Brave Browser Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for Windows, Mac & Linux
Quick answer: The most-used Brave browser shortcuts are Ctrl + T (new tab), Ctrl + W (close tab), Ctrl + Shift + T (reopen the last closed tab), and Ctrl + Shift + N (new private window). On Mac, replace Ctrl with ⌘ (Command) for almost all of them. Because Brave is built on Chromium, these shortcuts are nearly identical to Google Chrome.
What Are Brave Browser Keyboard Shortcuts?
Brave browser keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that trigger browser actions instantly opening tabs, switching windows, managing bookmarks, or reloading a page without touching the mouse. Brave is built on the open-source Chromium engine, the same foundation as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, so the vast majority of its shortcuts match Chrome exactly. If you already know Chrome’s hotkeys, you already know Brave’s.
This guide lists every official Brave shortcut for Windows, Linux, and macOS, verified against Brave’s own documentation, and shows you how to customize or reset them.
How to View and Customize Shortcuts in Brave
Brave lets you change any shortcut to a combination you prefer. Here’s how:
- Open Brave and go to the menu (☰) in the top-right corner.
- Click Settings.
- In the left sidebar, select System.
- Click Shortcuts.
- Find the action you want, click the field next to it, and press your new key combination.
- To undo changes, use the Reset option on that screen.
Tab & Window Shortcuts
These manage tabs and browser windows the shortcuts you’ll use most often.
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open a new tab | Ctrl + T | ⌘ + T |
| Open a new window | Ctrl + N | ⌘ + N |
| Open a new private window | Ctrl + Shift + N | ⌘ + Shift + N |
| Close the current tab | Ctrl + W (or Ctrl + F4) | ⌘ + W |
| Close the current window | Ctrl + Shift + W | ⌘ + Shift + W |
| Reopen the last closed tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | ⌘ + Shift + T |
| Jump to the next tab | Ctrl + Tab (or Ctrl + PgDn) | ⌘ + Option + Right arrow |
| Jump to the previous tab | Ctrl + Shift + Tab (or Ctrl + PgUp) | ⌘ + Option + Left arrow |
| Jump to a specific tab (1–8) | Ctrl + 1 … 8 | ⌘ + 1 … 8 |
| Jump to the last tab | Ctrl + 9 | ⌘ + 9 |
| Minimize the window | Alt + Space + N | ⌘ + M |
| Maximize the window | Alt + Space + X | — |
| Hide Brave | — | ⌘ + H |
| Quit Brave | Alt + F4 | ⌘ + Q |
Navigation & Page Shortcuts
Move around within pages and your browsing history.
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open your home page | Alt + Home | ⌘ + Shift + H |
| Go back one page | Alt + Left arrow | ⌘ + [ (or ⌘ + Left arrow) |
| Go forward one page | Alt + Right arrow | ⌘ + ] (or ⌘ + Right arrow) |
| Reload the current page | F5 (or Ctrl + R) | ⌘ + R |
| Reload, ignoring cache | Shift + F5 (or Ctrl + Shift + R) | ⌘ + Shift + R |
| Stop loading the page | Esc | Esc |
| Scroll down one screen | Space (or PgDn) | Space |
| Scroll up one screen | Shift + Space (or PgUp) | Shift + Space |
| Go to top of page | Home | — |
| Go to bottom of page | End | — |
| Turn full-screen on/off | F11 | ⌘ + Ctrl + F |
| Zoom in | Ctrl + + | ⌘ + + |
| Zoom out | Ctrl + – | ⌘ + – |
| Reset zoom to default | Ctrl + 0 | ⌘ + 0 |
Address Bar & Search Shortcuts
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Jump to the address bar | Ctrl + L (or Alt + D, or F6) | ⌘ + L |
| Search from anywhere on the page | Ctrl + K (or Ctrl + E) | — |
| Add www. and .com, open in current tab | Type name + Ctrl + Enter | Type name + Control + Enter |
| Open a new tab and search | Type term + Alt + Enter | Type term + ⌘ + Enter |
Bookmark, History & Download Shortcuts
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Bookmark the current page | Ctrl + D | ⌘ + D |
| Bookmark all open tabs into a folder | Ctrl + Shift + D | ⌘ + Shift + D |
| Show / hide the Bookmarks bar | Ctrl + Shift + B | ⌘ + Shift + B |
| Open the Bookmarks Manager | Ctrl + Shift + O | ⌘ + Option + B |
| Open browsing History | Ctrl + H | ⌘ + Y |
| Open the Downloads page | Ctrl + J | ⌘ + Shift + J |
| Open Clear Browsing Data | Ctrl + Shift + Delete | ⌘ + Shift + Delete |
| Open the Profile menu | Ctrl + Shift + M | ⌘ + Shift + M |
