Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts help you work faster in Paperpile. Press ? (question mark) anytime in the web app to see the full list of shortcuts.
All keyboard shortcuts in the web app
| Category | Action | macOS | Windows and Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
Search | Search library | / | / |
Quick lookup | @ | @ | |
Clear search box | Esc | Esc | |
Reference list | View PDF | V or Return | V or Enter |
Open web link in new tab | W | W | |
Show or hide abstract | A | A | |
Show or hide files panel | Y | Y | |
Show or hide reference details | I | I | |
List navigation | One reference up | K or ↑ | K or ↑ |
One reference down | J or ↓ | J or ↓ | |
One page up | Page | Page | |
One page down | Page | Page | |
Move to first reference | Home | Home | |
Move to last reference | End | End | |
Selection | Select all | Cmd+A | Ctrl+A |
Select none | Esc | Esc | |
Select or unselect current reference | X | X | |
Select only current reference, unselect others | Shift+X | Shift+X | |
Select multiple references | Shift+↑ or Shift+↓ | Shift+↑ or Shift+↓ | |
Add new | Search online | + | + |
Create new reference | N | N | |
Paste | P | P | |
Upload files | Cmd+O | Ctrl+O | |
Organize | Labels | L | L |
Folders | F | F | |
Star or unstar | S | S | |
Trash | # or Delete or Del | # or Backspace or Delete | |
New folder | Shift+F | Shift+F | |
New label | Shift+L | Shift+L | |
Reference actions | Edit metadata | E | E |
Auto update metadata | U | U | |
Find and download PDF online | D | D | |
Merge references | Cmd+M | Ctrl+M | |
Export | Cmd+E | Ctrl+E | |
Attach file | O | O | |
Copy to clipboard | Copy citation as text | Cmd+C | Ctrl+C |
Copy BibTeX | Cmd+B | Ctrl+B | |
Copy citation key | Cmd+K | Ctrl+K | |
Copy DOI | Cmd+D | Ctrl+D | |
Copy LaTeX citation | Shift+Cmd+K | Ctrl+Alt+K | |
Copy link to reference | Cmd+Option+L | Ctrl+Alt+L | |
Left sidebar | Open or close sidebar | Cmd+\ | Ctrl+\ |
Select multiple labels or folders | Cmd+Click | Ctrl+Click | |
Expand or collapse all folders | Option+Click+little triangle on section header | Alt+Click+little triangle on section header | |
Go to | This help screen | ? | ? |
Back to All (clear folders and labels) | Esc | Esc | |
Settings | Cmd+Option+T | Ctrl+Alt+T | |
Workflows and Integrations | Cmd+Option+W | Ctrl+Alt+W | |
Add menu | Cmd+Option+B | Ctrl+Alt+B | |
Filter menu | Cmd+Option+F | Ctrl+Alt+F | |
Filter labels | Cmd+Option+Y | Ctrl+Alt+Y | |
Notes | Add note | M | M |
Sharing | Share via link or email | Shift+S | Shift+S |
Tips for using keyboard shortcuts
Learn shortcuts gradually: Start with the most common actions like searching (/), online search (+), and organizing (L for labels, F for folders). You'll naturally pick up others as you work.
Use the help menu: Click on the question mark in the bottom left of the screen and select Keyboard shortcuts from the menu, or press ? to show the keyboard shortcut help window.
Search for shortcuts: In the keyboard shortcut help window (press ?), type in the search box to filter shortcuts by action. Try searching "PDF," "export," or "label" to find what you need quickly.
Combine shortcuts with mouse actions: Many shortcuts work on selected references. For example, select references with your mouse, then press E to edit them all at once.
Common questions
How do I see keyboard shortcuts in the web app?
Press ? (question mark) anywhere in the web app to open the help screen with all available shortcuts.
Can I customize keyboard shortcuts?
Keyboard shortcuts are currently fixed and cannot be customized.
Do keyboard shortcuts work in the PDF viewer?
The PDF viewer has its own set of keyboard shortcuts. Press ? while viewing a PDF to see them. See View and navigate PDFs and Add notes and annotate PDFs for more details.
Do keyboard shortcuts work in the browser extension popup?
The browser extension popup has its own set of keyboard shortcuts. See Browser extension settings for more information.