Trae IDE Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete AI Shortcut & Keybinding Guide

Key Takeaways

• Cmd/Ctrl + U opens Side Chat, the main shortcut for project-level AI conversations.
• Cmd/Ctrl + I opens Inline Chat, ideal for editing selected code or generating code at the cursor.
• Tab accepts AI completion and Esc rejects it.
• Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P opens the Command Palette, which is the fastest way to discover commands without memorizing every shortcut.
• Trae supports VS Code-style and JetBrains-style keymaps, and settings can be imported from editors such as VS Code and Cursor.
• Custom shortcuts can be managed visually or through keybindings.json.
• If a shortcut stops working, use Trae's keyboard shortcut troubleshooting command to identify conflicts.

Best shortcut set to memorize first: Cmd/Ctrl + U, Cmd/Ctrl + I, Tab, Esc, Cmd/Ctrl + P, and Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P.

Trae IDE Shortcut Quick Reference

The table below covers the shortcuts most developers use repeatedly.

Trae combines conventional IDE shortcuts with AI-specific commands. The most productive workflow is not to replace traditional navigation with AI, but to combine both.

The Two Most Important AI Shortcuts

Side Chat: Command/Ctrl + U

Use:

macOS: Command + U
Windows: Ctrl + U

Side Chat is Trae's project-level AI conversation interface.

It is the better choice when the task involves more than one local edit, such as:

• understanding an unfamiliar repository
• explaining architecture
• investigating an error across several files
• planning a new feature
• generating multiple related files
• discussing terminal output
• asking an Agent to complete a multi-step task
• reviewing implementation strategy before editing

A useful rule is:

Side Chat = broader context, multiple files, or multi-step work.

Inline Chat: Command/Ctrl + I

Use:

macOS: Command + I
Windows: Ctrl + I

Inline Chat is designed for focused code transformations inside the editor.

Two workflows are especially useful:

1. Cursor-based generation

Place the cursor where code should be inserted, press the shortcut, and describe what should be generated.

2. Selection-based editing

Select a function, component, query, or block of code before opening Inline Chat. The selected code becomes the natural editing target.

Typical requests include:

• refactor this function
• add error handling
• convert this JavaScript to TypeScript
• add loading and empty states
• extract this logic into a hook
• simplify this condition
• explain why this branch is unreachable
• add tests for this function

A useful rule is:

Inline Chat = one focused code change in the current editing context.

Side Chat vs Inline Chat

Using the right AI surface reduces unnecessary context switching.

AI Code Completion Shortcuts

Accept a Suggestion

Press:

Tab

When Trae displays an inline AI completion, Tab accepts it.

This is especially effective for predictable structures such as:

• TypeScript interfaces
• React props
• repetitive object fields
• API mappings
• test cases
• conditional branches
• form handlers
• boilerplate functions

The important habit is to inspect the suggestion before accepting it. AI completion is fastest when developers reject weak suggestions immediately rather than repairing them afterward.

Reject a Suggestion

Press:

Esc

Use Esc whenever the current completion is irrelevant, too long, or based on the wrong assumption.

Accept Completion Word by Word

TraeCode documentation also supports incremental acceptance.

macOS: Command + Right Arrow
Windows: Ctrl + Right Arrow

This is useful when the beginning of a generated completion is correct but the full suggestion is not.

Instead of accepting the entire completion and deleting the unwanted portion, developers can accept only the useful segment.

Switch Between Completion Candidates

Documented TraeCode shortcuts include:

Next suggestion
macOS: Option + ]
Windows: Alt + ]

Previous suggestion
macOS: Option + [
Windows: Alt + [

These are useful when several possible inline completions are available.

Tab-Cue and Predictive Editing

Trae's predictive editing system can go beyond ordinary autocomplete by estimating the next location that is likely to require an edit.

A documented manual trigger is:

macOS: Control + Shift + Enter
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Enter

On macOS, notice that this uses Control, not Command.

A typical workflow becomes:

Trigger prediction
→ inspect the suggested change
→ press Tab
→ move to the next predicted edit
→ inspect again
→ press Tab

This can be useful for related changes such as:

• updating paired conditions
• renaming related variables
• completing repeated object structures
• modifying nearby branches
• propagating a local pattern through the file

Command Palette: The Shortcut That Replaces Memorization

Use:

macOS: Command + Shift + P
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + P

The Command Palette is one of the highest-value shortcuts in Trae because it provides fuzzy search across IDE commands.

Instead of assigning a shortcut to every action, search for commands such as:

Keyboard Shortcuts
Open Keyboard Shortcuts JSON
Format Document
Reload Window
Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting

A practical strategy is:

1. Use the Command Palette for infrequent tasks.
2. Notice which commands are repeatedly searched.
3. Create custom shortcuts only for those high-frequency commands.

This keeps the keymap simple and memorable.

File Navigation Shortcuts

Quick Open: Command/Ctrl + P

Use:

macOS: Command + P
Windows: Ctrl + P

Quick Open is usually faster than browsing the Explorer tree.

Start typing part of a filename, for example:

userService

Trae filters matching files immediately.