| Open Settings | — | ⌘ + , |
Find, Print & File Shortcuts
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Find on the current page | Ctrl + F (or F3) | ⌘ + F |
| Find next match | Ctrl + G | ⌘ + G |
| Find previous match | Ctrl + Shift + G | ⌘ + Shift + G |
| Print the current page | Ctrl + P | ⌘ + P |
| Save the current page | Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S |
| Open a file in Brave | Ctrl + O | ⌘ + O |
Developer & Advanced Shortcuts
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open Developer Tools | Ctrl + Shift + J (or F12) | ⌘ + Option + I |
| Open the JavaScript Console | — | ⌘ + Option + J |
| View page source | Ctrl + U | ⌘ + Option + U |
| Open the Brave Task Manager | Shift + Esc | — |
| Open the Main menu | Alt + F (or Alt + E, or F10) | — |
| Open the Brave Help Center | F1 | — |
Mouse Shortcuts in Brave
| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open a link in a new background tab | Ctrl + Click | ⌘ + Click |
| Open a link and switch to it | Ctrl + Shift + Click | ⌘ + Shift + Click |
| Open a link in a new window | Shift + Click | Shift + Click |
| Download a link target | Alt + Click | Option + Click |
| Zoom in / out | Ctrl + Scroll wheel | — |
| Scroll horizontally | Shift + Scroll wheel | — |
Brave vs Chrome Shortcuts: Are They the Same?
Mostly, yes. Because both browsers run on Chromium, their core shortcuts are identical Ctrl + T, Ctrl + W, Ctrl + Shift + T, and the rest behave the same way. The handful of differences come from Brave-specific or platform-specific features.
| Shortcut | Brave | Chrome |
|---|---|---|
| New tab | Ctrl + T | Ctrl + T |
| New private/incognito window | Ctrl + Shift + N | Ctrl + Shift + N |
| Reopen closed tab | Ctrl + Shift + T | Ctrl + Shift + T |
| Bookmarks Manager (Win) | Ctrl + Shift + O | Ctrl + Shift + O |
| Task Manager | Shift + Esc | Shift + Esc |
If you’re switching from Chrome, you can keep your muscle memory see our full Chrome Shortcuts guide for the complete comparison.
Download the Brave Shortcuts PDF Cheat Sheet
Want a printable version to keep on your desk? Download the free Brave Browser Shortcuts PDF →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to close a tab in Brave?
Press Ctrl + W on Windows and Linux, or ⌘ + W on Mac. You can also use Ctrl + F4 on Windows.
How do I open a private window in Brave?
Press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows and Linux, or ⌘ + Shift + N on Mac. Brave’s private window also includes a separate Tor option inside the menu for extra privacy.
Are Brave shortcuts the same as Chrome?
Yes, almost entirely. Both are built on Chromium, so core shortcuts like new tab, close tab, and reopen tab are identical. Only a few platform- or feature-specific keys differ.
How do I customize keyboard shortcuts in Brave?
Go to Settings → System → Shortcuts, find the action you want, click its field, and press your preferred key combination. Use Reset to revert.
What is the shortcut to add a bookmark in Brave?
Press Ctrl + D (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + D (Mac) to bookmark the current page. Use Ctrl + Shift + D to bookmark all open tabs into a folder.
Do Brave shortcuts work on Mac?
Yes. On macOS, replace Ctrl with ⌘ (Command) for most shortcuts. A few differ for example, history is ⌘ + Y and downloads is ⌘ + Shift + J.
How do I reopen a closed tab in Brave?
Press Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + Shift + T (Mac). Repeat to reopen earlier tabs in order.
What is the shortcut for Developer Tools in Brave?
Press Ctrl + Shift + J or F12 on Windows/Linux, or ⌘ + Option + I on Mac.
Final Thoughts
Mastering Brave’s keyboard shortcuts is one of the easiest ways to browse faster and keep your hands off the mouse. You don’t need to memorize all 70+ at once start with the ten essentials in the quick-reference table, build them into muscle memory over a week, and add more as you go. Since Brave runs on Chromium, every shortcut you learn here carries straight over to Chrome and Edge too.
Keep this page bookmarked (Ctrl + D), grab the free PDF cheat sheet for offline reference, and remember you can remap any shortcut under Settings → System → Shortcuts to fit the way you work. Happy browsing.
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