Jupyter Notebook Keyboard Shortcut Keys: Complete List (With Functions Explained)

Jupyter Notebook (and JupyterLab) has two keyboard worlds: Command Mode, where keys manage cells themselves, and Edit Mode, where keys edit inside a cell. Blue border means Command Mode, green means Edit Mode — Esc and Enter switch between them. This complete list of Jupyter Notebook keyboard shortcut keys explains both modes in plain words.

Switching Modes and Running Cells

Shortcut Key	Function
Esc	Enter Command Mode (from Edit Mode)
Enter	Enter Edit Mode for the selected cell
Shift + Enter	Run the cell and move to the next one
Ctrl + Enter	Run the cell and stay on it
Alt + Enter	Run the cell and insert a new cell below
Ctrl + S	Save the notebook
Ctrl + Shift + P (JupyterLab)	Open the Command Palette
Ctrl + Shift + C (classic Notebook)	Open the Command Palette
H (Command Mode)	Show the keyboard shortcuts help dialog

Command Mode Shortcuts (managing cells)

Shortcut Key	Function
Up / Down Arrow (or K / J)	Select the cell above / below
A	Insert a cell Above
B	Insert a cell Below
Y	Change the cell to Code
M	Change the cell to Markdown
R	Change the cell to Raw
1 to 6	Change the Markdown cell to Heading level 1–6
D, D (press D twice)	Delete the selected cells
Z	Undo the last cell deletion
X	Cut the selected cells
C	Copy the selected cells
V	Paste cells below
Shift + V	Paste cells above
Shift + M	Merge the selected cells
Shift + Arrow keys	Extend the cell selection up/down
L	Toggle line numbers in the selected cells
Shift + L	Toggle line numbers in all cells
O	Toggle the cell output visibility
Shift + O	Toggle output scrolling for the cell
I, I (press I twice)	Interrupt the kernel (stop a running cell)
0, 0 (press 0 twice)	Restart the kernel
Space / Shift + Space	Scroll the notebook down / up
S	Save the notebook

Edit Mode Shortcuts (inside a cell)

Shortcut Key	Function
Tab (with partial code)	Show code completion suggestions
Tab (on selected lines)	Indent the lines
Shift + Tab	Show the tooltip/help for the object (press twice for the full help)
Shift + Tab (on selected lines)	Dedent the lines
Ctrl + ]	Indent
Ctrl + [	Dedent
Ctrl + /	Comment / uncomment the selected lines
Ctrl + Shift + - (minus)	Split the cell at the cursor
Ctrl + A	Select all the code in the cell
Ctrl + Z	Undo (inside the cell)
Ctrl + Shift + Z or Ctrl + Y	Redo
Ctrl + Left / Right Arrow	Move by word
Ctrl + Backspace / Ctrl + Delete	Delete the word before / after the cursor
Ctrl + Home / Ctrl + End	Move to the cell start / cell end
Alt + Up / Down Arrow (JupyterLab)	Move the current line up / down
Ctrl + D (JupyterLab)	Select the next occurrence (multi-cursor find match)
Esc	Back to Command Mode

Tips for Jupyter Users

The run trio is everything: Shift + Enter (run + advance), Ctrl + Enter (run in place) and Alt + Enter (run + fresh cell below) cover 90% of notebook work. When a cell hangs, I I interrupts the kernel without losing variables; 0 0 restarts it clean. And Shift + Tab over any function name opens its documentation inline — the fastest way to check arguments without leaving the notebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Command Mode and Edit Mode in Jupyter?

Edit Mode (green border) edits inside one cell; Command Mode (blue border) treats cells as objects — moving, copying, deleting and converting them. Esc enters Command Mode, Enter enters Edit Mode.

How do I run a cell and stay on it in Jupyter?

Press Ctrl + Enter. Shift + Enter runs and moves down; Alt + Enter runs and inserts a new empty cell below.

How do I delete a cell in Jupyter Notebook?

In Command Mode, select the cell and press D twice (D, D). Press Z to undo the deletion.

How do I stop a running cell in Jupyter?

Press I twice (I, I) in Command Mode to interrupt the kernel, or use the stop button in the toolbar — your variables stay intact.

By Umar Farooq, Tech Know.