Shortcuts · Notion
Notion keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac, with Barside equivalents
In Notion, press Ctrl+P or Ctrl+K to search, Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I and Ctrl+U for text styles, Ctrl+Shift with a number for blocks, and type / for any block. On a Mac, Cmd replaces Ctrl. Here is the sheet, from Notion's own help page.
These are the Notion keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac, taken from Notion's own help page and checked on October 2, 2026. Notion writes cmd/ctrl for the main key: Command on a Mac, and Control on Windows and Linux. The tables below spell each one out, so you can read the key for your computer at a glance. Notion notes that its list is written for English QWERTY keyboards.
At the end, a table shows how the same jobs work in Barside, a free local-first notes app for Windows and Linux, in case you are comparing the two or moving your pages over.
Notion keyboard shortcuts for getting around
As of October 2026, these move you through your workspace.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open search, or jump to a recent page | Ctrl+P or Ctrl+K | Cmd+P or Cmd+K |
| Search the current page | Ctrl+F | Cmd+F |
| Copy the current page's link | Ctrl+L | Cmd+L |
| Go back a page | Ctrl+[ | Cmd+[ |
| Go forward a page | Ctrl+] | Cmd+] |
| Go up one level in the page hierarchy | Ctrl+Shift+U | Cmd+Shift+U |
| Switch dark and light mode | Ctrl+Shift+L | Cmd+Shift+L |
| Zoom in / out | Ctrl++ / Ctrl+- | Cmd++ / Cmd+- |
| Previous database page, in peek view | Ctrl+K | Ctrl+Shift+K |
| Next database page, in peek view | Ctrl+J | Ctrl+Shift+J |
Desktop app only
Notion lists these separately, for its desktop app.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| New page | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
| New Notion window | Ctrl+Shift+N | Cmd+Shift+N |
| New Notion tab | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
| Open a link in a new Notion tab | Ctrl+click | Cmd+click |
| Emoji picker | Windows key+. or Windows key+; | Ctrl+Cmd+Space |
Text styling shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
| Italic | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
| Underline | Ctrl+U | Cmd+U |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
| Inline code | Ctrl+E | Cmd+E |
| Link selected text | Ctrl+K | Cmd+K |
| Apply the last text or highlight color | Ctrl+Shift+H | Cmd+Shift+H |
| Add a comment | Ctrl+Shift+M | Cmd+Shift+M |
| Line break inside a block | Shift+Enter | Shift+Enter |
| Indent / unindent | Tab / Shift+Tab | Tab / Shift+Tab |
| Fill table cells right / down | Ctrl+R / Ctrl+D | Cmd+R / Cmd+D |
Block shortcuts
Notion's page says ctrl + shift is the combination for Windows and Linux, and cmd + option for Mac.
| New block | Windows and Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Ctrl+Shift+0 | Cmd+Option+0 |
| Heading 1 / 2 / 3 | Ctrl+Shift+1 / 2 / 3 | Cmd+Option+1 / 2 / 3 |
| Checkbox | Ctrl+Shift+4 | Cmd+Option+4 |
| Bulleted list | Ctrl+Shift+5 | Cmd+Option+5 |
| Numbered list | Ctrl+Shift+6 | Cmd+Option+6 |
| Toggle list | Ctrl+Shift+7 | Cmd+Option+7 |
| Code block | Ctrl+Shift+8 | Cmd+Option+8 |
| New page inside this one | Ctrl+Shift+9 | Cmd+Option+9 |
Edit and move blocks
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Select the block you are in, or clear the selection | Esc | Esc |
| Select the block your cursor is in | Ctrl+A | Cmd+A |
| Duplicate selected blocks | Ctrl+D | Cmd+D |
| Change selected blocks | Ctrl+/ | Cmd+/ |
| Move selected blocks | Ctrl+Shift+ arrow keys | Cmd+Shift+ arrow keys |
| Expand or close all toggles | Ctrl+Alt+T | Cmd+Option+T |
| Modify the current block | Ctrl+Enter | Cmd+Enter |
| Select a whole block with the mouse | Alt+Shift+click (Windows and Linux) | Cmd+Shift+click |
| Duplicate while dragging | Hold Alt | Hold Option |
| Delete selected blocks | Backspace or Delete | Backspace or Delete |
Markdown shortcuts and slash commands
These are typed, so they are the same on every computer.
| Type | Result |
|---|---|
**text** | Bold |
*text* | Italic |
| A backtick on each side | Inline code |
~text~ | Strikethrough |
*, - or +, then a space | Bulleted list |
[], then a space | Checkbox |
1., a. or i., then a space | Numbered list |
#, ## or ###, then a space | Heading 1, 2 or 3 |
>, then a space | Toggle list |
", then a space | Quote block |
--- | Divider |
Type @ with a name, page or date to mention it, and @remind with a date to add a reminder. Type [[ with a page name to link a page or create a sub-page, or + with a page name to do the same. Type / for any block: Notion's page lists commands such as /text, /page, /bullet, /num, /toggle, /h1, /quote, /code, /image, /embed, /toc, /turn and /color.
