> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/pfrankov/obsidian-local-gpt/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuring Hotkeys

> Set up keyboard shortcuts for quick access to Local GPT features

## Overview

Hotkeys allow you to trigger Local GPT actions instantly without navigating menus. This guide covers configuring keyboard shortcuts for all Local GPT commands.

## Available Commands

Local GPT provides three main commands that can be bound to hotkeys:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Context Menu" icon="list">
    Opens the action selection menu at the cursor position
  </Card>

  <Card title="Action Palette" icon="palette">
    Opens the enhanced action palette for one-time queries
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Actions" icon="bolt">
    Direct shortcuts to specific actions
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Setting Up Hotkeys

### Step 1: Open Hotkey Settings

1. Open **Settings** (⚙️ gear icon)
2. Navigate to **Hotkeys** in the left sidebar
3. Filter for "Local" in the search box

<Tip>
  You should see all Local GPT commands with "Local GPT:" prefix in the filtered results.
</Tip>

### Step 2: Assign Keyboard Shortcuts

Click the **+** icon next to a command and press your desired key combination.

<Warning>
  Obsidian will warn you if the hotkey conflicts with another command. Choose unique combinations that don't interfere with your existing workflow.
</Warning>

## Recommended Hotkey Setup

### Context Menu

**Command:** `Local GPT: Show context menu`

**Recommended hotkeys:**

* macOS: `⌘ + M` (Command + M)
* Windows/Linux: `Ctrl + M`
* Alternative: `Ctrl + Shift + L`

**When to use:**

* You have text selected and want to run a saved action
* You want to browse all available actions
* You're working with frequently used actions

**Example workflow:**

1. Select text you want to process
2. Press `⌘ + M` (or your configured hotkey)
3. Choose an action from the menu
4. AI processes the selection

### Action Palette

**Command:** `Local GPT: Action Palette`

**Recommended hotkeys:**

* macOS: `⌘ + J` (Command + J)
* Windows/Linux: `Ctrl + J`
* Alternative: `Ctrl + Shift + P` (similar to VS Code command palette)

**When to use:**

* You want to ask a one-time question
* You need to reference specific files
* You want to override the default AI provider
* You need to use a custom system prompt

**Example workflow:**

1. Press `⌘ + J` (or your configured hotkey)
2. Type your question or instruction
3. (Optional) Add file references with `@filename`
4. (Optional) Select a different AI provider or model
5. Press Enter to submit

<Info>
  The Action Palette is more flexible than the context menu because it allows custom prompts and file selection without pre-configuring an action.
</Info>

### Quick Access Actions

You can create hotkeys for individual actions to access them instantly:

**Command format:** `Local GPT: Run action "[Action Name]"`

**Example setup:**

| Action                   | Recommended Hotkey (macOS) | Recommended Hotkey (Windows/Linux) |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Continue writing         | `⌘ + Shift + C`            | `Ctrl + Shift + C`                 |
| Fix spelling and grammar | `⌘ + Shift + G`            | `Ctrl + Shift + G`                 |
| Summarize                | `⌘ + Shift + S`            | `Ctrl + Shift + S`                 |
| Find action items        | `⌘ + Shift + A`            | `Ctrl + Shift + A`                 |

**When to use:**

* You use certain actions extremely frequently
* You want the fastest possible workflow
* You're optimizing for muscle memory

**Example workflow:**

1. Select text with grammar errors
2. Press `⌘ + Shift + G` (or your configured hotkey)
3. AI immediately fixes the text (no menu navigation)

## Hotkey Configuration Tips

### Choosing Good Hotkey Combinations

<Accordion title="Avoid System Conflicts">
  * Don't use `Ctrl + C`, `Ctrl + V`, `Ctrl + S` (common system shortcuts)
  * Avoid `Ctrl + W`, `Ctrl + T` (browser/app shortcuts)
  * Check Obsidian's existing hotkeys to avoid conflicts
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Use Modifier Patterns">
  * `Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + Letter` for quick actions
  * `Ctrl/⌘ + Letter` for frequently used commands
  * `Ctrl/⌘ + Alt + Letter` for advanced features
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Create Mnemonic Shortcuts">
  * `M` for Menu (context menu)
  * `J` for Jump (action palette) or Ask
  * `G` for Grammar
  * `C` for Continue
  * `S` for Summarize
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Mobile Considerations">
  Mobile devices don't support keyboard shortcuts. Configure the ribbon icon or commands palette for mobile access instead.
</Accordion>

### Keyboard Layout Differences

Some keyboard layouts have different key positions:

* **QWERTY:** Standard US/UK layout
* **AZERTY:** French layout (Z and W swapped)
* **QWERTZ:** German layout (Y and Z swapped)
* **Dvorak:** Alternative efficiency-focused layout

Choose hotkeys based on physical key position rather than letter meaning if you switch layouts frequently.

## Command Reference

### Show Context Menu

```
Command ID: local-gpt:show-context-menu
Default hotkey: None
Requires selection: Recommended (works without, but less useful)
```

Opens a popup menu showing all your configured actions. Select one to run it on the currently selected text.

