What Xcode keyboard shortcuts do you use regularly?

Question

I am a huge believer in using the keyboard as much as possible (its much faster that way), and I was hoping others could share some of the Xcode shortcuts they use.

I put together a PDF of popular keyboard shortcuts: http://iphonedev.tv/blog/2014/9/25/14-xcode-keyboard-shortcuts-cheat-sheet-pdf — Paul Solt, Sep 26 '14 at 05:08
I am surprised that none of the answers include [ctrl+6] for searching method or mark in the current file. — Yogesh Maheshwari, Mar 02 '15 at 19:42
Eurgh it annoys me so much how useful threads get closed by the SO police... — Phil Hudson, Apr 02 '16 at 04:10
For Xcode 9.3, go to answer given by Rein rPavi for all keyboard shortcuts. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2828262/is-there-a-go-to-file-in-xcode — Rein rPavi, Apr 09 '18 at 06:41
See Link by [Apple](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/xcode_help-command_shortcuts/MenuCommands/MenuCommands014.html) itself. My favorites are `Command-Shift-F` = Find in Workspace & `Command-Option-C` which will open the changes I've made & with less significance `Command-"` = Jump to Previous Issue, . Also note you can go and switch/change shortcuts. 99% of all operations can be configured to the shortcut you like. You can **replace/change** existing shortcuts to something else. Just go to Xcode >> behaviors >> key bindings — mfaani, Nov 30 '18 at 14:18

score 253 · Answer 1 · edited Feb 08 '17 at 14:33

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I find the shortcuts to open & close various areas of the screen must useful.

shortcuts

edited Feb 08 '17 at 14:33

Community

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answered Nov 29 '11 at 12:15

Robert

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Searched for this image in third time, finally saved, it's great. Always forget filters. – DanSkeel Nov 29 '12 at 17:31
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@DanSkeel Thank you. Quick note on the navigator filter - I used to frequently use cmd-option-j to filter then navigate to source files. However now I find the open quickly command better (cmd-shift-O , type a few chars, return) – Robert Nov 30 '12 at 12:45
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If you want to focus on search field of `Search Navigator` you can press `Command + 3` and then hit `Command + Option + j` – DanSkeel Jun 02 '13 at 09:58
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A nice addition would be `^(1-6)` for the UI elements above the main editing area. You can easily navigate to `Recent Files`, `Callers`, and the `Method list`. Note that you can start typing after any one of those. (**Very** useful with `Control-6`.) – funroll Jun 05 '13 at 15:51
Does anyone know how to assign multiple Shortcuts to one action in the Xcode preferences? Some actions are pre-defined with multiple shortcuts, but I couldn't figure out how to, e.g. assign both PageUp and the default one for "Switch to next Counterpart". – Raffael Aug 08 '13 at 19:43
@runroll that's very useful, thanks! I And noting that you can type into those is great. It's not clear from any UI indications that typing works, but it does. #noComplaints – Dan Rosenstark Apr 15 '16 at 17:14
What button is used to access the main editor? I can see that a key is cmmd, I don't know what the other is. I tried shift,option, arrows, enter, delete. Still not sure... – mfaani Oct 29 '16 at 22:18
@Honey - ⏎ is the return key. cmd-enter will get rid of any split view and just show the main editor. – Robert Oct 31 '16 at 12:44
@Robert correct. Yet it won't bring the cursor the maid editor. How can I do that? – mfaani Oct 31 '16 at 12:49
Nobody mention cmd + ctrl + left/right arrow. its navigating forward and backward – Ccr Nov 18 '16 at 06:58
After I hit `cmmd + 0` I want to just use the arrow keys to go up and down from the current selected file....is there anyway to do that? – mfaani Aug 08 '17 at 18:50

score 138 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 13 '14 at 00:34

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Cmd + Shift + o opens the "Open quickly" dialog, where you can quickly find and open files that contain the text you enter.

edited Mar 13 '14 at 00:34

mrgrieves

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answered Sep 21 '09 at 11:52

Ludvig A. Norin

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Changed to Cmd-Shift+o in Xcode 4 – quantumpotato Mar 15 '11 at 18:01
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Changed to CTRL-i in Xcode 4.5 – Seunghoon Oct 20 '12 at 20:34
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Still Cmd-Shift+o in my Xcode 4.5.2 – jake_hetfield Nov 23 '12 at 11:37
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Appears to be CMD-Shift-o in Xcode 5 also. – livingtech Oct 08 '13 at 19:51
this works on AppCode too. Also, you can do this in Atom, but you need this in your keymap file ` 'shift-cmd-o': 'fuzzy-finder:toggle-file-finder' ` – Dan Rosenstark Apr 15 '16 at 17:18
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Best shortcut of XCode period – Vladimir Amiorkov Nov 22 '16 at 13:27

score 61 · Answer 3 · edited May 26 '16 at 13:10

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Updated for newer versions:

