How to open the command menu in Linear on Mac with the ⌘K shortcut

The short answer for Linear on Mac

Here is the full routine. Open the Linear desktop app, select one or more issues, then press Command and K together. The command menu opens, and the actions it shows apply to the issues you selected. Linear's documentation says this in plain terms: once an issue or set of issues is selected, use Cmd or Ctrl K to open the command bar. On a Mac, the shortcut is Cmd K, which is the ⌘K you see in menus and guides.

Select a single issue or a range first

The docs only describe the shortcut after a selection, so treat the selection as the first step every time. Linear gives two ways to select a single issue. You can highlight the issue and press X, or you can Shift+click it. Both routes leave the issue selected for the shortcut that follows.

To extend a range, hold Shift after selecting the first issue, then use the up and down arrow keys. Press Esc when you want to clear the selection and start again. Range selection helps with batch work, but it has a trap, covered in the note below.

Search inside the command menu

Linear's changelog for 3 Sep 2026 says the command menu now uses fuzzy search. Type a few letters from the action you want, and the list narrows. You do not need the exact wording. This helps when you cannot remember the full name of an action.

The same changelog says the desktop app now uses Cmd N to choose what to create, based on the view you are in. Native creation commands now include documents. So the same shortcut can make different things in different views, which is worth checking before you press it on a new screen.

Right-click as a backup route

If the shortcut keeps failing, right-click the selected issue. Linear's docs say a right-click anywhere on the selected issue or issues opens a contextual menu with a list of available actions. It is not the same panel as the command menu. It offers similar kinds of actions, so you can often finish the same task from it.

Desktop app or browser on a Mac

Linear's download notes list the desktop app for macOS on both Intel and Apple Silicon. The desktop app also runs on Windows. Linux is not supported, and Linear says a Linux app is not on the roadmap for now, so Linux users use the browser version. On a Mac, the desktop app also brings OS notifications, unread counts in the Dock, and tabs. It installs updates automatically in the background.

Which Macs and macOS versions work

The desktop app runs on Intel Macs and on Apple Silicon Macs. Linear's download page does not state a minimum macOS version. The notes I checked do not give one either, so check the download page before you install. If you are on an older Mac, that check matters most.

What the Mac keyboard symbols mean

Linear writes shortcuts with Mac symbols. Apple's Mac keyboard guide names the modifier keys: Command (⌘), Option (⌥), Control (⌃), and Shift (⇧). Windows and Linux use Ctrl where Mac uses ⌘, so Ctrl K is the same action on those systems. Option is also called Alt on Windows keyboards.

When ⌘K does nothing on Mac

Most failed attempts come from a few causes. There may be no selection, the focus may sit in a text field, or the browser may claim the key first. Apple's guide shows that Command K means different things in different apps. In one context it adds a web link. In Finder, it connects to a server. So the same two keys can do different jobs depending on where your cursor sits.

Quick checks before you retry

• Confirm the issue is highlighted or Shift+clicked, not just under your pointer.
• Click the issue list, not a title or comment box, so focus leaves the text field.
• Press Esc, then select the issue again if an old selection may be in the way.
• Check that you are holding Command, not Control.
• Switch to the desktop app if the browser keeps taking the shortcut.

Ask Lazur where the command menu is

Lazur helps when you would rather ask than hunt. Hold Option and Command together, then ask out loud. Ask where the command menu is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. Lazur does not press keys or click for you. You still do the work, while Lazur points the way. The Linear setup is covered on Lazur for Linear on Mac.

Mistakes that waste time

A few habits cause most of the wasted time with this shortcut. Each one is easy to fix once you spot it.

• Pressing ⌘K before selecting anything, then guessing which issue the menu will use.
• Leaving an old selection active and acting on issues you did not mean to touch.
• Typing in a comment or description box, where Apple's text editing shortcuts use ⌘K to add a web link.
• Pressing Control K by mistake on a Mac. Ctrl K is the Windows and Linux shortcut.

Build the habit in one short session

Open a filtered list. Select one issue with X, open the command menu with ⌘K, then press Esc. Repeat with a range, using Shift and the arrow keys. Then type a few letters of an action name and watch the fuzzy search narrow the list. Short practice runs are easier to repeat than a long read through a shortcut list.

What the research did not confirm

The research behind this page did not find Linear's official keyboard shortcut page, because the URL returned a 404 during research. It also did not find a Mac menu bar path for the command menu, a minimum macOS version, or a current desktop app version number. This page does not fill those gaps with guesses. If you need them, check Linear's download page or ask Linear's support team.

Where to go next

If you manage product work in Linear, Linear for product managers on Mac covers board shortcuts, templates and plan limits. If you run triage, Linear for software QA testers on Mac covers triage, templates and shortcuts with Lazur. Start with one issue and one shortcut, then add the rest.