VS Code · Column selection
Selection
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+Shift+Alt+DownMac
Cmd+Shift+Option+DownSelects a rectangular block across lines; with the mouse it is Shift+Alt+drag, or Shift+Option+drag on mac, and lines too short to reach the column contribute nothing.
- Group
- Selection
- Keys held
- 4
Learn the command palette (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P) and you can skip memorising the rest — type a feature name and its shortcut is listed beside it.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Column selection in VS Code?
Selects a rectangular block across lines; with the mouse it is Shift+Alt+drag, or Shift+Option+drag on mac, and lines too short to reach the column contribute nothing. It is Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Down on Windows and Cmd+Shift+Option+Down on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Down on Windows, Cmd+Shift+Option+Down on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
4 pressed together. The combination sits under Selection in VS Code.