How to use the command palette in VS Code on Mac: steps, shortcuts and fixes

The Command Palette is the fastest way to reach any VS Code command on your Mac. You do not need to know where a command sits in the menus. You type what you want, and VS Code finds it. This guide covers the keys, the menu route, the fixes for when the shortcut fails, and how to change a shortcut you use often.

What the Command Palette does

The palette is a text box that lists commands. It opens at the top of the VS Code window. The docs describe it as access to many commands, and the list changes with what you are doing.

Think of it as a search box for VS Code itself. You type a few letters. The list narrows. Then you press Return, and the command runs.

The list depends on context. If a file is open in the editor, you see editor commands. On an empty window, many of those are missing. That is the most common reason people think the palette is broken.

The same palette runs on Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs. The Mac setup page offers a Universal build that covers both, so you do not need to pick a version by chip.

Open it with ⇧⌘P

Press Shift, Command, and P together. The symbols are ⇧ for Shift, ⌘ for Command, and P for the letter key. The official docs call ⇧⌘P the most important key combination to know in VS Code.

Hold Shift and Command with one hand, then tap P with the same hand. After a few tries it becomes muscle memory. Keep your other fingers off the keys, so nothing else gets pressed.

When the palette opens, the cursor is already in the box. You can start typing right away. Press Esc to close the palette without running anything.

Run a command from the palette

Typing narrows the list. The arrow keys move the highlight. Return runs whichever command is highlighted. Here is a short session you can copy.

1. Press ⇧⌘P. The box opens at the top of the window.
2. Type split. The list shows commands with split in the name.
3. Press ↓ until the command you want is highlighted.
4. Press Return. The palette closes and the command runs.

Read the list before you press Return the first few times. Commands with similar names sit near each other. A wrong pick costs a second, but it can still change your layout or your settings.

Some commands need more input. The palette may then show a second prompt, such as a list of choices or a text field. Type your answer and press Return again. Press Esc to back out at any point.

Other ways in: F1 and the View menu

The docs say F1 also opens the Command Palette on desktop. That makes F1 the backup when another app takes ⇧⌘P. On many MacBooks, the top row keys control brightness and volume by default, so you may need to hold Fn to press F1.

You can also open the palette from the menu bar. Click View, then choose Command Palette. The official pages reviewed for this guide do not show this entry, so check the wording in your build. If you cannot find it, use ⇧⌘P.

Quick Open with ⌘P and the question mark

The palette has a close cousin called Quick Open. Press ⌘P to open it. Quick Open jumps to files by name, which is what most people want from it.

Type a question mark in Quick Open, and the same box switches to command suggestions. This is handy when you already have a file in mind. You can jump to a file with ⌘P, then type ? and a command name.

Quick Open is faster when you know the file name. The full palette is faster when you know the action. Pick the tool that matches the job.

Find the shortcut for a command

Many palette entries show their keyboard shortcut on the right side of the list. If nothing appears there, that command has no key yet. You can give it one, using the steps below.

For a full list, choose Help > Keyboard Shortcut Reference. The docs say this opens a PDF of shortcuts. The macOS version uses the US English layout, so check the keys if your keyboard layout is different.

The Tips and Tricks page also points to Help > Welcome. It is a good first stop if you are new to VS Code and want a short tour.

Change a shortcut you use often

Press ⌘K, release it, then press ⌘S. This opens the Keyboard Shortcuts editor. The docs say you can change, remove, or reset shortcuts there.

There is a faster route when you already know the command. Right-click any action in the workbench and choose Configure Keybinding. Then type the new key combination.

Pick keys that other apps do not use. Command plus a letter shows up in many app menus, so a clash is likely. Test the new key in the editor and check that the command runs.

Write down the original key before you change anything. The editor can reset a binding later, but a note makes it quicker.

Stuck finding the palette, or a shortcut keeps failing? Ask Lazur out loud while the window is in front of you.

Lazur looks at your screen only while you hold the shortcut. Hold ⌥ ⌘, ask where the Command Palette is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to change a shortcut, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. Lazur does not press the keys or click for you.

Fix a shortcut that macOS takes over

Sometimes ⇧⌘P does nothing because macOS or another app already uses that combination. Apple's guide shows where to find the conflict in System Settings. A warning icon marks conflicting shortcuts.

• Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
• Click Keyboard, then click Keyboard Shortcuts.
• Look for the warning icon beside the shortcut that clashes.
• Double-click the shortcut and press the new key combination.

Changing a macOS shortcut affects that feature system-wide. It is not limited to VS Code. Note the original combination so you can put it back.

If the press seems lost, VS Code may not be receiving it. Open the palette with F1 and run Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting. It logs the shortcuts VS Code receives, so you can see whether ⇧⌘P arrives.

A worked example: split the editor from the palette

Say you want two files side by side. Open the first file. Press ⇧⌘P and type split. The list narrows to commands with split in the name, and one of them splits the editor.

Press ↓ to highlight the split command, then press Return. A second view of the editor appears beside the first. Repeat the steps to split again.

The same flow works for the terminal. Type terminal, pick the command that shows the terminal, and press Return. The palette saves you from hunting through the menus.

For the full split steps, read the guide on splitting the editor. For the terminal, read the guide on toggling the integrated terminal.

Mistakes people make with the palette

• Opening the palette with no file open, then wondering why editor commands are missing.
• Pressing Return before reading the highlighted line. The highlight is what runs.
• Rebinding a key that macOS uses, then forgetting what it was before.
• Trusting a menu label from an old tutorial. Labels can change between releases.
• Scrolling a long file list in Quick Open when a question mark would show commands.

Each mistake costs seconds, not work. Most fixes come down to reading the list before you press Return.

Using the palette in the browser or Firefox

VS Code for the Web runs in a browser tab. Firefox reserves ⇧⌘P, so the shortcut will not open the palette there. The docs name F1 as the workaround.

The browser version has limits. Only a subset of extensions run there, and older browsers may not work. The docs recommend desktop, Codespaces, or Remote Tunnels for terminal, build, or debug work.

This guide did not verify Chrome, Edge, or Safari. If ⇧⌘P fails there, try F1 first, then check the browser's own shortcut list.

Where to go next

Learn one shortcut at a time. Start with the ones you repeat every day. Extensions add commands the palette can reach, and the extension guide shows how to add one.

Good next reads are the guide to multiple cursors and the guide to find and replace across files. Both lean on shortcuts you will meet in the palette.

If you want Lazur beside VS Code while you work, see the VS Code page for how it points and explains inside the editor.