🖥️iTerm2 Keyboard Shortcuts
21 essential shortcuts for iTerm2
Tabs & Windows
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘T | New tab |
| ⌘N | New window |
| ⌘W | Close tab or pane |
Panes
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘D | Split pane vertically |
| ⌘⇧D | Split pane horizontally |
| ⌘⌥←/⌘⌥→ | Switch to pane left / right |
| ⌘⌥↑/⌘⌥↓ | Switch to pane above / below |
| ⌘⇧↩ | Maximize / restore current pane |
Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘←/⌘→ | Previous / next tab |
| ⌘1–⌘9 | Switch to tab number |
| ⌘F | Find in terminal output |
| ⌘G/⌘⇧G | Find next / previous match |
General
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘; | Autocomplete command from history |
| ⌘⇧H | Show paste history |
| ⌘⌥B | Instant replay (rewind terminal) |
| ⌘⌥E | Expose all tabs (visual overview) |
| ⌘↩ | Toggle full screen |
| ⌘K | Clear terminal buffer |
| ⌘+/⌘- | Increase / decrease font size |
| ⌘, | Open preferences |
| ⌘⇧C/⌘⇧V | Copy / paste (works in vi mode too) |
About iTerm2 Shortcuts
iTerm2 is a powerful, feature-rich terminal emulator for macOS that replaces the default Terminal app. It offers split panes, search, autocomplete, instant replay, configurable hotkeys, triggers, shell integration, and extensive customization through profiles and key mappings. iTerm2's keyboard shortcuts make it easy to manage multiple sessions, search terminal output, and navigate efficiently.
This reference covers 21 essential iTerm2 keyboard shortcuts organized across 4 categories: Tabs & Windows, Panes, Navigation, and more. Each shortcut lists both macOS and Windows/Linux key combinations where applicable, making it easy to find the right key combo regardless of your operating system.
Learning keyboard shortcuts is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make in your daily workflow. Studies show that developers and designers who rely on keyboard shortcuts are measurably faster at common tasks. Rather than memorizing every shortcut at once, focus on the ones you use most frequently and gradually expand your repertoire.
Bookmark this page for quick reference whenever you need to look up a iTerm2 shortcut. The categorized layout makes it easy to find shortcuts by their function, whether you need navigation, editing, or specialized commands.