Keybindings
tmux-dispatch provides keybindings at two levels: global tmux keybindings that open the popup, and mode-specific keybindings that work inside the popup.
Universal keys (all modes)
These keybindings work in every mode:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
? | Show context-sensitive help in preview pane |
Escape | Close popup |
Ctrl+D | Scroll preview half-page down |
Ctrl+U | Scroll preview half-page up |
Global tmux keybindings
These keybindings are registered by the plugin and work from any tmux pane.
| Key | Mode | Description |
|---|---|---|
Alt+o | prefix-free | Open file finder popup (@dispatch-find-key) |
prefix+e | prefix | Open file finder popup (@dispatch-prefix-key) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open live grep (@dispatch-grep-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open session picker (@dispatch-session-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open git status (@dispatch-git-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open directory jump (@dispatch-dirs-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open scrollback search (@dispatch-scrollback-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open scrollback tokens view (@dispatch-extract-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Open custom commands (@dispatch-commands-key, default: none) |
| (configurable) | prefix-free | Reopen last-used mode with last query (@dispatch-resume-key, default: none) |
All of these can be customized or disabled. See Configuration for details.
Files (home mode)
The default mode when the popup opens. Provides fuzzy file finding with preview.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Edit file in popup (vim/nvim) |
Ctrl+O | Send editor open command to originating pane |
Ctrl+Y | Copy file path to clipboard |
Ctrl+B | Toggle bookmark (starred indicator, pinned to top) |
Ctrl+G | Open marks (global bookmarks) |
Ctrl+H | Toggle hidden files |
Ctrl+R | Rename file |
Ctrl+X | Delete file(s) (multi-select supported) |
Tab / Shift+Tab | Toggle selection (multi-select) |
> prefix | Switch to grep (remainder becomes query) |
@ prefix | Switch to sessions (remainder becomes query) |
! prefix | Switch to git status (remainder becomes query) |
# prefix | Switch to directories (remainder becomes query) |
$ prefix | Switch to scrollback search (remainder becomes query) |
& prefix | Switch to scrollback extract/tokens (remainder becomes query) |
: prefix | Switch to custom commands (remainder becomes query) |
~ prefix | Switch to files from $HOME |
Mode prefix switching works by typing the prefix character as the first character in the query. The rest of the query carries over to the new mode. $ opens the lines view (deduplicated scrollback), while & opens the tokens view (extracted URLs, file:line paths, git hashes, IPs). Both views can be toggled with Ctrl+T once open.
Grep
Live search mode powered by ripgrep. The query reloads search results on every keystroke.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Edit file at matching line in popup |
Ctrl+O | Send editor open command to originating pane |
Ctrl+Y | Copy file:line to clipboard |
Ctrl+F | Toggle between live search and fuzzy filter |
Ctrl+R | Rename file |
Ctrl+X | Delete file |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Git status
Shows files with uncommitted changes. Status icons are colored by change type.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Edit file(s) in popup |
Tab | Stage/unstage file |
Shift+Tab | Toggle selection (multi-select) |
Ctrl+O | Send editor open command to originating pane |
Ctrl+Y | Copy file path(s) to clipboard |
Ctrl+R | Rename file |
Ctrl+X | Delete file(s) (multi-select supported) |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Directories
Browse directories from zoxide history or filesystem. Selecting a directory sends cd to your pane.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Send cd command to originating pane |
Ctrl+Y | Copy directory path to clipboard |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Sessions
Manage tmux sessions: switch between them, create new ones, or kill inactive sessions.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Switch to selected session, or create if name is new |
Ctrl+K | Kill selected session (refuses to kill current) |
Ctrl+N | Create session from project directory |
Ctrl+W | Browse windows for selected session |
Ctrl+Y | Copy session name to clipboard |
Ctrl+R | Rename session |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Windows
Browse and switch between windows in a session. Arrow keys navigate spatially within the 2-column grid preview.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Switch to selected window (and its session) |
Right | Move right in grid (next window) |
Left | Move left in grid (previous window) |
Down | Move down in grid (same column, next row) |
Up | Move up in grid (same column, previous row) |
Ctrl+Y | Copy window reference to clipboard |
Backspace on empty | Return to sessions |
Scrollback
Search and copy text from your terminal’s scrollback buffer. Two views toggle with Ctrl+T.
Lines view
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Copy selected line(s) to tmux buffer + system clipboard |
Ctrl+O | Paste selection into originating pane |
Ctrl+T | Switch to tokens (extract) view |
Tab / Shift+Tab | Toggle selection (multi-select) |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Tokens view (extract)
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Copy selected token(s) to tmux buffer + system clipboard |
Ctrl+O | Smart open: browser for URLs, editor for file:line, clipboard for others |
Ctrl+T | Switch to lines view |
Ctrl+/ | Filter by token type (cycles: all → url → path → hash → ip → uuid → diff → file) |
Tab / Shift+Tab | Toggle selection (multi-select) |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Commands
Run custom commands from your personal command palette.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Execute selected command |
Ctrl+E | Edit commands.conf in popup editor |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Marks
View and manage all bookmarked files across all directories.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Open file in popup editor |
Ctrl+O | Send file path to originating pane |
Ctrl+Y | Copy absolute path to clipboard |
Ctrl+B | Unbookmark (remove and reload) |
Backspace on empty | Return to files (home) |
Quick Reference by Action
| Action | Files | Grep | Git | Dirs | Sessions | Windows | Scrollback | Commands | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open/switch | Enter | Enter | Enter | Enter | Enter | Enter | — | Enter | Enter |
| Send to pane | Ctrl+O | Ctrl+O | Ctrl+O | — | — | — | Ctrl+O | — | Ctrl+O |
| Copy | Ctrl+Y | Ctrl+Y | Ctrl+Y | Ctrl+Y | Ctrl+Y | Ctrl+Y | Enter | — | Ctrl+Y |
| Toggle view | — | Ctrl+F | — | — | — | — | Ctrl+T | — | — |
| Filter type | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ctrl+/ | — | — |
| Rename | Ctrl+R | Ctrl+R | Ctrl+R | — | Ctrl+R | — | — | — | — |
| Delete | Ctrl+X | Ctrl+X | Ctrl+X | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bookmark | Ctrl+B | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ctrl+B* |
| Edit config | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ctrl+E | — |
| Go back | — | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace | Backspace |
*Ctrl+B in marks mode removes the bookmark