Complete Brackets Keyboard Shortcuts: Windows & Mac (2026)
If you use Brackets the free, open-source code editor by Adobe this guide gives you the complete keyboard shortcut list for both Windows and Mac, organised by task so you can find what you need fast.
Whether you’re navigating files, editing CSS inline with Quick Edit (Ctrl+E / Cmd+E), or previewing changes live in the browser, there’s a shortcut for it. This page covers 99+ hotkeys across every category from basic editing to code movement to Live Preview plus a free PDF download you can keep at your desk.
What is Brackets?
Brackets is a free, open-source code editor created by Adobe Systems and now maintained on GitHub. It was built specifically for front-end web development HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and is best known for its Live Preview feature (real-time browser sync) and Quick Edit (inline CSS editing without switching files).
Brackets was originally released in 2014 by Adobe and officially archived in September 2021, though it remains widely downloaded and used. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Best shortcut to know: Ctrl+E (Windows) / Cmd+E (Mac) opens the Quick Edit inline editor.
Most used Brackets shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Open | Ctrl + Shift + O | Cmd + Shift + O |
| Close current file | Ctrl + W | Cmd + W |
| Close all files | Ctrl + Shift + W | Cmd + Shift + W |
| Open a file | Ctrl + O | Cmd + O |
| Open a folder | Ctrl + Alt + O | Cmd + Option + O |
| New file | Ctrl + N | Cmd + N |
| Save file | Ctrl + S | Cmd + S |
| Save all files | Ctrl + Alt + S | Cmd + Option + S |
| Switch project | Ctrl + Alt + R | Cmd + Option + R |
| Rename current file | F2 | F2 |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | Cmd + Shift + Z |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | Cmd + X |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | Cmd + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | Cmd + V |
| Duplicate line or selection | Ctrl + D | Cmd + D |
| Delete current line | Ctrl + Shift + D | Cmd + Shift + D |
| Single line comment | Ctrl + / | Cmd + / |
| Block comment | Ctrl + Shift + / | Cmd + Shift + / |
| Add new line after current | Ctrl + Enter | Cmd + Enter |
| Add new line before current | Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Cmd + Shift + Enter |
| Select all | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A |
Editing shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open / close Quick Edit | Ctrl + E | Cmd + E |
| Close Quick Edit | Esc | Esc |
| Create a new CSS rule (in Quick Edit) | Ctrl + N | Cmd + N |
| Go to next rule in Quick Edit | Alt + ↓ | Option + ↓ |
| Go to previous rule in Quick Edit | Alt + ↑ | Option + ↑ |
| Toggle line comment | Ctrl + / | Cmd + / |
| Toggle block comment | Ctrl + Shift + / | Cmd + Shift + / |
| Duplicate line or selection | Ctrl + D | Cmd + D |
| Delete current line | Ctrl + Shift + D | Cmd + Shift + D |
| Add new line after current | Ctrl + Enter | Cmd + Enter |
| Add new line before current | Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Cmd + Shift + Enter |
| Select next match (multi-cursor) | Ctrl + B | Cmd + B |
| Skip and select next match | Ctrl + Shift + B | Cmd + Shift + B |
| Add cursor with click | Ctrl + Click | Cmd + Click |
| Column / box select | Alt + Click + Drag | Option + Click + Drag |
| Undo last multi-cursor selection | Ctrl + U | Cmd + U |
Find & replace shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Find in current file | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F |
| Find next | F3 | Cmd + G |
| Find previous | Shift + F3 | Cmd + Shift + G |
| Find in all project files | Ctrl + Shift + F | Cmd + Shift + F |
| Replace in current file | Ctrl + H | Cmd + Option + F |
| Replace in all files | Ctrl + Shift + H | Cmd + Shift + Option + F |
Navigation shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Edit (inline CSS editor) | Ctrl + E | Cmd + E |
| Quick Docs | Ctrl + K | Cmd + K |
| Quick Open file | Ctrl + Shift + O | Cmd + Shift + O |
| Go to definition (in file) | Ctrl + T | Cmd + T |
| Go to definition (in project) | Ctrl + Shift + T | Cmd + Shift + T |
| Jump to definition | Ctrl + J | Cmd + J |
| Go to line number | Ctrl + G | Cmd + L |
| Next document in list | Ctrl + Page Down | Cmd + Page Down |
| Previous document in list | Ctrl + Page Up | Cmd + Page Up |
| Open recent files | Alt + O | Option + O |
