---
name: "kitten-command-palette"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kitty"
version: "0.49.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kitten-command-palette"
---

# kitten-command-palette(1)

Browse and trigger keyboard shortcuts and actions

## Name

kitten-command-palette - Browse and trigger keyboard shortcuts and actions

## Overview

The command palette lets you browse, search and trigger all keyboard shortcuts and actions in *kitty* from a single searchable overlay. Press **ctrl+shift+f3** \<#shortcut-kitty.Command-palette\> to open it (default: **Ctrl**+**Shift**+**F3**).

The command palette showing search results for **win close**. (images not supported)

All mapped actions (those with a keyboard shortcut) and unmapped actions (those available but not bound to any key) are listed, organized by category. Mouse bindings are shown in a separate section. Simply type to search, select a result, and press **Enter** to run it.

## Searching

As you type into the search bar, the palette filters results in real time. Matching is case-insensitive and works across three columns simultaneously: the **key** (keyboard shortcut), the **action** name, and the **category**. Matched characters are highlighted so you can see exactly where each term hit.

- **Multiple words**

  Separate your terms with spaces. Typing **scroll page** looks for items that contain *scroll* and *page* anywhere across the key, action, or category columns. Items that match more of your terms are ranked higher than those that match fewer.

- **How individual words are matched**

  Each word in your query is compared against every word in the three columns. The best match wins and determines the item's score for that term:

  - •

    *Exact word* — the query word equals a column word exactly (highest score).

  - •

    *Prefix* — the column word starts with the query word, e.g. **scr** matches **scroll**.

  - •

    *Typo tolerance* — for words of four characters or longer, a single typo (one character inserted, deleted, or substituted) still produces a match, and two typos give a lower-scoring match.

  An item appears in the results as long as at least one query word matches something. Items where more query words match rank above those where fewer match.

- **Compound names**

  Delimiters such as **\_**, **+**, **/**, and **-** are kept intact inside a query word, so you can search for compound action names as a unit. Typing **mouse\_selection** first tries to find that exact substring in each column. If that fails, it splits the token into its parts (**mouse** and **selection**) and matches each part independently against the column words.

- **Ranking**

  When multiple items match the same query, they are sorted by:

  - 1\.

    Number of query words that matched (more is better).

  - 2\.

    Score on the action column (action matches outrank key or category matches).

  - 3\.

    Score on the key column.

  - 4\.

    Score on the category column.

  - 5\.

    Shorter action name as a tiebreaker (more specific results first).

## Keyboard controls

The following keys are available while the command palette is open:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Key | Action |
| Any text | Filter results by typing a search query |
| **Enter** | Run the selected action |
| **Escape** | Clear the search query, or close the palette if the query is already empty |
| **Up** / **Ctrl**+**K** / **Ctrl**+**P** | Move selection up |
| **Down** / **Ctrl**+**J** / **Ctrl**+**N** | Move selection down |
| **Page Up** | Move selection up by a page |
| **Page Down** | Move selection down by a page |
| **Home** | Jump to the first result |
| **End** | Jump to the last result |
| **Backspace** | Delete the last character from the query |
| **F12** | Toggle display of unmapped actions |
| Mouse click | Select and run the clicked action |

## Unmapped actions

By default, the palette shows both mapped actions (those bound to a shortcut) and unmapped actions (those with no shortcut assigned). Unmapped actions appear with an **(unmapped)** label in the key column. Press **F12** to toggle their visibility. This preference is remembered across sessions.

Unmapped actions are useful for discovering functionality that you may not have configured a shortcut for. You can run them directly from the palette, or note the action name and add a mapping in **kitty.conf**.

## Custom keyboard modes

If you have defined custom keyboard modes \<#modal-mappings\> in your configuration, their bindings appear under separate mode headers in the palette. The **push\_keyboard\_mode** bindings are grouped with the target mode they activate, making it easy to see how to enter each mode alongside its shortcuts.

## Configuration

The default mapping to open the command palette is:

```
map kitty_mod+f3 command_palette
```

You can change this in **kitty.conf** like any other mapping. For example:

```
map ctrl+p command_palette
```

## Author

Kovid Goyal

## Copyright

2026, Kovid Goyal