Keyboard shortcuts¶

Everything in Orbit works without the mouse. This page lists every key, grouped by where you use it. The behavior behind the keys is explained in the User guide.

Opening Orbit¶

Key	Action
⌥ Space (default)	Opens the panel from anywhere; pressed again while the panel has the keyboard, closes it. Change or remove it in Settings → General.

The panel¶

These keys work wherever the keyboard is in the panel.

Key	Action
Escape	Closes a Quick Look preview first; otherwise stops a running answer; otherwise closes the panel.
⌘N	New chat: back to search mode with an empty chat (also closes a parked chat).
⌘W	Hides the panel.
⌘,	Opens Settings.
⌘H	Hides Orbit (the panel closes).
⌘Q	Quits Orbit.
⌘X, ⌘C, ⌘V, ⌘A, ⌘Z, ⇧⌘Z	Cut, copy, paste, select all, undo and redo in the input field.

Instant search¶

While you type a search (the keyboard stays in the input field):

Key	Action
↑ / ↓	Move the highlight between Ask Orbit and the results (wraps around). VoiceOver reads the highlighted row.
Return	Opens the highlighted result, or, while Ask Orbit is highlighted, asks Orbit.
⌘Return	Always asks Orbit, whichever row is highlighted.
⌘1 to ⌘9	Open the first to ninth result directly.
↑ in the empty input	Brings back a parked chat ("Continue chat").
⌫ in the empty input	Removes the last context chip.

Chat¶

Key	Action
Return	Sends the message (or a follow-up).
⌘Return	Sends typed text. With an empty input, runs or reveals a waiting confirmation card (see Confirmation cards).
Escape	Stops the running answer; otherwise closes the panel.
⌘N	New chat (same as the new-chat button next to the input).
Page Up / Page Down	Scroll the chat by a page.
Home / End, ⌘↑ / ⌘↓	Scroll to the top or the bottom of the chat.
Tab / Shift-Tab	Move the keyboard from the input to the latest result card.
⌫ in the empty input	Removes the last context chip.

Result cards¶

General keys on every card the keyboard can reach (files, mail, notes, events, reminders, photos and the buttons of email drafts and replies, not contact cards):

Key	Action
Tab (in the input)	Moves to the latest card.
Tab / Shift-Tab (on a card)	Next or previous card; past the last or first card, back to the input.
↑ / ↓	Select the next or previous row; folded rows unfold.
Return	Opens the selected row.
Escape	As anywhere in the panel: stops a running answer, otherwise closes the panel. (Tab and Shift-Tab lead back to the input.)

Per card type:

Card	Keys
Files	↑/↓ select · Return opens (apps, scripts and similar files are shown in Finder instead) · Space shows or hides Quick Look · ⇧⌘R Show in Finder · ⌥⌘C Copy Path
Mail	↑/↓ select a message · Return opens it in Mail
Email draft / reply	↑/↓ or ←/→ select Copy Text or Show in Mail · Return or Space presses it
Notes	↑/↓ select a note · Return opens it in Notes
Events	↑/↓ select · Return shows the event in Calendar
Reminders	↑/↓ select · Return shows the reminder in Reminders
Photos	←/→ select a tile · ↑/↓ move by a row · Return shows the photo in Photos · Space does nothing (there is no Quick Look for photos)

Quick Look¶

The preview of a file card (open it with Space on a selected row):

Key	Action
Space (on the card)	Shows or hides the preview of the selected file.
↑ / ↓ (on the card or in the preview)	Select another file; the preview follows.
Escape	Closes the preview (before anything else Escape does).

Confirmation cards¶

Key	Action
⌘Return (empty input, card in view)	Runs the action with the values on the card.
⌘Return (empty input, card out of view)	Scrolls the card into view and puts the keyboard in its first editable field; the next ⌘Return runs it.
⌘Return (text in the input)	Sends the text; never runs the card.
⌘.	Cancels the action.
Tab / Shift-Tab (in the card)	Move between the card's editable fields.

⌘Return never runs a card you cannot see. Once a card is decided, the keyboard returns to the input.

Notices¶

Key	Action
⌘R	Try Again on the latest notice (sends the same request again).
⌘N	Starts a new chat. After a "conversation too long" notice, the new chat starts with that request already in the input.

Settings¶

Key	Action
⌘1 to ⌘5	Switch to General, Model, Tools, Permissions or Privacy.
⌘W	Closes the Settings window.
Esc (while recording a shortcut)	Cancels the recording.
⌫ (while recording a shortcut)	Removes the shortcut.

Setup window¶

Key	Action
Return	Presses the step's main button (Get Started, Continue, Allow…, Done). On the Language Model step only while it shows no text field (that is, for the Claude subscription).
Escape	Skips: Later on the Welcome step, Skip on a permission step.
⌘W	Closes the setup; this counts as finished.

Key	Action
⌃F8	macOS's "Move focus to status menus"; then move to Orbit's icon with the arrow keys and press Return to open its menu.
⌘, / ⌘Q	Settings… / Quit Orbit, while the menu is open.

Keyboard layouts¶

⌘1 to ⌘9 in the panel and ⌘1 to ⌘5 in Settings work on every keyboard layout. Where the number row types other characters without Shift (French and Belgian AZERTY, Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian and others), ⌘ (or ⇧⌘) with the number-row keys does the same: on a French keyboard, ⌘ with the keys labeled 1, 2 and 3 (which type &, é and ") opens the first, second and third result.

Full Keyboard Access¶

With Full Keyboard Access on (System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard navigation), Tab also reaches every button, switch and menu: the notices' buttons, the Settings tab bar and controls, the setup window's controls and a code block's Copy Code button. Without it, ⌘1 to ⌘5 still switch the Settings tabs. Links inside an answer are reached with VoiceOver's Links rotor, not with Tab (see Accessibility).