Key Bindings

Rio allows you to add new keybindings and overwrite any default key bindings.

Bindings are built using the following trigger fields:

Name	Description
key	The key pressed
with	Modifier keys
mode	Terminal mode

Whom can be be combined with the following effect fields:

Name	Description
action	Predefined Rio actions
esc	Send escape sequence

[bindings]
keys = [
  { key = "q", with = "super", action = "Quit" },
  # Send escape sequence to clear screen and move cursor to home
  { key = "l", with = "control", esc = "\u001b[2J\u001b[H" },
  # Remove existing keybind
  { key = "v", with = "control | shift", action = "none" },
  # Panel resize actions (customize as needed)
  { key = "up", with = "control | super", action = "MoveDividerUp" },
  { key = "down", with = "control | super", action = "MoveDividerDown" },
  { key = "left", with = "control | super", action = "MoveDividerLeft" },
  { key = "right", with = "control | super", action = "MoveDividerRight" },
]

Key

Each value in key binding will specify an identifier of the key pressed:

a-z
0-9
F1-F24
tab esc
home space delete insert pageup pagedown end back
up down left right
@ colon . return [ ] ; \\ + , / = - *
numpadenter numpadadd numpadcomma numpaddivide numpadequals numpadsubtract numpadmultiply
numpad1 numpad2 numpad3 numpad4 numpad5 numpad6 numpad7 numpad8 numpad9 numpad0

Action

Execute a predefined action in Rio terminal.

Basic Actions

Action	Description
None
ReceiveChar
ToggleVIMode
Paste	Paste command
Copy	Copy command
OpenConfigEditor	Open configuration file on configured editor property
ResetFontSize
IncreaseFontSize
DecreaseFontSize
Run(string)	Example: Running command `Run(code)` or `Run(code ~/.config/rio/config.toml)`
PasteSelection
ClearSelection
CreateWindow	Create a Rio window instance
Quit	Exit Rio
ToggleFullscreen	Toggle fullscreen

Split Actions

Action	Description
SplitRight	Create a split by right side
SplitDown	Create a split by under current pane
SelectNextSplit	Select next split
SelectPrevSplit	Select previous split
CloseSplitOrTab	Close split, if split is the last then will close the tab
SelectNextSplitOrTab	Select next split if available if not next tab
SelectPrevSplitOrTab	Select previous split if available if not previous tab
MoveDividerUp	Move the split divider up to resize panels
MoveDividerDown	Move the split divider down to resize panels
MoveDividerLeft	Move the split divider left to resize panels
MoveDividerRight	Move the split divider right to resize panels

Tab Actions

Action	Description
CreateTab	Create new tab
CloseTab	Close current tab
CloseUnfocusedTabs	Close all tabs that are not currently focused
SelectNextTab	Select next tab
SelectPrevTab	Select pervious tab
SelectLastTab	Select last tab
MoveCurrentTabToNext	Move the current focused tab to the next slot, or first when last
MoveCurrentTabToPrev	Move the current focused tab to the previous slot, or last when first
SelectTab(tab_index)	Example: Select first tab `SelectTab(0)`, second tab `SelectTab(1)`

Scroll Actions

Action	Description
Scroll(int)	Example: Scroll up 8 lines `Scroll(8)` or scroll down 5 lines `Scroll(-5)`
ScrollPageUp
ScrollPageDown
ScrollHalfPageUp
ScrollHalfPageDown
ScrollToTop
ScrollToBottom

Search Actions

Action	Description
SearchForward
SearchBackward
SearchConfirm
SearchClear
SearchFocusNext
SearchFocusPrevious
SearchDeleteWord
SearchHistoryNext
SearchHistoryPrevious

Esc

Send escape sequences to the running application.

The esc field writes the specified escape sequence to the terminal. This makes it possible to send control sequences like clearing the screen, moving the cursor, or any other ANSI escape sequences. The sequences are sent directly to the PTY without any text manipulation.

Common Escape Sequences

[bindings]
keys = [
  # Clear screen (ESC [ 2 J)
  { key = "k", with = "control", esc = "\u001b[2J" },

  # Clear screen and move cursor to home (ESC [ 2 J  ESC [ H)
  { key = "l", with = "control", esc = "\u001b[2J\u001b[H" },

  # Send form feed character (Ctrl+L) — works in most shells
  { key = "l", with = "control", esc = "\u000c" },

  # Move cursor to beginning of line (ESC [ H)
  { key = "a", with = "control", esc = "\u001b[H" },

  # Delete from cursor to end of line (ESC [ K)
  { key = "k", with = "control", esc = "\u001b[K" },

  # Send custom escape sequence (example: tmux prefix)
  { key = "a", with = "control", esc = "\u001ba" },

  # Page Up (ESC [ 5 ~)
  { key = "PageUp", esc = "\u001b[5~" },

  # Page Down (ESC [ 6 ~)
  { key = "PageDown", esc = "\u001b[6~" },
]

Escape Sequence Format

Escape sequences must use Unicode escape notation in TOML:

\u001b → ESC character (ASCII 27)
\u000c → Form feed (Ctrl+L)
\n → Newline
\r → Carriage return
\t → Tab

Important: In TOML configuration files, you must use \u001b for the ESC character. The \x1b notation will not work in TOML strings.

With

Key modifiers to filter binding actions

none
control
option
super
shift
alt

Multiple modifiers can be combined using | like this:

with = "control | shift"

Mode

There is currently four different modes:

vi
alt (Alt screen)
appcursor
appkeypad

~ can be prefixed to disable the keybind while in that mode.

