmd+Enter | Ctrl+Enter |
| Insert line above | Cmd+Shift+Enter | Ctrl+Shift+Enter |
| Indent line | Cmd+] | Ctrl+] |
| Outdent line | Cmd+[ | Ctrl+[ |
| Toggle line comment | Cmd+/ | Ctrl+/ |
| Toggle block comment | Option+Shift+A | Alt+Shift+A |
| Format document | Option+Shift+F | Alt+Shift+F |
| Multi-cursor (add cursor) | Option+Click | Alt+Click |
| Add cursor above/below | Cmd+Option+Up/Down | Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down |
| Select all occurrences | Cmd+Shift+L | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Select next occurrence | Cmd+D | Ctrl+D |
| Undo | Cmd+Z | Ctrl+Z |
| Redo | Cmd+Shift+Z | Ctrl+Y |
Debugging Shortcuts
| Action | macOS | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Start/continue debugging | F5 | F5 |
| Stop debugging | Shift+F5 | Shift+F5 |
| Restart debugging | Cmd+Shift+F5 | Ctrl+Shift+F5 |
| Step over | F10 | F10 |
| Step into | F11 | F11 |
| Step out | Shift+F11 | Shift+F11 |
| Toggle breakpoint | F9 | F9 |
Customizing Your Shortcuts
Windsurf lets you remap any shortcut through the built-in keybindings editor:
- Press
Cmd+K, Cmd+S(macOS) orCtrl+K, Ctrl+S(Windows/Linux) - Search for the command you want to remap
- Click the pencil icon next to it and press your desired key combination
- Press Enter to save
You can also edit keybindings.json directly for advanced configuration — open it via the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P → “Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON)”).
Vim users: Install the VSCodeVim extension from the marketplace. All Windsurf AI shortcuts (Cmd+L, Cmd+I, Tab) work alongside Vim mode without conflict.
Windsurf Pricing Quick Reference
| Plan | Price | Credits/Month | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 25 prompt credits | Unlimited Tab + Command, 1 deploy/day |
| Pro | $15/mo | 500 credits | SWE-1 model, 5 deploys/day, Memories |
| Teams | $30/user/mo | 500/user | Admin controls, shared conversations, priority support |
Pricing verified from the official Windsurf pricing page on March 3, 2026. Command mode (inline edits) is free on all plans and does not consume credits. For a deeper comparison of AI coding tools and their pricing, see our n8n vs Zapier vs Make automation comparison.
Methodology
All shortcuts in this cheat sheet were verified against the official Windsurf documentation including the Cascade overview, Tab overview, Command overview, and Terminal docs. Standard editor shortcuts follow VS Code defaults since Windsurf is built on the VS Code foundation. Pricing and feature information sourced from windsurf.com and verified on March 3, 2026.
For related guides: How to build an AI content workflow (use Windsurf alongside AI content tools), Make vs Zapier (automate your development workflow), and ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini (compare the AI models Windsurf uses under the hood).
Get the AI tools briefing
Weekly briefing: best tools, honest comparisons, workflow automations. No sponsor influence.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to open Cascade in Windsurf?
Press Cmd+L on macOS or Ctrl+L on Windows/Linux to open Cascade, Windsurf's agentic AI assistant. Any text you have selected in the editor or terminal will automatically be included as context. To start a new Cascade conversation, press Cmd+Shift+L (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+L (Windows/Linux).
How do I accept or reject AI suggestions in Windsurf?
For Tab autocomplete suggestions, press Tab to accept or Esc to cancel. You can also accept word-by-word with Cmd+Right Arrow on macOS. For Command inline edits, press Cmd+Enter (macOS) or Ctrl+Enter (Windows/Linux) to accept, and Cmd+Delete or Ctrl+Delete to reject the generated diff.
Can I customize keyboard shortcuts in Windsurf?
Yes. Open the keyboard shortcuts editor with Cmd+K then Cmd+S on macOS (Ctrl+K then Ctrl+S on Windows/Linux). You can search for any command, change its keybinding, or add new shortcuts. Since Windsurf is built on VS Code, most VS Code keybinding extensions and configurations work out of the box.
Does Windsurf support Vim keybindings?
Yes. Windsurf supports Vim keybindings through the VSCodeVim extension, which is available in the extension marketplace. You can switch between default VS Code bindings and Vim bindings in the settings. All Windsurf-specific AI shortcuts (Cascade, Command, Tab) work alongside Vim mode.
Is Windsurf free to use?
Windsurf offers a free plan with 25 prompt credits per month, unlimited Tab autocomplete, and unlimited Command usage. The Pro plan costs $15/month and includes 500 credits with access to premium models like SWE-1. Teams plans start at $30/user/month with admin controls and priority support.