i3 keyboard shortcuts

Official i3 keyboard shortcuts guide

All i3 keyboard shortcuts start with configurable "Mod" key, which is Alt by default, but many people change it to Win/Cmd.

Anywhere you can use arrow keys, you can also use right "home row":

• J = Left
• K = Down
• L = Up
• ; = Right

Opening and closing

• Open terminal: Mod + Enter
• Application launcher: Mod + D
• Kill window: Mod + Shift + Q

Moving around

• Switch workspace: Mod + 0-9
• Next or previous workspace: No default shortcuts
• Move between windows: Mod + Left/Down/Up/Right

Fullscreen

• Toggle fullscreen mode: Mod + F

Tip: fullscreen mode applies only to the current workspace. You can switch to other workspaces and back.

Moving windows

• Send window to workspace: Mod + Shift + 0-9
• Move window around: Mod + Shift + Left/Down/Up/Right

Resizing

• Toggle "resize" mode: Mod + R

In resize mode:

• Decrease/increase width: Left/Right
• Decrease/increase height: Down/Up

Tip: all windows in a workspace must occupy whole screen. If you only have one window, you can't resize it. The only exception are floating windows, which can be anywhere on the screen.

Layouts

• Arrange windows as tabs: Mod + W
• Arrange windows as a stack: Mod + S
• Arrange windows vertically/horizontally: Mod + E
• Toggle between horizontal and vertical layouts: Mod + E

New windows open in the current horizontal/vertical direction.

• Make next window open "horizontally", to the right: Mod + H
• Make next window open "vertically", below: Mod + V

Floating

• Float current window: Mod + Shift + Space

A workspace consists of two layers: "laid out" windows in the back and "floating" windows on top of them.

• Switch between "laid out" and "floating" layers: Mod + Space
• Previous/next floating window: Mod + Left/Right
• Move floating window around: Mod + Shift + Left/Down/Up/Right

Resize mode works for floating windows too:

• Toggle "resize" mode: Mod + R
• Change width and height: Left/Down/Up/Right

Maintenance

• Reload i3 configuration file: Mod + Shift + C
• Restart i3: Mod + Shift + R
• Exit i3: Mod + Shift + E

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