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GitHub for Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts for GHfW

Here's a listing of all the GHfW keyboard stuff that i can think of. Now i know them after writing this, but i figured it would be nice to have these documentated somewhere.

Rant: i dont know why people say that Windows users dont like using the keyboard for everything. That's certainly not true for me. Though, that may be the case from using Unix in college.

All screens

You can use Alt shortcuts. Hold down Alt and you'll see the underlines. Menus brought up this way have j & k navigations! Try it on the tools menu.

Main screen turn on

  • a: add new repo
  • r: refresh
  • t: tools menu
  • j: next repo down
  • k: next repo up
  • g: goes to the top and then iterates through each repo
  • <-: contracts the repos bar
  • ->: expands the repos bar

Repo screen

  • w: branches
  • t: tools
  • j: next commit down
  • k: next commit up
  • g: goes to the top and then iterates through each repo
  • <-: contracts the diffs panel
  • ->: expands the diffs panel

Alt + Left Arrow: back to the main screen

GHfW version 1.0.56.0

@TrailHacker
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Thanks so much for this. It would be great if they had a list of all possible keyboard shortcuts. Perhaps there is already one out there, but I can't find it... One thing that I can't figure out is how to give focus to the Filter Repository textbox?

Here are some others that I found over time.

Main screen

  • c or ctrl + n: create repository

Repo screen

Tip: When you open a branch and your cursor has focus is on the commit message line, press ctrl + j to jump to the last commit at the top of the list. This puts you in command mode.

  • backspace: back to main screen (same as alt + left arrow)
  • ctrl + b: branches (same as w)
  • ctrl + n: next commit down (same as j)
  • ctrl + p: next commit up (same as k)
  • shft + t: open tools menu
    • use j and k arrows to move down and up in the list
    • press esc to close it
  • \ or backtick: open shell (works on any screen)

Hope this helps! And, thanks again!

@Toshakins
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alt + s: sync repository

@gillyb
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gillyb commented Jun 11, 2014

(At least in the newest version of Github for windows - 2.0.2.0) All the shortcuts stated above also work without 'Ctrl' or 'Shift' and just by pressing the letter.

@jrsconfitto
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Wow! i had no idea there were comments here. i guess i don't get notifications for these? i'll try to update the gist with these comments.

Also, ~ will launch the git shell.

@barsh
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barsh commented Apr 24, 2017

Most of the information here is now incorrect. I've started a repo to help with keeping this information current https://github.com/barsh/github-desktop-shortcut-keys

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