Workspace shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Increase font size | Ctrl + + | Cmd + + |
| Decrease font size | Ctrl + – | Cmd + – |
| Reset font size to default | Ctrl + 0 | Cmd + 0 |
| Hide / show sidebar | Ctrl + Shift + H | Cmd + Shift + H |
| No distractions mode | Ctrl + Shift + 2 | Cmd + Shift + 2 |
| Live Preview | Ctrl + Alt + P | Cmd + Option + P |
| Live Preview highlight | Ctrl + Shift + C | Cmd + Shift + C |
| Open preferences / settings | Ctrl + , | Cmd + , |
Code selection shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Select all | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A |
| Select current line | Ctrl + L | Cmd + L |
| Select current word | Ctrl + B | Cmd + B |
| Select next character | Shift + → | Shift + → |
| Select previous character | Shift + ← | Shift + ← |
| Select previous line | Shift + ↑ | Shift + ↑ |
| Select next line | Shift + ↓ | Shift + ↓ |
| Select next word | Alt + Shift + → | Option + Shift + → |
| Select previous word | Alt + Shift + ← | Option + Shift + ← |
| Select to end of line | Ctrl + Shift + → | Cmd + Shift + → |
| Select to beginning of line | Ctrl + Shift + ← | Cmd + Shift + ← |
| Select to beginning of file | Ctrl + Shift + Home | Cmd + Shift + ↑ |
| Select to end of file | Ctrl + Shift + End | Cmd + Shift + ↓ |
| Select from cursor to start of file | Ctrl + Shift + Home | Cmd + Shift + Home |
| Select from cursor to end of file | Ctrl + Shift + End | Cmd + Shift + End |
Code movement shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Move current line / selection up | Ctrl + Shift + ↑ | Cmd + Shift + ↑ |
| Move current line / selection down | Ctrl + Shift + ↓ | Cmd + Shift + ↓ |
| Indent right | Ctrl + ] | Cmd + ] |
| Indent left | Ctrl + [ | Cmd + [ |
| Indent right (tab) | Tab | Tab |
| Indent left (shift tab) | Shift + Tab | Shift + Tab |
| Move right one character | → | → |
| Move left one character | ← | ← |
| Move up one line | ↑ | ↑ |
| Move down one line | ↓ | ↓ |
| Move to next word | Ctrl + → | Option + → |
| Move to previous word | Ctrl + ← | Option + ← |
| Move to end of line | Alt + → | Cmd + → |
| Move to beginning of line | Alt + ← | Cmd + ← |
| Move to beginning of file | Ctrl + Home | Cmd + ↑ |
| Move to end of file | Ctrl + End | Cmd + ↓ |
| Scroll up | Ctrl + ↑ | Cmd + ↑ (scroll) |
| Scroll down | Ctrl + ↓ | Cmd + ↓ (scroll) |
Quick Edit shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open / close Quick Edit | Ctrl + E | Cmd + E |
| Close current Quick Edit panel | Esc | Esc |
| Close all Quick Edit panels | Esc (cursor in main doc) | Esc (cursor in main doc) |
| Create new CSS rule | Ctrl + N | Cmd + N |
| Navigate to next CSS rule | Alt + ↓ | Option + ↓ |
| Navigate to previous CSS rule | Alt + ↑ | Option + ↑ |
| Open Quick Docs (for current element) | Ctrl + K | Cmd + K |
Live Preview shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Live Preview (open / close browser) | Ctrl + Alt + P | Cmd + Option + P |
| Toggle Live Preview highlight | Ctrl + Shift + C | Cmd + Shift + C |
Extension shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open Extension Manager | Ctrl + Shift + E or File menu | Cmd + Shift + E or File menu |
| Display all active shortcuts (Shortcut Extension) | Help → Display Shortcuts | Help → Display Shortcuts |
How to show Quick Hints (shortcuts list) in Brackets
Brackets has two built-in ways to view all available keyboard shortcuts the Help menu and the Shortcuts Extension. Here is exactly how to use each one, on both Windows and Mac.
To display all shortcuts in Brackets on PC, go to Help → Display Shortcuts in the menu bar. This opens a panel listing every active shortcut. If the option is missing, install the free Brackets Shortcuts Extension from the Extension Manager (Ctrl+Shift+E), then return to Help → Display Shortcuts.
Method 1 – Help menu (built-in)
1. Open Brackets
Launch the Brackets text editor on your Windows PC or Mac. Make sure you have a file or project open some menu options are greyed out with no file loaded.
2. Click the Help menu
In the top menu bar, click Help. On Windows, the menu bar sits at the top of the Brackets window. On Mac, it sits in the system menu bar at the top of the screen.
3. Select “Display Shortcuts”
In the Help dropdown, click Display Shortcuts. A new panel opens on the right side of the editor listing every keyboard shortcut currently active in Brackets including shortcuts added by any extensions you have installed.
