Electron Documentation

Docs / API / Accelerator v2.0.2

Accelerator

Define keyboard shortcuts.

Accelerators are Strings that can contain multiple modifiers and key codes, combined by the + character, and are used to define keyboard shortcuts throughout your application.

Examples:

  • CommandOrControl+A
  • CommandOrControl+Shift+Z

Shortcuts are registered with the globalShortcut module using the register method, i.e.

const {app, globalShortcut} = require('electron')
  
  app.on('ready', () => {
    // Register a 'CommandOrControl+Y' shortcut listener.
    globalShortcut.register('CommandOrControl+Y', () => {
      // Do stuff when Y and either Command/Control is pressed.
    })
  })

Platform notice

On Linux and Windows, the Command key does not have any effect so use CommandOrControl which represents Command on macOS and Control on Linux and Windows to define some accelerators.

Use Alt instead of Option. The Option key only exists on macOS, whereas the Alt key is available on all platforms.

The Super key is mapped to the Windows key on Windows and Linux and Cmd on macOS.

Available modifiers

  • Command (or Cmd for short)
  • Control (or Ctrl for short)
  • CommandOrControl (or CmdOrCtrl for short)
  • Alt
  • Option
  • AltGr
  • Shift
  • Super

Available key codes

  • 0 to 9
  • A to Z
  • F1 to F24
  • Punctuations like ~, !, @, #, $, etc.
  • Plus
  • Space
  • Tab
  • Backspace
  • Delete
  • Insert
  • Return (or Enter as alias)
  • Up, Down, Left and Right
  • Home and End
  • PageUp and PageDown
  • Escape (or Esc for short)
  • VolumeUp, VolumeDown and VolumeMute
  • MediaNextTrack, MediaPreviousTrack, MediaStop and MediaPlayPause
  • PrintScreen