External Keyboard Shortcuts

Here you can find a list of keyboard shortcuts you can use when you connect an external keyboard to your iPad or iPhone.

On iPad, you can press and hold Cmd to see a list of shortcuts supported in the current state of the app:

Keyboard shortcuts overlay

Keyboard Shortcuts Supported by iOS

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Cmd-A

Select All

Cmd-C

Copy

Cmd-X

Cut

Cmd-V

Paste

Cmd-Z

Undo

Cmd-Shift-Z

Redo

Shift-Arrow Keys

Select text

Cmd-Up/Down

Move cursor to the beginning/end of the file

Cmd-Left/Right

Move cursor to beginning/end of the current line

Opt-Left/Right

Move cursor to the previous/next word

Esc or Eject

Bring up virtual on-screen keyboard

Opt-Delete

Delete the word to the left of the cursor

Cmd-Delete

Delete everything on the current line to the left of the cursor

Textastic’s Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Cmd-N

Create new file/folder

Cmd-O

Open… (invoke iOS document picker)

Cmd-S

Save file

Cmd-E

Edit currently open file

Cmd-L

Go to line

Cmd-P

Print

Cmd-F

Toggle Find

Opt-Cmd-F

Toggle Find and Replace

Cmd-G

Find next

Cmd-Shift-G

Find previous

Cmd-W

Close tab

Opt-Cmd-B

Toggle sidebar

Opt-Cmd-P

Toggle preview

Ctrl-Opt-Cmd-P

Preview in Safari

Opt-Cmd-I

Toggle file properties popover

Opt-Cmd-T

Toggle symbol list popover

Opt-Cmd-Up

Upload current file

Opt-Cmd-Down

Download current file

Tab

Indent selected text

Shift-Tab

Unindent selected text

Ctrl-Tab

Select next tab

Ctrl-Shift-Tab

Select previous tab

Cmd-[

Shift left

Cmd-]

Shift right

Ctrl-E

Expand Emmet abbreviation

Ctrl-A

Wrap with Emmet abbreviation

Cmd-I

Toggle italics (works in Markdown and HTML files)

Cmd-B

Toggle boldface (works in Markdown and HTML files)

Cmd-U

Toggle underline (works in HTML files)

Esc, Cmd-., Cmd-W

Close dialog/popover

Arrow Keys

Navigate in the list of files, search results, and in the symbol list

Important

You can configure all keyboard shortcuts in Textastic’s settings.

Emacs Key Bindings supported by iOS

Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Ctrl-A

Move cursor to the beginning of the line

Ctrl-E

Move cursor to the end of the line

Ctrl-F

Move cursor forward one character

Ctrl-B

Move cursor backward one character

Ctrl-K

Kill/delete text between cursor and the end of the line

Ctrl-H

Delete one character to the left