4. Optional: copy the list into your file
Inside the Shortcuts panel, click Copy to Current Document to insert the complete shortcut list as plain text into whichever file is currently open. Useful as a permanent reference inside your project.
Method 2 – Brackets Shortcuts Extension
1. Open the Extension Manager
Press Ctrl + Shift + E on Windows or Cmd + Shift + E on Mac. Alternatively, go to File → Extension Manager from the menu bar.
2. Search for “Brackets Shortcuts”
In the Extension Manager search box, type Brackets Shortcuts. The extension by redmunds will appear in the results. Click Install.
3. Reload Brackets when prompted
After installation, Brackets will ask you to reload. Click Reload Brackets. The extension activates immediately on restart.
4. Go to Help → Display Shortcuts
Once Brackets reloads, go to Help → Display Shortcuts. The extension generates a live panel of all shortcuts including those from every other extension you have installed. The list updates automatically if you install more extensions later.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions about Brackets shortcuts and the Brackets text editor.
What is the most important shortcut in Brackets?
The single most important shortcut in Brackets is Ctrl+E on Windows or Cmd+E on Mac. This opens the Quick Edit inline editor, which lets you edit the CSS for any HTML element without leaving the HTML file or switching tabs. It is Brackets’ signature feature and the one that makes it uniquely fast for front-end development.
How do I display all keyboard shortcuts in Brackets?
Go to Help → Display Shortcuts in the Brackets menu bar. A panel opens on the right listing every active shortcut including those from any extensions you have installed. If the Display Shortcuts option is missing, install the free Brackets Shortcuts Extension from the Extension Manager (Ctrl+Shift+E), reload Brackets, and then go to Help → Display Shortcuts again.
Does Brackets work on Mac?
Yes. Brackets runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. On Mac, most shortcuts replace the Ctrl key with Cmd and the Alt key with Option. For example, Quick Edit is Ctrl+E on Windows and Cmd+E on Mac. The complete Mac shortcut list is included in every table on this page.
What is the difference between Quick Edit and Quick Docs in Brackets?
Quick Edit (Ctrl+E / Cmd+E) opens an inline CSS editor directly inside your HTML file. You can write and edit CSS rules without opening a separate stylesheet. Quick Docs (Ctrl+K / Cmd+K) opens an inline documentation panel showing reference information about whichever HTML tag, CSS property, or JavaScript function your cursor is on. Quick Edit is for writing code; Quick Docs is for reading documentation.
How do I type a left bracket [ on a keyboard?
On a standard QWERTY keyboard, the left square bracket [ key is located directly to the right of the letter P. Press it once for [ and hold Shift to get the left curly brace {. For parentheses, the left parenthesis ( is Shift+9. On Mac, the key positions are identical.
What is the shortcut for Live Preview in Brackets?
The Live Preview shortcut in Brackets is Ctrl+Alt+P on Windows and Cmd+Option+P on Mac. This opens your HTML file in Google Chrome with real-time sync every change you make in Brackets reflects instantly in the browser without a manual refresh. Live Preview requires Google Chrome to be installed. To highlight the element your cursor is on inside the browser, use Ctrl+Shift+C / Cmd+Shift+C to toggle Live Preview Highlight.
Is Brackets still supported in 2026?
Brackets was officially archived by Adobe in September 2021, meaning Adobe no longer provides updates or support. However, the project lives on as an open-source repository on GitHub, and a community fork called Brackets Continued actively maintains the editor with bug fixes and updates. Millions of developers still use Brackets in 2026, particularly for lightweight HTML and CSS work. If you need a fully supported alternative, Visual Studio Code and Sublime Text are the most popular replacements.
What are the best alternatives to Brackets in 2026?
The three most popular alternatives to Brackets are Visual Studio Code (free, by Microsoft), Sublime Text (fast and lightweight, paid licence), and Notepad++ (free, Windows-only). For front-end web development specifically, VS Code now offers equivalent features including live browser preview, inline CSS editing, and an extensive shortcut system.
Final thoughts on Brackets shortcuts
Brackets may no longer be under active development by Adobe, but its shortcut system remains one of the most thoughtfully designed in any text editor. The real power is not in memorising all 107 shortcuts it is in building muscle memory around the five that matter most for your daily workflow.
If you are finding that Brackets no longer meets your needs particularly for JavaScript-heavy projects Sublime Text and Visual Studio Code are the natural next steps. Both share several shortcut patterns with Brackets, so the transition is smoother than you might expect.
Bookmark this page and download the free PDF cheat sheet above to keep the full shortcut list at your desk.
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