Keyboard shortcuts¶

Complete reference to every key Sevak handles.

Global hotkeys¶

These work anywhere on your system:

Shortcut	Action	Configure
`Win`+`Space` (`Cmd`+`Space` on macOS, `Super`+`Space` on Linux)	Show or hide the launcher	`[general] hotkey`
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Space`	Universal Actions for your current selection	`[general] actions_hotkey` (or empty to disable)
Custom `[[hotkey]]` entries	Type a query or run a result without showing the launcher	`[[hotkey]]` in config.toml or Settings → Hotkeys
A workflow's hotkey trigger	Start that workflow	The trigger node in Settings → Workflows
A snippet's keyword, typed in any app	Replace it with the snippet (only with expansion turned on)	`[snippets] auto_expand`

On macOS, Alt is Option, and Ctrl is Cmd. The default launcher key Super+Space is Cmd+Space there. The system uses that key too (Windows: input language, macOS: Spotlight, GNOME: input sources), so Sevak takes it over: how, and how to undo it.

On Linux Wayland, apps cannot register global keys; run sevak --setup-hotkey to bind the launcher shortcut in GNOME. For the effect of a custom [[hotkey]] there, bind a desktop shortcut to sevak --query "<text>" or sevak --run <result-id> yourself (see Command line).

In the launcher window¶

Key	Action
`Up` or `Ctrl`+`P`	Previous result
`Down` or `Ctrl`+`N`	Next result
++pageup++	Previous page (7 results)
++pagedown++	Next page (7 results)
`Tab`	Complete the input to the selected result's name/value
`Shift`+`Tab`	Go up one folder while browsing a path

Running results and actions¶

Key	Action
`Enter`	Run the selected result
`Ctrl`+`Enter`, `Shift`+`Enter`, `Alt`+`Enter`	Run the selected result's alternative action bound to that modifier, if it has one. The row shows which ones it offers (for example `Ctrl+↵`), and each feature page lists them
`Ctrl`+`1` to `Ctrl`+`9`	Run the 1st to 9th result in the list directly

Actions panel¶

Press Right (with cursor at the end of text) or Ctrl+K to open; shows every action of the selected result or your selection.

Key	Action
`Up` or `Ctrl`+`P`	Previous action
`Down` or `Ctrl`+`N`	Next action
`Enter`	Run the selected action
`Ctrl`+`1` to `Ctrl`+`9`	Run the corresponding action (Universal Actions only)
`Left` or `Ctrl`+`K` or `Esc`	Close the panel (in Universal Actions, `Esc` hides Sevak, as there is nothing behind the panel)
Any other key	Closes the panel and acts as usual (typing goes to the search bar)

When using Universal Actions, each action's row shows its modifiers (Ctrl, Shift, Alt) for alternative behavior.

Display and copying¶

Key	Action
`Ctrl`+`L`	Show the selected result as Large Type across the screen (dismiss with any key); for a contact, its phone number
`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy the selected result's path, URL, or value (when nothing is selected in the text input)
`Shift` (tap) or `Ctrl`+`Y`	Show or hide the preview pane for the selected result
`Ctrl`+`T`	Open the selected result's long text in the Text View

Text View¶

Key	Action
`Up` `Down` ++pageup++ ++pagedown++ `Home` `End`	Scroll
`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy the text
`Enter`	Run the result as usual
`Esc` or `Left`	Back to the list

Grid View¶

When every result is a tile (the emoji picker, cb image, some script plugins):

Key	Action
`Left` `Right` `Up` `Down`	Move between tiles
++pageup++ / ++pagedown++	Jump three rows
`Enter`	Run the selected tile
`Ctrl`+`K`	The tile's actions

File buffer¶

On a file or folder result (see File buffer); Alt is Option on macOS:

Key	Action
`Alt`+`Up` / `Alt`+`Down`	Add the selected result to the buffer and move up / down
`Alt`+`Left`	Remove the last item (only while the buffer holds something)
`Alt`+`Right`	Open the buffer's actions (only while the buffer holds something)
`Alt`+`Backspace` / `Alt`+`Del`	Empty the buffer (only while the buffer holds something)

In the folder picker of Move to… / Copy to…:

Key	Action
`Tab` / `Shift`+`Tab`	Open the highlighted folder / go up
`Enter`	Use the highlighted folder
`Ctrl`+`Enter`	Use the path exactly as typed
`Esc`	Cancel

Search history¶

On an empty search bar:

Key	Action
`Up`	Step to the next earlier search (most recent first)
`Down`	Step to the next later search

Typing leaves history. Toggle history on or off with [search] query_history.

Closing¶

Key	Action
`Esc`	Close the innermost thing first (Large Type, the Text View, the action panel, the preview pane, the folder picker of Move to… / Copy to…, a workflow's text output), then hide the launcher

Settings window¶

Key	Action
`Ctrl`+`S`	Save the current settings (in the workflow builder: save the workflow)
`Down` or `Up`	Move between tabs (when a tab button has focus)
`Home` or `End`	Jump to the first or last tab

Workflow builder¶

Key	Action
Arrow keys on a focused node	Move it (`Shift` moves further)
`Del`	Delete the selected node or connection
`Ctrl`+`S`	Save the workflow

See The builder.

Form controls¶

Tab / Shift+Tab move between controls
Space toggles a switch or checkbox
Arrow keys change a slider or the selected option in a group

Blocked keys¶

The following are blocked in production to prevent accidental page reloads:

Key	Context
`F5`	Launcher and Settings
`Ctrl`+`R`	Launcher and Settings
`Ctrl`+`F`	Launcher and Settings
`Ctrl`+`P`	Settings (print); in the launcher `Ctrl`+`P` means "previous result"

Platform differences¶

Function	Windows/Linux	macOS
Ctrl prefix	`Ctrl`	`Cmd`
Alt prefix	`Alt`	`Option`
Tray access	Click the icon to open Settings, right-click for the menu	Click the menu-bar icon to open Settings, right-click for the menu

Custom shortcuts¶

Add global hotkeys in your config file or Settings → Hotkeys:

[[hotkey]]
key = "Ctrl+Alt+T"
query = "> "                  # open Sevak with this text

[[hotkey]]
key = "Ctrl+Alt+L"
run = "system:lock"           # run this without showing the launcher

See Custom hotkeys for details.