For medium and large repositories, this can save substantial navigation time.

Global Project Search: Command/Ctrl + Shift + F

Use:

macOS: Command + Shift + F
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + F

Global Search is useful for finding:

• component usage
• API endpoints
• environment variables
• feature flags
• database fields
• CSS classes
• error strings
• deprecated APIs
• duplicated logic

It is also a useful verification step before asking an AI Agent to perform a large refactor.

Find in Current File: Command/Ctrl + F

Use:

macOS: Command + F
Windows: Ctrl + F

Then:

• Enter moves to the next match.
• Shift + Enter moves to the previous match.

This remains useful even in AI-heavy workflows because developers still need to verify generated changes.

Code Intelligence Shortcuts

Rename Symbol: F2

Use:

F2

Semantic rename is normally safer than raw search-and-replace.

It is useful for renaming:

• variables
• functions
• classes
• methods
• React components
• supported properties and symbols

When language tooling understands the project, symbol rename can update references more safely than replacing matching text.

Go to Definition

Use:

macOS: Command + F12
Windows: Ctrl + F12

This is particularly useful when reviewing AI-generated code.

If Trae inserts a call to an unfamiliar function, jumping to its definition helps verify:

• whether the function really exists
• parameter expectations
• return values
• side effects
• implementation assumptions

AI generation should accelerate exploration, not replace code verification.

Trigger Standard Code Completion

Use:

macOS: Command + Space
Windows: Ctrl + Space

This manually triggers completion suggestions.

macOS warning: Command + Space is commonly assigned to Spotlight. If Spotlight opens instead of Trae completion, change the macOS shortcut or remap the IDE command.

Essential Editing Shortcuts

The ability to copy or cut the current line without manually selecting it is particularly useful once it becomes muscle memory.

Toggle Comments Quickly

Use:

macOS: Command + /
Windows: Ctrl + /

This toggles line comments for the current line or selected lines.

It is useful during debugging, but large blocks of dead code should not be left commented out permanently. Source control is a better recovery mechanism.

Open Trae Settings

Use:

macOS: Command + ,
Windows: Ctrl + ,

Settings provide access to areas such as:

• fonts
• formatting
• autosave
• wrapping
• editor behavior
• extensions
• themes
• keyboard shortcuts
• AI-related preferences

How to Change Keyboard Shortcuts in Trae

Trae provides a visual Keyboard Shortcuts editor.

A typical path is:

Settings
→ General
→ Preferences
→ Keyboard Shortcuts

From there, users can:

• search for a command
• view its current shortcut
• assign a new key combination
• add a secondary binding
• remove a binding
• inspect conflicts

This is the safest approach for most users because conflicting keybindings are easier to identify visually.

Edit keybindings.json Directly

Advanced users can manage bindings through JSON.

Open the Command Palette:

macOS: Command + Shift + P
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + P

Then search for the command that opens Keyboard Shortcuts JSON.

A typical binding looks like:

[
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+r",
    "command": "example.command"
  }
]

The command identifier must match a command actually registered by Trae or an installed extension.

Direct JSON editing is useful when:

• maintaining many custom shortcuts
• moving settings between machines
• versioning editor configuration
• debugging conflicts
• synchronizing a team setup

For occasional changes, the graphical editor is usually easier.

Import VS Code or Cursor Keybindings

Trae can import settings from editors such as VS Code and Cursor.

This is useful because experienced developers often have years of established muscle memory.

After importing settings, verify these Trae-specific AI bindings:

Side Chat: Cmd/Ctrl + U
Inline Chat: Cmd/Ctrl + I

Imported keymaps can override existing Trae commands, so a missing AI shortcut does not necessarily mean the feature is broken.

VS Code vs JetBrains Shortcut Styles

Trae also supports familiar keymap styles, including VS Code-style and JetBrains-style mappings.

This helps developers moving from tools such as:

• IntelliJ IDEA
• WebStorm
• PyCharm
• GoLand
• Android Studio
• VS Code

Selecting the closest keymap is usually better than manually recreating dozens of shortcuts.

Trae-specific AI commands should still be checked separately because they may not have direct equivalents in the original editor.

Trae IDE vs TraeCode Plugin Shortcuts

Not every shortcut documented for Trae IDE should automatically be assumed to behave identically in every TraeCode plugin environment.

For TraeCode-style AI completion workflows, documented shortcuts include:

JetBrains plugin users should check the active plugin keymap because modifier behavior may differ.

The safest rule is:

Verify shortcuts inside the exact Trae environment being used rather than assuming every distribution shares the same mapping.

How to Find Any Shortcut in Trae

When a command is not listed in a cheat sheet, use this workflow:

1. Open Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Search for the command name.
3. Check the current binding.
4. Look for conflicts.
5. Add or modify the binding if necessary.

This is more reliable than depending on an old screenshot or tutorial because Trae is evolving rapidly.

Troubleshooting a Shortcut That Does Not Work

Open the Command Palette and search for:

Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting

Then press the problematic shortcut.

Trae can show which keyboard event was detected and which command received it.

