Keyboard shortcuts

Default keys for the Tau TUI, and how to remap them.

These are the default keys in the interactive TUI. Run /hotkeys in-session to see them, and remap them in ~/.tau/tui.json (see Configuration).

Prompting

KeyAction
EnterSubmit the prompt (or apply a highlighted completion)
Shift+EnterInsert a newline
EscCancel the active run
Enter (while running)Queue text as steering for the current run
Alt+EnterQueue a follow-up that waits until the run would stop
Up (empty prompt, running)Edit the most recently queued follow-up
KeyAction
Ctrl+KOpen the command palette
Ctrl+ROpen the session picker
TabAccept the highlighted completion
Down / UpMove through completions
Ctrl+E (in /prompts)Edit the selected prompt template
Ctrl+S (while editing a prompt template)Save and reload resources

Models & thinking

KeyAction
Ctrl+PCycle scoped (favorite) models
Shift+TabCycle the thinking mode
Ctrl+TToggle display of thinking/reasoning tokens

Output & session

KeyAction
Ctrl+OToggle exact tool commands and full output (vs. compact previews)
Ctrl+CClear the prompt input
Ctrl+DQuit

Remapping

Keys use Textual’s syntax (ctrl+k, shift+tab, down, f2, …). Tau rejects unknown names, empty keys, and duplicate assignments so mistakes fail early. Any key you don’t set keeps its default.