Windows Terminal Cheat Sheet

One app for PowerShell, cmd, WSL, Git Bash and SSH with tabs and split panes. These are the default keybindings; change them under Settings → Actions.

43 entries
8 sections
Updated 1 Oct 2026
Click a command to see all its options

F

43 entries

On this page

Tabs & Windows #

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl + Shift + T`	New tab (default profile)
`Ctrl + Shift + 1…9`	New tab with profile 1…9
`Ctrl + Shift + Space`	Open the new-tab dropdown
`Ctrl + Shift + D`	Duplicate the current tab
`Ctrl + Shift + N`	New window
`Ctrl + Tab` / `Ctrl + Shift + Tab`	Next / previous tab
`Ctrl + Alt + 1…9`	Go to tab 1…9
`Ctrl + Shift + W`	Close pane (closes the tab if it is the last pane)
Win + `	Quake mode (drop-down terminal from the top)

Split Panes #

Shortcut	Action
`Alt + Shift + +`	Split: new pane to the right
`Alt + Shift + -`	Split: new pane below
`Alt + Shift + D`	Split with the same profile (picks the direction automatically)
`Alt + ←/→/↑/↓`	Move focus between panes
`Alt + Shift + ←/→/↑/↓`	Resize the pane
`Ctrl + Shift + W`	Close the pane

Copy, Paste & Search #

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl + C`	Copy (when text is selected; otherwise it stops the command)
`Ctrl + V` / `Ctrl + Shift + V`	Paste
`Ctrl + Shift + C`	Copy
`Ctrl + Shift + F`	Find in output
`Shift + drag`	Extend the selection
`Alt + drag`	Block (rectangle) selection

View #

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl + =` / `Ctrl + -`	Zoom in / out
`Ctrl + 0`	Reset zoom
`F11` or `Alt + Enter`	Full screen
`Ctrl + Shift + ↑/↓`	Scroll one line
`Ctrl + Shift + PgUp/PgDn`	Scroll one page
`Ctrl + Shift + Home/End`	Scroll to the top / bottom

Settings & Commands #

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl + Shift + P`	Command palette (search every action)
`Ctrl + ,`	Open Settings
`Ctrl + Shift + ,`	Open `settings.json`
`Ctrl + Alt + ,`	Open `defaults.json` (read-only reference)

Command Line (`wt`) #

Command	Action
	Open Windows Terminal
	Open in the current folder
	Open with a specific profile
	New tab in the current window
	Open with two panes, one above the other
	PowerShell and Ubuntu side by side

Handy Settings #

Setting	Where
Default profile	Settings → Startup → Default profile
Make it the default terminal app	Settings → Startup → Default terminal application
Starting folder	Profile → General → Starting directory
Font / color scheme	Profile → Appearance
Open as admin	Profile → General → Run this profile as Administrator
Copy on select	Settings → Interaction → Automatically copy selection

Tips #

Right-click a folder in Explorer → Open in Terminal.
Hold Ctrl while clicking a profile in the dropdown to open it as administrator.
Cascadia Code and Cascadia Mono are good terminal fonts with ligatures.