Keyboard shortcuts and the command palette (⌘K)
The command palette finds any command, page or help article from the keyboard. Plus the shortcuts worth learning on day one.
Solid Vibes is built to be keyboard-first. You never have to memorize a long list, because the app shows the shortcut next to any command that has one. But a handful are worth knowing from the start.
The command palette
Press ⌘K on Mac or Ctrl + K on Windows and Linux. Press / as well, as long as you are not typing in a text field.
A search box opens. Type a few letters of what you want and press Enter. The palette searches commands, pages, and help.
| Press | To |
|---|---|
| ↑ and ↓ | Move through results |
| Enter | Run the highlighted item |
| Esc | Close the palette |
What you can find
Search understands synonyms, not just exact words. For example:
| Type | Finds |
|---|---|
new, thing, start | New Thing |
describe, prompt, agent | Describe what you want to make |
photo, sketch, drawing, upload | Start from an image |
template, enclosure, hook, gear | Browse templates |
parts, screws, bought | Library |
mfa, passkey, 2fa, sessions | Security |
plan, subscription, upgrade | Billing & plan |
ai, usage | AI credits |
theme, dark, light | Switch theme |
docs, support, learn | Open the help center |
shortcuts, keys, hotkeys | Keyboard shortcuts (this article) |
changelog, release notes, updates | What's new |
contact, feedback, bug | Contact & feedback (an e-mail to the team) |
switch workspace, a workspace's name | Switch to that workspace (when you belong to more than one) |
navigation, trackpad, mouse, pan | Switch the 3D view between mouse and trackpad gestures (see Moving around the 3D view) |
pin, collapse, panels | Pin left panel, Pin right panel, Collapse panels (see Side panels and floating cards) |
full screen, maximize, more space | Enter or exit full screen (see Full screen and installing Solid Vibes as an app) |
install, dock, home screen | Install Solid Vibes as an app, when your browser allows it |
generate, figurine, image to 3d, from a photo | Generate a 3D model… / Model this from a photo… (in a Thing, when your workspace has the body generator; see Turning a concept into a detailed 3D body) |
import, stl, obj, 3mf, glb | Import a mesh (STL, OBJ, 3MF, GLB)… — repaired on the way in (see Working with meshes) |
mesh, smooth, shape slider, hollow, split, magnet | Mesh tools… and each tool (on a piece with a mesh body) |
When a Thing is open, the palette also lists modeling commands such as patterns and fillets, so you can run an operation without hunting through menus. If you are not sure what an operation is called, describe it ("round the corners") and see what comes up.
Everyday shortcuts
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⌘K / Ctrl + K | Open or close the command palette |
| / | Open the palette (when not typing) |
| N | New Thing (shown beside the command in the palette) |
| ⌘S / Ctrl + S | In a Thing: save now and open Save a version (name it if you like) |
| Hold Space | Push-to-talk: speak to the agent while held (when not typing in the prompt bar) |
| Enter | Send your message in the prompt bar |
| Shift + Enter | New line in the prompt bar |
| Esc | Close palettes, menus and dialogs |
| H / F | Home view / fit the model to the screen (in the 3D view) |
| [ / ] | Pin or unpin the left panel (Recipe) / the right panel (Parameters, Chat) |
| \ | Fold both side panels back into their pills |
| Delete / Backspace | Delete the Recipe step you clicked (asks first if later steps use it; ⌘Z brings it back) |
| Alt + arrow keys | Move a floating card whose title bar has the focus (Alt + Backspace puts it back) |
| Option + Enter (Mac) / Alt + Enter | Full screen on or off, when you are not typing in a text box. Esc leaves full screen |
| O | Switch the 3D view between flat (orthographic, the default) and perspective |
To orbit, pan and zoom with a mouse or a trackpad, see Moving around the 3D view.
In sketch mode
While you sketch with constraints (see Sketching with constraints), single keys pick the sketch tools:
| Key | Tool |
|---|---|
| L | Line (chains) |
| C | Circle |
| A / Shift + A | 3-point arc / tangent arc |
| R / Shift + R | Corner / center rectangle |
| P, S | Polygon, spline |
| D | Smart Dimension |
| X | Construction geometry (the selection, or what you draw next) |
| T, E, O, M, F | Trim, extend, offset, mirror, fillet corner |
| Delete | Delete the selection or the selected constraint |
| ⌘Z / Shift + ⌘Z | Undo / redo inside the sketch |
| Esc | Cancel the tool, then clear the selection |
| Enter | Finish the spline or line chain, then finish the sketch |
Learning shortcuts by doing
A quick method that works well:
- Do the thing with the mouse or the agent.
- Next time, open the palette and search for it. Note the shortcut shown.
- Use the shortcut twice, and it sticks.
You will probably only ever use ten shortcuts, and they will be the ten you actually need.
The tool rail and the context ring
Two other keyboard-friendly aids:
- The minimal tool rail groups tools into five families: Sketch, Solid, Modify, Connect, Inspect.
- The context ring is a radial menu that shows only the tools that make sense for your current selection, with predicted values filled in. Select a face, and you see face tools; select an edge, and you see edge tools.
Both reduce the "where is it?" problem. You can always bypass them by describing what you want to the agent.
Mac and Windows
Shortcuts shown with ⌘ on Mac use Ctrl on Windows and Linux. The app displays the right one for your computer.
Accessibility
Solid Vibes is designed to meet WCAG 2.2 AA. The interface is fully usable from the keyboard, respects the reduced-motion setting of your operating system, and supports a high-contrast mode. Voice control through the agent is an alternative to the mouse for many actions.
Try it
- Press ⌘K (or Ctrl + K) and type
template. Press Enter. - Back on Home, press ⌘K again, type
credits, and open your AI credits page. - Press N from a normal screen (not while typing) to start a new Thing.
For a workflow built around the keyboard, see Keyboard-first workflow in the For CAD pros section.
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