Sublime Text Keyboard Shortcuts
80+ Sublime Text shortcuts for multi-cursor editing, search, and code navigation. Mac and Windows reference.
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Command Palette | |
| Go to File (Quick Open) | |
| New file | |
| Save | |
| Save As | |
| Close file | |
| Reopen last closed file | |
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Toggle sidebar | |
| Show console | |
| Full screen | |
| Distraction Free mode |
Editing
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Cut line (empty selection) | |
| Copy line (empty selection) | |
| Delete line | |
| Duplicate line/selection | |
| Move line up | |
| Move line down | |
| Insert line after | |
| Insert line before | |
| Indent line | |
| Unindent line | |
| Toggle comment | |
| Toggle block comment | |
| Join lines | |
| Uppercase | |
| Lowercase | |
| Paste and indent | |
| Transpose (swap characters) |
Selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select word / next occurrence | |
| Skip occurrence, select next | |
| Select all occurrences | |
| Select entire line | |
| Split selection into lines (multi-cursor) | |
| Select contents of brackets | |
| Expand selection to scope | |
| Add cursor at click | |
| Add cursor above | |
| Add cursor below | |
| Expand selection to tag |
Find
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Find | |
| Find and Replace | |
| Find in files | |
| Find next | |
| Find previous | |
| Find using selection | |
| Toggle regex in find | |
| Toggle case-sensitive find |
Navigation
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Go to line number | |
| Go to symbol | |
| Go to symbol in file | |
| Go to word | |
| Jump to matching bracket | |
| Previous tab | |
| Next tab | |
| Switch to tab N |
Folding
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Fold (collapse) code | |
| Unfold (expand) code | |
| Unfold all | |
| Fold all at level 1 | |
| Fold tag attributes |
View
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Single column layout | |
| Two column layout | |
| Three column layout | |
| Four column layout | |
| Grid layout (2x2) | |
| Two row layout | |
| Increase font size | |
| Decrease font size |
Bookmarks
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle bookmark | |
| Next bookmark | |
| Previous bookmark | |
| Clear all bookmarks |
Pro tips
Multi-Cursor is Sublime's Superpower
Ctrl+D selects the word under cursor, then each press selects the next occurrence. Alt+F3 selects ALL occurrences. Ctrl+Click adds cursors anywhere. This is Sublime's killer feature.
Command Palette for Everything
Ctrl+Shift+P opens the Command Palette. Type any command name - install packages, change syntax, sort lines, convert case. You almost never need to use menus.
Goto Anything is Lightning Fast
Ctrl+P opens Goto Anything. Type filename to open, add : for line number, @ for symbol, # for word. Chain them: 'app.js:42' goes to line 42 of app.js. Blazing fast navigation.
Cut/Copy Empty Selection = Line
With no selection, Ctrl+X cuts the whole line, Ctrl+C copies it. Ctrl+Shift+K deletes the line. Ctrl+Shift+D duplicates it. Line-level operations without selecting first.
Install Package Control First
Package Control is Sublime's package manager. Install it from packagecontrol.io, then use Ctrl+Shift+P → 'Install Package' to add themes, linters, snippets, and language support.
Use Projects and Workspaces
Project → Add Folder to Project to create a workspace. Save as .sublime-project. This gives you a sidebar, file indexing for Goto Anything, and project-specific settings.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sublime Text still relevant vs VS Code?
Absolutely. Sublime Text is significantly faster at startup and with large files. It uses less memory and has a more responsive feel. VS Code has more extensions, but Sublime's speed and multi-cursor editing make it the choice for developers who prioritize performance.
How do I install packages/plugins?
First install Package Control from packagecontrol.io (one-time setup). Then Ctrl+Shift+P → 'Install Package'. Search for any package - Emmet, SublimeLinter, GitGutter, Theme, etc. Packages install instantly without restarting.
How do I use Sublime Text for multiple languages?
Sublime auto-detects syntax from file extensions. Override with Ctrl+Shift+P → 'Set Syntax'. Install language packages for specialized support. Use .sublime-project files for project-specific build systems and settings.
What's the difference between Ctrl+D and Alt+F3?
Ctrl+D selects occurrences one at a time - you can skip unwanted ones with Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D. Alt+F3 selects ALL occurrences at once. Use Ctrl+D for selective editing, Alt+F3 for global rename-like operations.
How do I customize Sublime Text?
Preferences → Settings opens a split view: defaults on the left, your overrides on the right. Common settings: font_size, tab_size, translate_tabs_to_spaces, word_wrap. Key bindings work similarly - Preferences → Key Bindings.
Can Sublime Text work as a full IDE?
With packages, yes. Install LSP for language server support (autocomplete, go-to-definition, diagnostics), SublimeLinter for linting, Terminus for integrated terminal, and GitSavvy for Git. It's lighter than an IDE but equally capable.
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