Unity Desktop Shortcuts: The Complete List for Ubuntu Linux
Unity Desktop shortcuts are the keyboard combinations built into Ubuntu’s Unity interface for managing windows, switching workspaces, launching apps from the Dash and Launcher, and triggering the HUD without touching the mouse. Unity shipped as Ubuntu’s default desktop from version 11.04 (2011) through 17.04 (2017), when Canonical discontinued it and switched Ubuntu back to GNOME. If you’re still running an older Ubuntu release, maintaining a legacy machine, or just want the full reference, this guide covers every category of shortcut Unity supports.
What Is Unity Desktop (and Which Ubuntu Versions Use It)
Unity is a graphical shell originally built by Canonical on top of GNOME and the Compiz window manager. It introduced a few ideas that were unusual at the time: a global menu bar shared across all app windows, a vertical app Launcher on the left edge of the screen, and the HUD, a searchable command palette that let you trigger any menu item by typing instead of clicking through menus.
Unity was the default desktop on Ubuntu 11.04 through 16.10, and it stuck around as an option through 17.04 before Canonical retired it in favor of GNOME Shell starting with Ubuntu 17.10. If your version number falls in that 11.04-17.04 window, the shortcuts below apply to you. On later releases (18.04 and up), you’re on GNOME, and the shortcut layout is different, see the comparison table further down.
A quick naming note: on most keyboards the “Win” or “Windows” key is what Unity calls the Super key. The two terms are used interchangeably below and across most Unity documentation.
Manage Windows and Workspaces Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
| Expo mode, expands all workspaces into a single view | Super + S |
| Minimize all windows to show the desktop (press again to restore) | Super + D |
| Spread view of all windows across all workspaces | Super + W |
| Expo mode for windows in the current workspace only | Shift + Alt + Up Arrow |
| Change to the workspace on the left | Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow |
| Change to the workspace on the right | Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow |
| Change to the workspace above | Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow |
| Change to the workspace below | Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow |
| Move the current window to the workspace on the left | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Left Arrow |
| Move the current window to the workspace on the right | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Right Arrow |
| Move the current window to the workspace above | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Up Arrow |
| Move the current window to the workspace below | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Down Arrow |
| Switch between open applications | Alt + Tab |
| Switch between windows of the same application | Alt + ` (backtick, the key above Tab) |
| Close the current window | Alt + F4 |
| Restore or unmaximize the current window | Alt + F5 |
| Move the current window (then use arrow keys) | Alt + F7 |
| Resize the current window (then use arrow keys) | Alt + F8 |
| Minimize the current window | Alt + F9 |
| Maximize the current window | Alt + F10 |
| Open the window’s accessibility/window-manager menu | Alt + Space |
Arrange Windows (Grid Snap) Shortcuts
This category is easy to miss because it isn’t in the default Keyboard Shortcuts settings panel, but it is one of the most useful parts of Unity’s window manager, letting you snap a window to a specific zone of the screen using the numeric keypad as a directional grid (5 is center, so 1-9 map roughly to a 3×3 layout with 5 in the middle).
| Action | Shortcut |
| Place the window in the screen zone matching the numpad key (1-9) | Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 1-9 |
| Center the current window | Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 5 |
| Maximize the current window | Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 0 |
Dash Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
| Open the Dash with focus on the search box | Tap Super |
| Launch the selected item | Enter |
| Open the Dash’s Find Files lens | Super + F |
| Open the Dash’s Applications lens | Super + A |
| Open the Dash for entering commands directly | Alt + F2 |
Launcher Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
| Hold to place keyboard focus on the Launcher | Hold Super |
| Launch the application in the 1st-9th Launcher position | Super + 1…9 |
| Launch a new instance of the application in the 1st-9th position | Shift + Super + 1…9 |
| Open the Launcher with keyboard focus (arrow keys to navigate, Enter to launch) | Alt + F1 |
HUD (Head-Up Display) Shortcuts
The HUD is Unity’s most distinctive feature and it’s the one category most other Unity shortcut lists skip entirely. Instead of clicking through an app’s menu bar, you tap Alt and start typing the name of the menu command you want.
| Action | Shortcut |
| Open the HUD and search the focused app’s menu commands | Tap Alt |
| Close the HUD without selecting anything | Esc |
Other Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
| Open the first item in the focused app’s menu bar | F10 |
| Launch a terminal | Ctrl + Alt + T |
| Open the Trash | Super + T |
| Lock the screen | Ctrl + Alt + L |
| Take a screenshot of the entire screen | Print Screen |
| Take a screenshot of the current window only | Alt + Print Screen |
How to Customize or Add Your Own Shortcut
- Open System Settings, either from the top-right power icon menu or by pressing Alt + F2 and typing gnome-control-center.
- Click Keyboard, then open the Shortcuts tab. You’ll see the current bindings grouped into categories like Launchers, Navigation, and Windows.
- To change an existing shortcut, click its current key combination in the list. The row will switch to “New shortcut,” then press the key combination you want to assign.
- To disable a shortcut entirely, click it and press Backspace. It will show a “Disabled” status.
- To add a brand new custom shortcut, for example, launching System Settings with Ctrl + Alt + C, click Add at the bottom of the dialog, give it a name, enter the command path (such as /usr/bin/gnome-control-center), then select the new entry and press the key combination to bind it.
Download Unity Desktop Shortcuts PDF
Unity Desktop Shortcuts FAQ
What is the Super key on Unity?
Super is Unity’s name for the key most keyboards label with the Windows logo, positioned between Ctrl and Alt on the bottom row. Tapping it opens the Dash; holding it reveals numbered overlays on the Launcher icons.
How do I open the HUD in Unity?
Tap the Alt key once (don’t hold it) while an application window is focused, then start typing the name of the menu command you’re looking for.
Is Unity Desktop still supported?
No. Canonical discontinued Unity starting with Ubuntu 17.10 in October 2017 and moved Ubuntu back to GNOME Shell as the default desktop. Older LTS releases that included Unity have also since reached end of life.
What replaced Unity Desktop?
GNOME Shell is Ubuntu’s default desktop since 17.10. Other users who preferred Unity’s layout have moved to GNOME extensions that mimic it, or to alternative desktop environments like MATE or Cinnamon.
How do I switch workspaces in Unity without a mouse?
Use Ctrl + Alt + Arrow keys to move between workspaces, or Super + S for Expo mode, which shows every workspace at once so you can click into the one you want.
Can I get a printable version of these shortcuts?
Yes, a downloadable PDF cheat sheet covering every category above is linked at the top of this guide.
Conclusion
Unity may no longer be Ubuntu’s default desktop, but if you’re still running it, whether on a legacy machine, a VM, or simply out of preference, these shortcuts are the fastest way to work without reaching for the mouse. The Dash and Launcher combos handle day-to-day app switching, the workspace and grid-snap shortcuts make multitasking across screens painless, and the HUD remains one of the more underrated ideas in desktop Linux history, letting you search any menu command instead of hunting through it.
READ NEXT:
