GitHub Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts

Cheat sheet guide

GitHub Desktop shortcuts worth learning first

This page collects 44 searchable GitHub Desktop keyboard shortcuts across 4 categories. Start with the shortcuts for Repositories, Changes & Commits, Branches, Navigation, then print the cheat sheet once the important ones are worth keeping nearby.

Add local repositoryCtrlO
Commit to branchCtrlEnter
New branchCtrlShiftN
Go to Changes tabCtrl1
Clone repositoryCtrlShiftO
Create new repositoryCtrlN

Repositories

10 shortcuts

Add local repository

CtrlO

Ctrl+O · Cmd+O

Clone repository

CtrlShiftO

Ctrl+Shift+O · Cmd+Shift+O

Create new repository

CtrlN

Ctrl+N · Cmd+N

Switch repository

CtrlT

Ctrl+T · Cmd+T

Open in external editor

CtrlShiftA

Ctrl+Shift+A · Cmd+Shift+A

Open in terminal

—

Ctrl+`

Show in Finder / Explorer

CtrlShiftF

Ctrl+Shift+F · Cmd+Shift+F

Remove Repository from Desktop

CtrlDelete

Ctrl+Delete · Cmd+Backspace

View Repository on GitHub

CtrlShiftG

Ctrl+Shift+G · Shift+Cmd+G

Create Issue on GitHub

CtrlI

Ctrl+I · Cmd+I

Changes & Commits

6 shortcuts

Commit to branch

CtrlEnter

Ctrl+Enter · Cmd+Return

Undo commit

CtrlZ

Ctrl+Z · Cmd+Z

Stash changes

CtrlShiftS

Ctrl+Shift+S · Cmd+Shift+S

Discard changes (selected)

No default shortcut

Focus Commit Summary

CtrlG

Ctrl+G · Cmd+G

Toggle Highlighted File Selection

Space(filelist)

Space

Show or Hide Stashed Changes

CtrlH

Ctrl+H

Branches

12 shortcuts

New branch

CtrlShiftN

Ctrl+Shift+N · Cmd+Shift+N

Rename branch

CtrlShiftR

Ctrl+Shift+R · Shift+Cmd+R

Delete branch

CtrlShiftD

Ctrl+Shift+D · Cmd+Shift+D

Update from remote

CtrlShiftP

Ctrl+Shift+P · Shift+Cmd+P

Push to remote

CtrlP

Ctrl+P · Cmd+P

Fetch origin

CtrlShiftT

Ctrl+Shift+T · Cmd+Shift+T

Show Branch List

CtrlB

Ctrl+B · Cmd+B

Update from Default Branch

CtrlShiftU

Ctrl+Shift+U · Shift+Cmd+U

Compare with Existing Branch

CtrlShiftB

Ctrl+Shift+B · Shift+Cmd+B

Merge into Current Branch

CtrlShiftM

Ctrl+Shift+M · Shift+Cmd+M

Compare Branches on GitHub

CtrlShiftC

Ctrl+Shift+C · Shift+Cmd+C

View Current Pull Request

CtrlR

Ctrl+R · Cmd+R

Navigation

15 shortcuts

Go to Changes tab

Ctrl1

Ctrl+1 · Cmd+1

Go to History tab

Ctrl2

Ctrl+2 · Cmd+2

Open preferences

Ctrl,

Ctrl+, · Cmd+,

Zoom in

Ctrl=

Ctrl+= · Cmd+=

Zoom out

Ctrl-

Ctrl+- · Cmd+-

Reset zoom

Ctrl0

Ctrl+0 · Cmd+0

Hide GitHub Desktop

—

Cmd+H

Hide Other Applications

—

Opt+Cmd+H

Quit GitHub Desktop

—

Cmd+Q

Toggle Full Screen

F11

F11 · Ctrl+Cmd+F

Narrow Active Pane

Ctrl8

Ctrl+8 · Cmd+8

Widen Active Pane

Ctrl9

Ctrl+9 · Cmd+9

Toggle Developer Tools

CtrlShiftI

Ctrl+Shift+I · Opt+Cmd+I

Documentation check for this addition

20 additional actions were checked against the official documentation on 2026-11-06. Existing actions were retained. These are documentary checks, not tests in installed applications. A dash means this batch does not provide a verified binding for that system. Context such as PDF viewer, text field or address bar is part of the action.

GitHub Desktop