Navigate and manage Google Drive using keyboard shortcuts — browse files, select items, create documents, share, move, rename, delete, preview, and manage views. Use when: user needs to organize files in Drive, create new documents, share files, navigate folders, or perform file operations. Environment: Google Drive web app in a browser (drive.google.com).
Google Drive is the file management web app at drive.google.com.
Press
Ctrl + /(Windows) or⌘ + /(macOS) to display the keyboard shortcuts list inside Drive.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Go to navigation panel (folders list) | Alt + g then n or Alt + g then f | Option + g then n or Option + g then f |
| Go to items view | Alt + g then i | Option + g then i |
| Switch between grid and list in items view |
Alt + v then l |
Option + v then l |
| Go to page content | Alt + g then c | Option + g then c |
| Go to details pane | Alt + g then d | Option + g then d |
| Go to top of application (Google bar) | Alt + g then t | Option + g then t |
| Go to download status | Alt + g then a | Option + g then a |
| Go to upload status | Alt + g then u | Option + g then u |
| Show or hide approvals pane | Alt + v then e | Option + v then e |
| Show or hide details pane | Alt + v then d | Option + v then d |
| Show or hide activity pane | Alt + v then a | Option + v then a |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Select or deselect item | Shift + Space | Shift + Space |
| Select next item down | Down arrow | Down arrow |
| Select next item up | Up arrow | Up arrow |
| Select next item left | Left arrow | Left arrow |
| Select next item right | Right arrow | Right arrow |
| Extend selection down | Shift + Down arrow | Shift + Down arrow |
| Extend selection up | Shift + Up arrow | Shift + Up arrow |
| Extend selection left | Shift + Left arrow | Shift + Left arrow |
| Extend selection right | Shift + Right arrow | Shift + Right arrow |
| Select all visible items | Ctrl + a | ⌘ + a |
| Clear all selections | Esc | Esc |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move down without changing selection | Ctrl + Down arrow | ⌘ + Down arrow |
| Move up without changing selection | Ctrl + Up arrow | ⌘ + Up arrow |
| Move left without changing selection | Ctrl + Left arrow | ⌘ + Left arrow |
| Move right without changing selection | Ctrl + Right arrow | ⌘ + Right arrow |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open selected items | Enter | Enter |
| Open selected items in new tab | Ctrl + Enter | ⌘ + Enter |
| Rename selected items | F2 | Enter (single press) or F2 |
| Share selected items | Ctrl + Alt + a | ⌘ + Option + a |
| Move selected items to new folder | Ctrl + Alt + m | ⌘ + Option + m |
| Star or unstar selected items | Ctrl + Alt + s | ⌘ + Option + s |
| Create shortcut to selected items | Ctrl + Alt + r | ⌘ + Option + r |
| Remove selected items | Delete or # | Delete or # |
| Copy selected item URLs to clipboard | Ctrl + Alt + l | ⌘ + Option + l |
| Copy selected item titles to clipboard | Ctrl + Shift + c | ⌘ + Shift + c |
| Cut selected items to clipboard | Ctrl + x | ⌘ + x |
| Paste items from clipboard as shortcut | Ctrl + Shift + v | ⌘ + Shift + v |
| Paste/move selected items from clipboard | Ctrl + Shift + v | ⌘ + Shift + v |
| Redo last undone action | Ctrl + y | ⌘ + y |
| Upload file | Alt + c then u | Option + c then u |
| Upload folder | Alt + c then i | Option + c then i |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| New Document | Alt + c then t | Option + c then t |
| New Presentation | Alt + c then p | Option + c then p |
| New Spreadsheet | Alt + c then s | Option + c then s |
| New Drawing | Alt + c then d | Option + c then d |
| New Folder | Alt + c then f | Option + c then f |
| New Form | Alt + c then o | Option + c then o |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Create menu | Alt + n | Option + n |
| More actions menu | Shift + F10 or Alt + a | Shift + F10 or Option + a |
| Current folder actions menu | Alt + Shift + a | Option + Shift + a |
| Sort menu | Alt + r | Option + r |
| Settings menu | Ctrl + Shift + s | ⌘ + Shift + s |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Display keyboard shortcuts list | Ctrl + / | ⌘ + / |
| Choose next visual density | Alt + t then q | Option + t then q |
| Find / find next | Ctrl + f | ⌘ + f |
Ctrl + p | ⌘ + p | |
| Undo last action | Ctrl + z | ⌘ + z |
| Redo last undone action | Ctrl + y | ⌘ + y |
| Show last message | Alt + g then k | Option + g then k |
| Search your Drive | / | / |
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Preview items | Ctrl + Alt + p | ⌘ + Option + p |
| Close preview | Esc | Esc |
| Play/pause | Space | Space |
| Zoom in | + or = | + or = |
| Zoom out | - | - |
Alt + c then t (Windows) or Option + c then t (macOS) mean: press the combo, release, then press the next key./ to quickly jump to the search bar from anywhere in Drive.Shift + Space toggles selection without opening a file — useful for batch operations.F2 (Windows) or Enter (macOS) to rename is one of the most useful shortcuts for file organization.Ctrl + Alt + p / ⌘ + Option + p opens a quick preview panel without fully opening the file.⌘ replaces Ctrl, Option replaces Alt for modifier-key shortcuts.