[bindings]
keys = [
  # Enable VI mode on escape, when not in VI mode.
  { key = "esc", mode = "~vi", action = "ToggleVIMode" },
]

Overwriting

Bindings are always filled by default, but will be replaced when a new binding with the same triggers is defined. To unset a default binding, it can be mapped to the ReceiveChar action. Alternatively, you can use None for a no-op if you do not wish to receive input characters for that binding.

The example below will disable window creation binding in the macos:

[bindings]
keys = [
  { key = "n", with = "super", action = "ReceiveChar" }
]

ReceiveChar will treat the binding as non existent and simply receive the input and put the character into the terminal.

Optionally you can ignore/disable completely a binding using None. In the example below, whenever you use key "n" along with "super" key nothing will happen.

[bindings]
keys = [
  { key = "n", with = "super", action = "None" }
]

If you are missing a key binding that you believe that should be a default in the platform that you are using, feel free to open an issue.

Default

MacOS

Action	Key
Open configuration	`Command + Comma (,)`
Toggle VI Mode	`Option + Shift + Space`
Copy	`Command + C`
Paste	`Command + V`
Create new window	`Command + N`
Create new tab	`Command + T`
Move to next tab	`Control + Tab` or `Command + Shift + RightBracket (])`
Move to previous tab	`Control + Shift + Tab` or `Command + Shift + LeftBracket ([)`
Increase font size	`Command + Plus (+)`
Decrease font size	`Command + Minus (-)`
Reset font size	`Command + 0`
Minimize window	`Command + M`
Quit	`Command + Q`
Close tab	`Command + W`
Select the first tab	`Command + 1`
Select the second tab	`Command + 2`
Select the third tab	`Command + 3`
Select the fourth tab	`Command + 4`
Select the fifth tab	`Command + 5`
Select the sixth tab	`Command + 6`
Select the seventh tab	`Command + 7`
Select the eighth tab	`Command + 8`
Select the last tab	`Command + 9`
Search forward	`Command + f`
Search backward	`Command + b`
Split right	`Command + d`
Split down	`Command + Shift + d`
Select next split	`Command + ]`
Select prev split	`Command + [`
Move divider up	`Control + Command + ArrowUp`
Move divider down	`Control + Command + ArrowDown`
Move divider left	`Control + Command + ArrowLeft`
Move divider right	`Control + Command + ArrowRight`

Windows

Action	Key
Open configuration	`Control + Shift + Comma (,)`
Toggle VI Mode	`Control + Shift + Space`
Copy	`Control + Shift + C`
Paste	`Control + Shift + V`
Create new window	`Control + Shift + N`
Create new tab	`Control + Shift + T`
Move to next tab	`Control + Tab` or `Control + Shift + RightBracket (])`
Move to previous tab	`Control + Shift + Tab` `Control + Shift + LeftBracket ([)`
Increase font size	`Control + Plus (+)`
Decrease font size	`Control + Minus (-)`
Reset font size	`Control + 0`
Close tab or quit	`Control + Shift + W`
Select the first tab	`Control + Shift + 1`
Select the second tab	`Control + Shift + 2`
Select the third tab	`Control + Shift + 3`
Select the fourth tab	`Control + Shift + 4`
Select the fifth tab	`Control + Shift + 5`
Select the sixth tab	`Control + Shift + 6`
Select the seventh tab	`Control + Shift + 7`
Select the eighth tab	`Control + Shift + 8`
Select the last tab	`Control + Shift + 9`
Search forward	`Control + Shift + f`
Search backward	`Control + Shift + b`
Split right	`Control + Shift + r`
Split down	`Control + Shift + d`
Select next split	`Control + Shift + ]`
Select prev split	`Control + Shift + [`
Move divider up	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowUp`
Move divider down	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowDown`
Move divider left	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowLeft`
Move divider right	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowRight`

Linux and BSD

Action	Key
Open configuration	`Control + Shift + Comma (,)`
Toggle VI Mode	`Alt + Shift + Space`
Copy	`Control + Shift + C`
Paste	`Control + Shift + V`
Create new window	`Control + Shift + N`
Create new tab	`Control + Shift + T`
Move to next tab	`Control + Tab` or `Control + Shift + RightBracket (])`
Move to previous tab	`Control + Shift + Tab` or `Control + Shift + LeftBracket ([)`
Increase font size	`Control + Plus (+)`
Decrease font size	`Control + Minus (-)`
Reset font size	`Control + 0`
Close tab or quit	`Control + Shift + W`
Select the first tab	`Control + Shift + 1`
Select the second tab	`Control + Shift + 2`
Select the third tab	`Control + Shift + 3`
Select the fourth tab	`Control + Shift + 4`
Select the fifth tab	`Control + Shift + 5`
Select the sixth tab	`Control + Shift + 6`
Select the seventh tab	`Control + Shift + 7`
Select the eighth tab	`Control + Shift + 8`
Select the last tab	`Control + Shift + 9`
Search forward	`Control + Shift + f`
Search backward	`Control + Shift + b`
Split right	`Control + Shift + r`
Split down	`Control + Shift + d`
Select next split	`Control + Shift + ]`
Select prev split	`Control + Shift + [`
Move divider up	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowUp`
Move divider down	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowDown`
Move divider left	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowLeft`
Move divider right	`Control + Shift + Alt + ArrowRight`

Search

Action	Key
Quit search	`Escape` (while search is open)
Quit search	`Control + c` (while search is open)
Focus next	`Enter` (while search is open)
Focus previous	`Shift + Enter` (while search is open)
Clear search word	`Control + w` (while search is open)
Search history previous	`Control + p` (while search is open)
Search history previous	`ArrowUp` (while search is open)
Search history next	`Control + n` (while search is open)
Search history next	`ArrowDown` (while search is open)

Common Escape Sequences​

Escape Sequence Format​

Default​

MacOS​

Windows​

Linux and BSD​

Search​