This is useful for diagnosing:

• duplicate bindings
• imported keymap conflicts
• extension overrides
• incorrect command IDs
• operating-system interception
• Vim-mode remapping

Common Shortcut Conflicts

Design Mode Shortcuts

Trae's design-oriented canvas uses additional controls.

These apply to the design canvas rather than ordinary code editing.

Recommended Shortcut Learning Order

Instead of memorizing every command, learn them in three layers.

Level 1: Learn Immediately

Cmd/Ctrl + U        Side Chat
Cmd/Ctrl + I        Inline Chat
Tab                 Accept AI completion
Esc                 Reject AI completion
Cmd/Ctrl + P        Quick Open
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift+P  Command Palette

These shortcuts cover AI interaction and basic navigation.

Level 2: Use Daily

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift+F  Global Search
Cmd/Ctrl + F        Find in file
Cmd/Ctrl + /        Toggle comment
F2                  Rename symbol
Cmd/Ctrl + ,        Settings

Level 3: Learn as Needed

Add these only when they solve a recurring problem:

• incremental completion acceptance
• completion candidate navigation
• Tab-Cue manual trigger
• custom keybindings
• keyboard troubleshooting
• extension-specific commands
• design canvas shortcuts

A Keyboard-First Trae Workflow

A practical coding loop looks like this:

Cmd/Ctrl + P
→ open the target file

Cmd/Ctrl + F
→ locate the relevant logic

F2
→ safely rename a symbol if needed

Cmd/Ctrl + I
→ ask Inline Chat to modify selected code

Tab
→ accept a useful completion

Cmd/Ctrl + U
→ discuss broader multi-file changes

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + F
→ verify all affected usages

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P
→ run an occasional IDE command

This pattern combines AI generation with code intelligence and repository navigation.

That combination is more reliable than treating AI chat as a replacement for normal IDE tools.

Best Practices for Custom Trae Shortcuts

Keep Existing Muscle Memory

If a familiar action already has a VS Code or JetBrains shortcut, keeping that mapping usually provides more value than inventing a new one.

Reserve Easy Shortcuts for High-Frequency Tasks

Good candidates include:

• Side Chat
• Inline Chat
• terminal focus
• tests
• formatting
• high-frequency Agent commands

Avoid assigning a simple shortcut to a command used once a month.

Avoid Operating-System Conflicts

Before creating a binding, check whether macOS or Windows already uses it globally.

Use Chords for Specialized Commands

Less frequent actions can use multi-key combinations rather than competing with core shortcuts.

Review Imported Bindings

After importing settings from VS Code or Cursor, search for conflicting Trae AI commands.

Keep the Command Palette as the Fallback

Not every command needs a dedicated shortcut. Fuzzy search through the palette is already fast.

FAQ

What is the shortcut for Trae Side Chat?

Use Command + U on macOS or Ctrl + U on Windows.

What is the shortcut for Trae Inline Chat?

Use Command + I on macOS or Ctrl + I on Windows.

How do you accept Trae AI completion?

Press Tab when an inline completion appears.

How do you reject a Trae AI suggestion?

Press Esc.

How do you open the Command Palette in Trae?

Use Command + Shift + P on macOS or Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows.

How do you quickly open a file?

Use Command + P on macOS or Ctrl + P on Windows.

How do you search an entire Trae project?

Use Command + Shift + F on macOS or Ctrl + Shift + F on Windows.

Can Trae keyboard shortcuts be customized?

Yes. Trae provides a Keyboard Shortcuts editor, and advanced users can modify keybindings.json directly.

Can Trae use VS Code shortcuts?

Yes. Trae supports VS Code-style keymaps and can import editor settings.

Can Trae import Cursor shortcuts?

Trae supports importing configuration from Cursor. After importing, verify Trae-specific AI bindings because imported shortcuts can create conflicts.

Why does Command + Space not work on macOS?

macOS commonly reserves Command + Space for Spotlight. Remap Spotlight or assign a different Trae shortcut for code completion.

Why did Cmd/Ctrl + U stop opening Side Chat?

The most common reason is a conflicting imported or custom keybinding. Search the Keyboard Shortcuts editor for that key combination and inspect every command assigned to it.

How can a shortcut conflict be diagnosed?

Run Developer: Toggle Keyboard Shortcuts Troubleshooting from the Command Palette and press the problematic shortcut.

Conclusion

Trae IDE becomes significantly faster once its AI features are integrated into a keyboard-first workflow.

The most important shortcuts are:

Cmd/Ctrl + U        Side Chat
Cmd/Ctrl + I        Inline Chat
Tab                 Accept AI completion
Esc                 Reject AI completion
Cmd/Ctrl + P        Quick Open
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift+P  Command Palette

From there, traditional IDE commands such as global search, semantic rename, definition navigation, commenting, and settings provide the verification layer that AI-assisted coding still requires.

Developers moving from VS Code, Cursor, or JetBrains should preserve familiar keymaps wherever possible, then add only the Trae-specific AI shortcuts that improve daily work.

The most effective approach is not to memorize the entire shortcut list at once. Start with the six core commands, use them until they become automatic, and customize additional bindings only when a recurring workflow clearly benefits from them.