Keyboard shortcuts

Do the common things from the keyboard: open papers, switch views, highlight and move around. You can see every shortcut in the app and change the keys to suit you.

Applies to Mendeley and Zotero editions Windows · Linux · Mac · iPad · Android Free

See every shortcut

The app always shows the keys that really work, including any you have changed.

  • iPadWith a keyboard attached, hold ⌘ anywhere. The shortcuts for the screen in front appear.
  • MacThe menus in the menu bar list the shortcuts. Holding ⌘ shows the same list.
  • Mac · iPadThe full table is also in Settings › FAQ › Keyboard shortcuts.
  • WindowsPress F1, or click the keyboard button at the top right. The list includes the mouse gestures too.
  • AndroidWith a keyboard attached, the full list is in Settings › FAQ › Keyboard shortcuts. See Android keys below.

Main shortcuts

These are the defaults. A "—" means that system has no key for it; use the button instead.

ActionMac and iPadWindows · LinuxAndroid
Search the library⌘K (or ⌘L)Ctrl+K (or Ctrl+L)Ctrl+K, Ctrl+L
Show or hide the library⌘BCtrl+BCtrl+B
Settings⌘,Ctrl+,Ctrl+,
Open a file⌘OCtrl+OCtrl+O
Show the shortcut listhold ⌘F1—
Open papers⌘⇧OCtrl+Shift+ACtrl+Shift+O
Next / previous paper⌃Tab / ⌃⇧TabCtrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+TabCtrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab
Open the selected paper / open it besideReturn / —Enter / Ctrl+EnterEnter / —
Add a PDF to Mendeley or Zotero⌘⇧MMendeley edition Ctrl+Shift+M, Zotero edition Ctrl+Shift+PCtrl+Shift+M
Open the research theme⌘⇧T—Ctrl+Shift+T
Find in the paper⌘FCtrl+FCtrl+F
Go to page⌘GCtrl+GCtrl+G
Scroll by a screenPage Up / Page Down, SpacePage Up / Page Down (Space in Reading Mode)Page Up / Page Down, Space
First / last pageHome / EndHome / EndHome / End
Zoom in / out / fit width⌘+ / ⌘− / ⌘0Ctrl++ / Ctrl+− / Ctrl+0Ctrl++ / Ctrl+− / Ctrl+0
PDF ⇄ Reading Mode⌘RCtrl+RCtrl+R
Show the PDF beside Reading Mode⌘⇧RCtrl+Shift+RCtrl+Shift+R
1 screen / 2 screens⌘⇧DCtrl+Shift+DCtrl+Shift+D
Figure panel⌘⇧FCtrl+Shift+FCtrl+Shift+F
Previous / next figure⌥Page Up / ⌥Page DownAlt+Page Up / Alt+Page DownAlt+Page Up / Alt+Page Down
Highlight / underline / pen / eraserH / U / P / EH / U / P / EH / U / P / E
Undo / redo⌘Z / ⌘⇧ZCtrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+ZCtrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z
Copy with page⌘⇧CCtrl+Shift+C (Reading Mode)Ctrl+Shift+C
Copy with citation⌘⌥CCtrl+Alt+CCtrl+Alt+C
Send to theme⌘⇧NCtrl+Shift+NCtrl+Shift+N
Similar passages in other papers—Ctrl+Shift+SCtrl+Shift+S
Bookmark this page⌘D (Reading Mode)Ctrl+DCtrl+D
Export⌘⇧E—Ctrl+Shift+E
Close the paper⌘WCtrl+WCtrl+W
Outline of the note beside the paper—Ctrl+Shift+O—
Clear the selectionEscEscEsc
  • In Reading Mode, ⌘+ / ⌘− / ⌘0 (Ctrl+= / Ctrl+− / Ctrl+0 on Windows and Android) change the text size instead of zooming. See Reading Mode.
  • The single-letter keys (H, U, P, E) work while you are not typing in a field.

Change a shortcut

  1. Open the shortcut settings:
    • Mac · iPadSettings › FAQ › Keyboard shortcuts.
    • WindowsSettings › Shortcuts, or Change shortcuts… in the F1 list.
    • AndroidSettings › FAQ › Keyboard shortcuts.
  2. Click (or tap) the shortcut you want to change.
  3. Press the new keys, or a side button of the mouse. Esc cancels; Backspace or Delete removes the shortcut.
  4. If the keys already belong to another action, Rectoly tells you which one. Choose Use it here to move them.
  5. A plain letter on its own is only for tool keys such as H. For other actions, add ⌘, Ctrl or Alt, or use a function key.
  6. To go back, use Reset to default on a row, or Reset all shortcuts at the top.
  • Your keys are saved on this device only, so a Mac and an iPad can use different keys.
  • A few keys, such as Esc and the arrow keys, are fixed.

Mouse side buttons

The side buttons of a mouse (Mouse 4 and Mouse 5, usually Back and Forward) scroll up or down by a screen. Like any key, you can give them to another action in the shortcut settings.

  • If a mouse button does nothing in Rectoly (for example the extra buttons of a gaming mouse), give it a key in the mouse's own software, then choose that key in Rectoly.
  • WindowsCtrl + wheel, Shift + wheel and dragging with the wheel button are on Mouse, right-click and drag.

Android keys Android

AndroidWith a physical keyboard, such as a keyboard case or a Bluetooth keyboard, the shortcuts are those in the Android column of the table above. Ctrl or the ⌘ key of a Mac keyboard both work. See and change them in Settings › FAQ › Keyboard shortcuts. A few keys are Android's own:

  • AndroidThe volume keys turn the page, with or without a keyboard: volume down goes forward, volume up goes back.
  • AndroidZ on a keyboard zooms in; press it again to zoom back out.

For taps and gestures, see Touch, Apple Pencil and stylus.

Updated September 27, 2026