How to configure custom keyboard shortcuts on GitHub Copilot

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Configure custom keyboard shortcuts for GitHub Copilot by accessing VS Code's Keyboard Shortcuts settings and modifying the Copilot-specific commands. You can customize shortcuts for accepting suggestions, cycling through options, and triggering inline completions.

Try GitHub Copilot Full GitHub Copilot Review

Prerequisites

GitHub Copilot extension installed in VS Code
Active GitHub Copilot subscription
VS Code version 1.60 or higher
Basic knowledge of VS Code settings

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open Keyboard Shortcuts Settings

Press Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+K Cmd+S (Mac) to open the Keyboard Shortcuts editor. Alternatively, go to File > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts or use Code > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts on Mac.

You can also access this through the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P and typing 'Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts'

Search for Copilot Commands

In the search box at the top of the Keyboard Shortcuts editor, type copilot to filter and display all GitHub Copilot-related commands. You'll see commands like github.copilot.acceptCursorPanelSuggestion, github.copilot.generate, and editor.action.inlineSuggest.commit.

Use specific search terms like 'copilot accept' or 'copilot cycle' to narrow down results further

Modify Accept Suggestion Shortcut

Find editor.action.inlineSuggest.commit (Accept Inline Suggestion) in the list. Click the pencil icon or double-click the command. Press your desired key combination, such as Ctrl+Space or Alt+Enter. Press Enter to confirm the new shortcut.

The default shortcut is usually Tab - make sure your new shortcut doesn't conflict with other important commands

Configure Cycle Through Suggestions

Locate editor.action.inlineSuggest.showNext and editor.action.inlineSuggest.showPrevious commands. Click the pencil icon next to each command and assign shortcuts like Alt+] for next suggestion and Alt+[ for previous suggestion. Confirm each assignment by pressing Enter.

Use logical key combinations that are easy to remember and close to each other on the keyboard

Set Trigger Suggestions Shortcut

Find editor.action.inlineSuggest.trigger command to manually trigger Copilot suggestions. Click the pencil icon and assign a shortcut like Ctrl+Alt+Space. This is useful when automatic suggestions are disabled or when you want to force suggestions in specific contexts.

This shortcut is particularly helpful when working in files where Copilot suggestions might not trigger automatically

Configure Dismiss Suggestions

Locate editor.action.inlineSuggest.hide command for dismissing current suggestions. Assign a shortcut like Escape or Ctrl+D. Click the pencil icon, enter your preferred key combination, and press Enter to save.

Make sure this shortcut doesn't interfere with existing Escape key functionality in your workflow

Test Your Custom Shortcuts

Open a code file and start typing to trigger Copilot suggestions. Test each of your newly configured shortcuts: accept suggestions, cycle through options, manually trigger suggestions, and dismiss them. Verify that all shortcuts work as expected and don't conflict with other VS Code functionality.

Test in different file types (JavaScript, Python, etc.) to ensure shortcuts work consistently across languages

Export and Backup Settings

To backup your keyboard shortcuts, click the Show Defined Keybindings icon (filter icon) in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor. Then click Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON) to view the raw configuration. Copy the Copilot-related entries to save your custom configuration for future use or sharing across devices.

Save this JSON configuration file to your cloud storage or version control system for easy restoration

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Custom shortcut not working or being ignored

Check for conflicts by searching for your key combination in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor. Remove conflicting assignments or choose a different key combination. Also ensure the GitHub Copilot extension is active and enabled.

Copilot commands not appearing in Keyboard Shortcuts list

Verify that the GitHub Copilot extension is properly installed and enabled. Restart VS Code and check if your Copilot subscription is active. Update the extension to the latest version if needed.

Shortcuts work inconsistently across different file types

Check the When column in Keyboard Shortcuts editor for context-specific bindings. Some shortcuts may be limited to specific editor contexts. Modify the context or create additional bindings for different file types.

Unable to assign certain key combinations

Some key combinations are reserved by the operating system or VS Code core functions. Try alternative combinations or check VS Code's documentation for restricted shortcuts. Use Ctrl+K Ctrl+S to see all existing assignments.

Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official GitHub Copilot website before purchasing.

Visit GitHub Copilot View GitHub Copilot Pricing