VS Code · Go back
Navigation
Windows · Linux
Alt+LeftMac
Ctrl+-Returns to where the cursor just was; Windows uses Alt+Left, but on mac Cmd+[ is already outdent, so it is Ctrl+- there.
- Group
- Navigation
- Keys held
- 2
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 Go back in VS Code?
Returns to where the cursor just was; Windows uses Alt+Left, but on mac Cmd+[ is already outdent, so it is Ctrl+- there. It is Alt+Left on Windows and Ctrl+- on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — Alt+Left on Windows, Ctrl+- on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
2 pressed together. The combination sits under Navigation in VS Code.