**From README.md:80-84:**

```markdown theme={null}
1. Open Obsidian Settings
2. Go to Hotkeys
3. Filter "Local" and you should see "Local GPT: Show context menu"
4. Click on `+` icon and press hotkey (e.g. `⌘ + M`)
```

### Action Palette

```
Command ID: local-gpt:action-palette
Default hotkey: None
Requires selection: No (but can use selection)
```

Opens an enhanced input modal where you can:

* Type custom prompts
* Reference files with `@` mentions
* Select AI provider and model
* Choose system prompts
* Use Enhanced Actions (RAG)

**From README.md:85-86:**

```markdown theme={null}
5. Filter "Local" again and you should see "Local GPT: Action Palette"
6. Click on `+` icon and press hotkey (e.g. `⌘ + J`)
```

### Individual Action Commands

```
Command ID: local-gpt:run-action-[action-name]
Default hotkey: None (must be configured manually)
Requires selection: Depends on action configuration
```

Directly runs a specific action without opening any menu. One command is registered for each action you create.

<Note>
  The command list updates automatically when you add, remove, or rename actions.
</Note>

## Workflow Examples

### Example 1: Writing Assistant

**Scenario:** You're writing a blog post and want AI assistance throughout.

**Hotkey setup:**

* `⌘ + M`: Context menu (general access)
* `⌘ + Shift + C`: Continue writing
* `⌘ + Shift + G`: Fix grammar
* `⌘ + J`: Action palette (for questions)

**Workflow:**

1. Draft a paragraph
2. Press `⌘ + Shift + G` to fix grammar
3. Continue writing
4. Press `⌘ + Shift + C` to have AI continue your thought
5. Have a question? Press `⌘ + J` and ask
6. Need a different action? Press `⌘ + M` to browse all options

### Example 2: Research & Note-Taking

**Scenario:** You're taking research notes and need to synthesize information.

**Hotkey setup:**

* `⌘ + M`: Context menu
* `⌘ + Shift + S`: Summarize
* `⌘ + J`: Action palette with Enhanced Actions

**Workflow:**

1. Paste research content
2. Press `⌘ + Shift + S` to summarize key points
3. Have a question about related notes? Press `⌘ + J`
4. Type question and let RAG pull context from linked notes
5. Need a different action? Press `⌘ + M`

### Example 3: Code Documentation

**Scenario:** You're documenting code snippets in your notes.

**Hotkey setup:**

* `⌘ + Shift + D`: "Document Code" custom action
* `⌘ + Shift + R`: "Review Code" custom action
* `⌘ + J`: Action palette for one-off questions

**Workflow:**

1. Paste code snippet
2. Press `⌘ + Shift + D` to generate documentation
3. Review the code? Press `⌘ + Shift + R`
4. Specific question about the code? Press `⌘ + J`

## Accessibility Considerations

### For Users with Mobility Impairments

* Use single-hand key combinations when possible
* Consider using the command palette (`Ctrl/⌘ + P`) to type command names instead of complex hotkeys
* Enable Obsidian's ribbon icons for mouse-based access

### For Screen Reader Users

* All Local GPT commands are labeled and accessible via the command palette
* Action results are inserted as regular text, readable by screen readers
* The Action Palette modal is keyboard-navigable

### For Users Who Can't Use Keyboards

* Enable the Local GPT ribbon icon in settings
* Use Obsidian's command palette with voice typing
* Consider voice control software that can trigger Obsidian commands

## Troubleshooting

### Hotkey Not Working

1. **Check for conflicts:** Go to Settings → Hotkeys and search for the key combination
2. **Restart Obsidian:** Sometimes hotkeys need a restart to register
3. **Check your keyboard layout:** Some layouts remap keys
4. **Try a different combination:** Some system shortcuts can't be overridden

### Action Command Not Appearing

1. **Verify the action exists:** Go to Settings → Local GPT → Actions
2. **Check the action name:** Commands are generated from action names
3. **Restart Obsidian:** New actions require a restart to register commands

### Hotkey Works in Edit Mode but Not Reading Mode

* This is expected behavior for selection-based actions
* Switch to Edit mode to use selection-dependent hotkeys
* Use the Action Palette (which works in both modes) for non-selection queries

### Wrong Action Triggered

* Check for duplicate action names
* Verify you assigned the hotkey to the correct command
* Review Settings → Hotkeys for the specific command

## Advanced Hotkey Patterns

### Modifier-Based Workflows

Use modifier keys to create related command groups:

```
⌘ + M: Context menu (base)
⌘ + Shift + M: Action palette (enhanced)
⌘ + Alt + M: Specific frequently-used action
```

### Vim-Style Shortcuts

For Vim users, consider using leader key patterns:

```
Space + g + g: Fix grammar
Space + g + c: Continue writing
Space + g + s: Summarize
Space + g + p: Action palette
```

<Note>
  Vim-style leader keys require the Obsidian Vimrc plugin or similar vim emulation plugins.
</Note>

### Context-Aware Shortcuts

Different hotkeys for different contexts:

```
Code blocks:
  ⌘ + Shift + D: Document code
  ⌘ + Shift + R: Review code
  
Prose writing:
  ⌘ + Shift + C: Continue writing
  ⌘ + Shift + G: Fix grammar
  
Research notes:
  ⌘ + Shift + S: Summarize
  ⌘ + Shift + A: Find action items
```

## Related Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Creating Custom Actions" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/guides/creating-custom-actions">
    Create actions to assign to hotkeys
  </Card>

  <Card title="Action Palette" icon="palette" href="/features/action-palette">
    Learn about the Action Palette features
  </Card>
</CardGroup>