Control + Command + ↑

Switches between corresponding .h / .m files or as Apple's own documentation, it means Jump to Counterpart

edited May 26 '16 at 13:10

mfaani

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answered Sep 09 '09 at 22:05

Darren

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If you're on a .m file, it switches to the corresponding .h file, and vice versa. – John Douthat May 27 '12 at 19:46
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It's Control+Cmd+Up/Down on my version of Xcode (4.5.2) – jake_hetfield Nov 23 '12 at 11:41
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It's Control+CMD+Up/Down on Xcode 5.1 – Faizan S. Apr 08 '14 at 20:45
In Apple keyboard Control key called as Option. – ADJ May 21 '14 at 04:21
Not a keyboard shortcut, but you can do the same with a three finger up/down gesture if you hava a trackpad. – gklka Mar 12 '15 at 16:59
too boring, I create my own shourcut with ctrl+tab, eclipse like: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/476953/xcode-delete-line-hot-key/26670057#26670057 – Luca Davanzo Mar 27 '15 at 11:15
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@ArunPratap not correct. Option is option or alt, control is control – ff10 Mar 21 '16 at 16:45
ctrl + cmd + rightArrow / leftArrow.. navigates to where you were before. Its among the most beautiful shortcuts. – Ccr Apr 25 '17 at 11:29

score 47 · Answer 4 · edited Jul 17 '16 at 10:01

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command + shift + j

Reveals the current file in the project navigator. Very useful if you use command + control + J to jump to a definition as Xcode won't automatically reveal the containing file in the navigator.

edited Jul 17 '16 at 10:01

Supun Wijerathne

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answered Apr 08 '12 at 11:21

Andy

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love it! is super useful! – Luca Davanzo Mar 27 '15 at 11:17

score 42 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 18:02

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command /

Comment out the current line, or multiple lines if they're highlighted.

Comes in handy for quick commenting and uncommenting while experimenting with code.

answered Nov 29 '11 at 18:02

Sanjay Chaudhry

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cmd + control + / too – evanhutomo May 04 '14 at 23:39
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Except uncomment doesn't bloody work half of the time..... – cacau May 20 '14 at 09:11
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Uncommenting only does not work when your selection contains one or more lines that are not already commented. – DarkByte Jun 19 '14 at 08:03

score 27 · Answer 6 · edited Sep 11 '11 at 09:22

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Re-indent. It's in Edit > Format > Re-Indent and there's no shortcut by default (I use Command + Shift + L). It's a godsend.

edited Sep 11 '11 at 09:22

Jasper

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answered Sep 09 '09 at 22:16

jbrennan

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There's also "Indent Selection", Control I. – Darren Sep 09 '09 at 22:36
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There is a default keyboard shortcut added now (Xcode 4) for Re-Indent. Use Control + I. And the item has been moved under Editor -> Structure -> Re-Indent. – sElanthiraiyan Oct 09 '12 at 09:19
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Also highlight some code, and press `Command` + `[` or `]` to indent your selection. – Matej Apr 14 '13 at 16:49
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Minor clarification, it's "Control + letter i" I got crazy trying to use | lol – Gaston Morixe Jul 14 '15 at 01:57
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Happy News, I have developed a xCode plugin which Indent the source file when saving :-) https://github.com/ThilinaHewagama/AutoIndentWithSave – Thilina Chamath Hewagama Sep 15 '15 at 09:37

score 25 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:55

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command F Search in the File

option command F Search & Replace in the File

shift command F Search in the whole project

shift option command F Search & Replace in the whole project

Notice the pattern for easy memorizing.

answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:55

Sanjay Chaudhry

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After Search in Project, once the results are in the Navigator, how can you iterate through them without having to use the mouse? (I hate having to click on each result) – tothemario May 02 '14 at 22:33
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Additionally, you can use Cmd + E to put the current selection in find (in file), and Cmd + G to select/jump to the next occurrence (Cmd + Shift + G moves backwards). Works great for quick replaces too (Alternating Cmd + G and Cmd + V). Personally I also mapped Cmd + Option + E to find selection in project, for consistency with the above. – Patrick Pijnappel Apr 11 '15 at 06:50
@tothemario You can hit command-option-G to move to each project-level search result. shift-command-option-G will move back through each result. – Canucklesandwich Apr 07 '17 at 19:46
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@tothemario currently it's `Cmmd + Control + G` for next & `Cmmd + Control + Shift + G` for previous. If you want the key combination then go to Preferences >> Key Bindings >> search for 'Find Next in Workspace' & Find Previous in Workspace' – mfaani Feb 18 '19 at 22:04

score 20 · Answer 8 · edited Sep 11 '11 at 09:23

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Ctrl + Command + ↑ - Switch between header and implementation files.

