The MCP Inspector includes comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for rapid navigation and efficient workflow. All shortcuts work when no input field is focused.
Quick Reference
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|
Cmd/Ctrl + K | Open command palette |
Cmd/Ctrl + O | Start new chat |
Esc | Close/blur modals and overlays |
t | Switch to Tools tab |
p | Switch to Prompts tab |
r | Switch to Resources tab |
c | Switch to Chat tab |
h | Navigate to Home/Dashboard |
f | Focus search in current tab |
Cmd/Ctrl + K works even when input fields are focused. All other shortcuts are disabled when typing in input fields.
Global Shortcuts
Command Palette
Cmd/Ctrl + K
Open the command palette for quick search and navigation.
Available actions:
- Connect to new servers
- Search and execute tools
- Navigate to saved requests
- Switch between servers
- Access documentation links
- Jump to tabs
This shortcut works even when input fields are focused, making it always accessible.
New Chat
Cmd/Ctrl + O
Start a new chat session in the Chat tab.
Use cases:
- Quick chat initiation
- Reset conversation context
- Start fresh debugging session
Close/Blur
Esc
Close modals, overlays, and blur focused elements.
Actions:
- Close command palette
- Close dialogs
- Blur search inputs
- Exit fullscreen widgets
Tab Navigation
Navigate between inspector tabs without using the mouse:
t
Switch to the Tools tab.
When to use:
- Quick tool execution
- Testing tool functionality
- Viewing tool results
Prompts Tab
p
Switch to the Prompts tab.
When to use:
- Testing prompts
- Viewing prompt templates
- Executing prompts with arguments
Resources Tab
r
Switch to the Resources tab.
When to use:
- Browsing available resources
- Reading resource content
- Testing resource access
Chat Tab
c
Switch to the Chat tab.
When to use:
- Starting conversations
- Testing conversational flows
- LLM integration testing
Home/Dashboard
h
Navigate back to the dashboard/home view.
When to use:
- Return to connection management
- Add new servers
- View all connections
Search Shortcuts
Focus Search
f
Focus the search bar in the current tab (Tools, Prompts, or Resources).
Behavior:
- Tools tab: Focus tool search
- Prompts tab: Focus prompt search
- Resources tab: Focus resource search
- Other tabs: No effect
Use cases:
- Quick tool lookup
- Filtering long lists
- Finding specific items
Shortcut Behavior
Shortcuts are automatically disabled when you’re typing in:
- Text inputs
- Textareas
- Content-editable elements
Exception: Cmd/Ctrl + K always works, even in input fields.
Modifier Keys
Most shortcuts don’t require modifier keys, but some do:
Cmd/Ctrl + K: Requires modifierCmd/Ctrl + O: Requires modifierEsc: No modifier needed- Single letters (
t, p, r, c, h, f): No modifier needed
Browser Conflicts
Some shortcuts may conflict with browser defaults:
Cmd/Ctrl + R: Browser refresh (not overridden)Cmd/Ctrl + W: Browser close tab (not overridden)Cmd/Ctrl + T: Browser new tab (not overridden)
The inspector only handles shortcuts when they don’t conflict with browser functionality.
Usage Tips
Efficient Workflow
- Quick Navigation: Use
t, p, r, c to jump between tabs
- Search First: Press
Cmd/Ctrl + K to search before navigating
- Focus Search: Press
f to quickly filter in current tab
- Escape to Close: Use
Esc to dismiss any overlay
Command Palette Workflow
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl + K
- Type to search:
- Tool names
- Server names
- Saved request names
- Commands
- Use arrow keys to navigate
- Press
Enter to select
- Press
Esc to close
Tab Switching Workflow
- Use single-letter shortcuts (
t, p, r, c) for quick tab access
- Press
h to return to dashboard
- Use
f to focus search in current tab
- Combine with
Cmd/Ctrl + K for advanced navigation
Shortcut Reference Table
| Shortcut | Action | Works in Input? |
|---|
Cmd/Ctrl + K | Open command palette | ✅ Yes |
Cmd/Ctrl + O | Start new chat | ❌ No |
Esc | Close/blur | ✅ Yes |
t | Tools tab | ❌ No |
p | Prompts tab | ❌ No |
r | Resources tab | ❌ No |
c | Chat tab | ❌ No |
h | Home/Dashboard | ❌ No |
f | Focus search | ❌ No |