The same jobs in Barside
Barside's note editor shares many of Notion's keys, so your hands already know most of it. The block shortcuts use other numbers, and a few Notion features have no Barside counterpart. Every Barside key below is on the Barside keyboard shortcuts sheet.
| Action | Notion (Windows) | Barside (Windows and Linux) |
|---|---|---|
| Search, jump to a page | Ctrl+P or Ctrl+K | Ctrl+K, or Alt+Shift+Space from any app |
| Search the current page | Ctrl+F | Not in Barside (Ctrl+F searches all your notes) |
| New page | Ctrl+N | Ctrl+N (new note) |
| Bold, italic, underline | Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U | Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl+Shift+S | Ctrl+Shift+S |
| Inline code | Ctrl+E | Ctrl+E |
| Link selected text | Ctrl+K | No shortcut: Insert text link in the toolbar |
| Heading 1 / 2 / 3 | Ctrl+Shift+1 / 2 / 3 | Ctrl+Alt+1 / 2 / 3 |
| Text | Ctrl+Shift+0 | Ctrl+Alt+0 |
| Checkbox | Ctrl+Shift+4 | Ctrl+Shift+9 |
| Bulleted list | Ctrl+Shift+5 | Ctrl+Shift+8 |
| Numbered list | Ctrl+Shift+6 | Ctrl+Shift+7 |
| Code block | Ctrl+Shift+8 | Ctrl+Alt+C |
| Toggle list | Ctrl+Shift+7 | Not in Barside |
| Line break inside a block | Shift+Enter | Shift+Enter |
| Indent / unindent | Tab / Shift+Tab | Tab / Shift+Tab in lists |
| Checkbox by typing | [] and a space | [ ] and a space |
| Quote by typing | " and a space | > and a space |
| Link a page | [[ | [[ |
| Insert a block | / | / |
| Add a comment | Ctrl+Shift+M | Not in Barside |
| Dark or light mode | Ctrl+Shift+L | No shortcut: type a theme's name in the search bar |
In Barside for Mac, Cmd replaces Ctrl in the same way.
Tips for learning Notion shortcuts
- Start with the typed ones.
#,-,[]and/need no key combinations and work on every computer. - Watch the shared keys. In Notion,
Ctrl+Kboth opens search and links selected text. In Barside,Ctrl+Kalways opens the search bar. - Mind the block numbers. Notion's block shortcuts run from 0 to 9 with
Ctrl+Shift. If you also use Barside, its lists sit onCtrl+Shift+7,8and9, so the same keys make different blocks. - Keep Notion's page handy. Notion's keyboard shortcuts page has the full list of slash commands.
Moving from Notion
If you are thinking about leaving, read the Notion alternative guide for an honest comparison, then move from Notion step by step. Barside's importer reads a Notion export with a preview first. For other apps, see the Obsidian keyboard shortcuts and Evernote keyboard shortcuts.
FAQ
Questions and answers
What is the shortcut to search in Notion?
Ctrl+P or Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux, and Cmd+P or Cmd+K on a Mac, open search or jump to a page you viewed recently. Ctrl+F (Cmd+F) searches the page you are on.
How do I make a heading in Notion with the keyboard?
Type # and a space for Heading 1, ## for Heading 2 or ### for Heading 3. Or press Ctrl+Shift+1, 2 or 3 on Windows and Linux, and Cmd+Option+1, 2 or 3 on a Mac.
Can I change Notion's keyboard shortcuts?
Notion's keyboard shortcuts help page does not say that shortcuts can be changed, and it lists none as customizable. It also notes that the shortcuts are written for English QWERTY keyboards.
What does Cmd/Ctrl mean on Notion's shortcut page?
Notion writes cmd/ctrl for the main key: Command on a Mac, and Control on Windows and Linux. So cmd/ctrl + B is Ctrl+B on Windows and Cmd+B on a Mac.
Do Notion's shortcuts work in Barside?
Many of them do. Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U, Ctrl+Shift+S, Ctrl+E, Ctrl+N, Shift+Enter, [[ links, the / menu and the # and - Markdown shortcuts work the same. Block shortcuts use other numbers. See Barside keyboard shortcuts.
Sources
Where the facts come from
Checked on October 2, 2026. Products change: if something here is out of date, tell us at support@barside.space.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Barside is not affiliated with them.