edited Sep 11 '11 at 09:23

Jasper

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answered May 22 '11 at 03:52

BlackTigerX

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You're making me cry!!! I didn't know that existed! – Jordan Medlock Nov 01 '13 at 23:53

score 14 · Answer 9 · answered May 08 '12 at 03:13

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Command + J (Move focus to any section of the editor)

answered May 08 '12 at 03:13

Jian

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What does this actually help us with? – Esqarrouth Apr 08 '16 at 15:01
@Esqarrouth This shortcut can move the cursor from the assistant editor to the main editor, for example. – p-sun Nov 27 '17 at 02:42

Sanjay Chaudhry · Answer 10 · 2011-11-29T17:38:53.480

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Control + Command + j

Highlight a keyword (method name) and jump to its definition. Also works for variables, #defines, etc.

edited Nov 29 '11 at 17:38

answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:23

Sanjay Chaudhry

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Cmd + click on the symbol also works the same way. – Rakesh Jun 25 '13 at 15:27
Add Option to the above shortcut to open the definition in your assistant editor. – yood Jun 30 '14 at 14:14

score 7 · Answer 11 · answered May 25 '11 at 07:44

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Some of my favorite shortcuts are not keyboard shortcuts at all, but multitouch gestures. All Macbooks from early 2008 onward, and I would imagine desktops with a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, support three-finger-swipe up and down to switch between the header and implementation, and three-finger-swipe left and right to navigate within the file history.

answered May 25 '11 at 07:44

Jeffrey Wear

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This doesnt work on my 2013 iMac with magic mouse, FYI, would be nice though! – Wesley Smith May 22 '14 at 08:34
I use 3 finger left and right, but having up and down is perfect. Thanks. – Michael Ozeryansky Mar 03 '15 at 04:01

score 7 · Answer 12 · edited Feb 25 '13 at 15:33

7

Command + Shift + Y for the console.

edited Feb 25 '13 at 15:33

Arkku

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answered Mar 20 '12 at 07:50

Fabiano Francesconi

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I think you mean Command-Shift-Y. That's what it is in Xcode 4.4.1. – arlomedia Sep 02 '12 at 20:27
Yes, totally. Maybe it was Control back in Xcode 3 but it may also by a typo I made :) – Fabiano Francesconi Sep 03 '12 at 07:40
@arlomedia Using the shortcut *only* opens the console, but doesn't move your cursor to there. Is there anyway that I can make the cursor move up to there? – mfaani Nov 09 '16 at 19:21
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@Honey command+Shift+C – Hai Feng Kao Jan 03 '17 at 12:20
@HaiFengKao thank you so much – mfaani Nov 27 '18 at 19:18

score 6 · Answer 13 · answered May 21 '10 at 02:29

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I find a cheat sheet next to the computer is the best way to pick up useful shortcuts. Cocoa Samurai has a good one.

answered May 21 '10 at 02:29

Jonathan Moffatt

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score 4 · Answer 14 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

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Key Bindings to XCode Actions

Create your own keyboard shortcuts using the Text Key Bindings tab of the Key Bindings preference pane. A time-saver all its own. Just lookup your favourite actions and add/edit shortcuts!

Another thread you may find useful is here.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

Community

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answered Dec 06 '09 at 19:18

Old McStopher

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score 3 · Answer 15 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:52

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Just the basic emacs navigation. Feels so right.

answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:52

tommyo

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score 1 · Answer 16 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:59

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I cannot live without three finger vertical swipe to switch between interface and implementation file. If you miss that in xcode-4/Lion, make sure to follow the following instructions:

http://geeksinkilts.com/?p=67

answered Nov 29 '11 at 17:59

Sanjay Chaudhry

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alternatively, (for those looking for a keyboard shortcut) ctrl+cmd+up toggles between them, too – Ian Dundas Sep 14 '15 at 14:03
Yeah, and much less of a hassle - wonder why you would want to move your hand to the trackpad when it's just a keyboard shortcut away..?? – ATV May 06 '16 at 04:59
If your hand is already on the trackpad, it's a nice option to have. – Sanjay Chaudhry May 09 '16 at 20:06

What Xcode keyboard shortcuts do you use regularly?

16 Answers16

Key Bindings to XCode Actions