Windsurf Keyboard Shortcuts: From AI Features to Code Navigation
A complete guide to keyboard shortcuts for Windsurf, the AI-first code editor by Codeium. Covers AI features, workflows, code navigation, and multi-file operations.
Posted at: 2026.8.25
Windsurf is an AI-first code editor developed by Codeium. While it provides the familiar feel of VS Code, it stands out with its unique AI capabilities (Cascade) and autonomous workflows.
Because most standard editor shortcuts are identical to those in Visual Studio Code, existing VS Code users can transition seamlessly.
Memorize and Code at Lightning Speed! Convenient Shortcuts for Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code has now become a standard development editor. We've put together a collection of convenient shortcuts that, once memorized, will enable you to code at lightning speed.
AI Commands & Operations
Windsurf's signature AI features are built to accelerate your day-to-day coding, making these shortcuts essential to learn first.
In particular, the inline AI chat (Ctrl/Cmd + I), quick commands (Ctrl/Cmd + K), and AI code completion let you prompt the AI directly from the editor without losing your place. Mastering these will significantly reduce your reliance on the mouse.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open the inline AI chat interface (Windows/Linux) | CtrlI |
| Open the inline AI chat interface (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)I |
| Trigger quick AI command for selection (Windows/Linux) | CtrlK |
| Trigger quick AI command for selection (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)K |
| Open codebase-wide AI chat session (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftI |
| Open codebase-wide AI chat session (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)I |
| Toggle or trigger AI code completion | AltC |
| Trigger AI quick actions and instant fixes (Windows/Linux) | Ctrl. |
| Trigger AI quick actions and instant fixes (Mac) | Cmd (⌘). |
| Accept the active AI code suggestion | Tab |
Workflows
These shortcuts help you manage workflows powered by Cascade, Windsurf's autonomous AI agent.
While you can create, run, restart, and inspect workflow history with a mouse, using shortcuts eliminates repetitive cursor movement and keeps you in your flow.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Define and create a new autonomous AI workflow (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftW |
| Define and create a new autonomous AI workflow (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)W |
| Execute the defined AI workflow (Windows/Linux) | CtrlR |
| Execute the defined AI workflow (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)R |
| Repeat the last executed AI workflow (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftR |
| Repeat the last executed AI workflow (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)R |
| Show the history log of executed workflows (Windows/Linux) | CtrlAltW |
| Show the history log of executed workflows (Mac) | AltCmd (⌘)W |
| Refresh the active workflow progress | F5 |
| Force stop and restart the current workflow (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftF5 |
| Force stop and restart the current workflow (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)F5 |
Code Navigation
These shortcuts cover essential navigation tasks, including file search, the command palette, symbol search, line jumps, and jumping to definitions.
While most match VS Code defaults, opening the command palette (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + P) is the fastest way to access any command or setting instantly.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Quickly search and open workspace files by name (Windows/Linux) | CtrlP |
| Quickly search and open workspace files by name (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)P |
| Open command palette to search and run any command (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftP |
| Open command palette to search and run any command (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)P |
| Search symbols globally across workspace (Windows/Linux) | CtrlT |
| Search symbols globally across workspace (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)T |
| Jump directly to a specific line number (Windows/Linux) | CtrlG |
| Jump directly to a specific line number (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)G |
| Go to the original definition of the symbol | F12 |
| Go to the actual implementation of the symbol (Windows/Linux) | CtrlF12 |
| Go to the actual implementation of the symbol (Mac) | Cmd (⌘)F12 |
Multi-File Operations
These shortcuts handle workspace-wide operations across multiple files.
Much of this section overlaps with standard VS Code keybindings, but knowing the shortcuts for workspace refactoring and global symbol renaming will keep your edits fast and precise.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Trigger AI-driven refactoring across multiple workspace files (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftA |
| Trigger AI-driven refactoring across multiple workspace files (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)A |
| Search and replace text across all workspace files (Windows/Linux) | CtrlAltF |
| Search and replace text across all workspace files (Mac) | AltCmd (⌘)F |
| Organize and optimize imports globally across the workspace (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftO |
| Organize and optimize imports globally across the workspace (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)O |
| Globally rename symbol across all referencing files (Windows/Linux) | CtrlAltR |
| Globally rename symbol across all referencing files (Mac) | AltCmd (⌘)R |
| Duplicate or replicate resources/content across different files (Windows/Linux) | CtrlShiftD |
| Duplicate or replicate resources/content across different files (Mac) | ShiftCmd (⌘)D |