Skip to main content
Master En Croissant’s keyboard shortcuts to analyze games faster and more efficiently. All shortcuts can be customized in Settings.

​
File Operations

ActionMacWindows/LinuxDescription
New tabCmd+TCtrl+TCreate a new analysis tab
Close tabCmd+WCtrl+WClose the current tab
Open fileCmd+OCtrl+OOpen a PGN file
Save fileCmd+SCtrl+SSave current game/analysis to PGN
SettingsCmd+,Ctrl+,Open application settings
Reload appCmd+RCtrl+RReload the application
Press Cmd+T / Ctrl+T quickly to start analyzing a new position or create a new repertoire file.

​
Tab Navigation

ActionShortcutDescription
Cycle tabs forwardCtrl+TabSwitch to the next tab
Cycle tabs backwardCtrl+Shift+TabSwitch to the previous tab
Tab cycling wraps around - pressing next on the last tab goes to the first tab.

​
Move Navigation

Navigate through games and variations efficiently:

​
Basic Navigation

ActionShortcutDescription
Next move→Move forward one move
Previous move←Move backward one move
Go to game startShift+↑Jump to the starting position
Go to game endShift+↓Jump to the final position

​
Variation Navigation

ActionShortcutDescription
Go to branch start↑Jump to the start of the current variation
Go to branch end↓Jump to the end of the current variation
Next variationCSwitch to the next sibling variation
Previous variationXSwitch to the previous sibling variation
Next branching pointShift+→Jump to the next move with variations
Previous branching pointShift+←Jump to the previous move with variations
Branch navigation (↑ and ↓):
  • Moves within the current variation line
  • Useful for quickly reviewing a single variation
Variation switching (C and X):
  • Switches between alternative moves at the current position
  • Stays at the same position, changes which line you’re viewing
Branching point jumps (Shift+← and Shift+→):
  • Skips to positions where the game has multiple continuations
  • Efficient for finding critical decision points

​
Editing

ActionShortcutDescription
Delete moveDelete / BackspaceDelete the current move and all following moves in the variation
Deleting a move is permanent and cannot be undone. Save your file frequently.

​
Board Controls

ActionShortcutDescription
Flip boardFSwap board orientation (White/Black perspective)
Toggle eval barZShow/hide the evaluation bar and engine arrows
Clear shapesCtrl+LRemove all drawn arrows and highlighted squares
Use F to quickly flip the board when analyzing from your opponent’s perspective.

​
Analysis Panel

ActionShortcutDescription
Practice tabPOpen the Practice/Repertoire panel
Analysis tabAOpen the Analysis/Engine panel
Database tabBOpen the Database reference panel
Annotate tabDOpen the Annotation panel
Info tabIOpen the Game Info panel

​
Engine Controls

ActionShortcutDescription
Toggle all enginesCtrl+AEnable or pause all loaded engines at once
Panel shortcuts work from anywhere in the app, making it easy to switch contexts quickly.

​
Move Annotations

Add standard chess annotations instantly:
AnnotationShortcutSymbolMeaning
Brilliant move1‼Exceptional, hard-to-find move
Good move2!Strong move
Interesting move3!?Enterprising, unclear consequences
Dubious move4?!Questionable, probably inferior
Mistake5?Clear error
Blunder6??Serious mistake, game-changing
Press the number key again to remove the annotation. You can toggle annotations on and off quickly.

​
Repertoire Practice

Shortcuts active during practice mode:
ActionShortcutDescription
Rate “Again”1Mark position as completely forgotten
Rate “Hard”2Mark position as difficult to recall
Rate “Good”3Mark position as remembered with effort
Rate “Easy”4Mark position as instantly recalled
Skip positionSpaceMove to next position after incorrect answer
Toggle blurCtrl+BShow/hide piece visibility during practice
After answering correctly, use number keys 1-4 to rate difficulty:
  • 1 (Again): You forgot completely → Review soon (minutes/hours)
  • 2 (Hard): You struggled → Review in days
  • 3 (Good): Recalled with effort → Review in weeks
  • 4 (Easy): Instant recall → Review in months
Accurate ratings optimize your review schedule for long-term retention.

​
Game Database Navigation

When browsing games in a database:
ActionShortcutDescription
Select next game↓Move selection down
Select previous game↑Move selection up
Next gamePage DownNavigate to next game in filtered list
Previous gamePage UpNavigate to previous game in filtered list
SearchCmd+F / Ctrl+FFocus the search/filter input
Use ↑ and ↓ to quickly browse through game previews, then double-click or press Enter to open.

​
Visual Annotations

Drawing on the board:
ActionMouse/TrackpadDescription
Draw arrowRight-click + dragDraw an arrow from one square to another
Highlight squareRight-clickHighlight a single square
Clear all shapesCtrl+LRemove all arrows and highlights
Arrows and highlights are saved per position. They reappear when you return to that move.

​
Search and Filter

ContextShortcutDescription
Settings searchCmd+F / Ctrl+FFocus settings search box
Database filterCmd+F / Ctrl+FFocus game filter input
File browserCmd+F / Ctrl+FFocus file search

​
Customizing Shortcuts

All keyboard shortcuts can be customized:
1

Open Settings

Press Cmd+, (Mac) or Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux).
2

Navigate to Keybinds

Find the “Keybinds” or “Keyboard Shortcuts” section.
3

Click on Shortcut

Click any shortcut to record a new key combination.
4

Press New Keys

Press your desired key combination. It will be validated for conflicts.
5

Save Changes

Changes are saved automatically.
Avoid conflicts with system shortcuts (like Cmd+Q for quit) or En Croissant may not receive the key press.

​
Shortcut Tips and Tricks

Chain Commands

Combine shortcuts for complex actions. Example: Shift+↑ then A then Ctrl+A to reset position, open analysis, and start all engines.

Panel Switching

Use letter keys (P, A, B, D, I) to quickly switch between analysis contexts without mouse clicks.

Arrow Navigation

Master arrow keys for move navigation. With Shift, they become game/branch jumpers. This is the fastest way to navigate.

Annotation Workflow

After analyzing with A, switch to D and use 1-6 to annotate moves, then ←/→ to move through the game.

​
Quick Reference Card

​
Most Used Shortcuts

Memorize these for maximum efficiency: 
Essential Navigation:
→ / ← : Next/Previous move
F     : Flip board

Panels:
A     : Analysis
P     : Practice
D     : Annotate

Annotations:
1-6   : Mark moves (!!, !, !?, ?!, ?, ??)

Files:
Cmd/Ctrl + S : Save
Cmd/Ctrl + O : Open
Cmd/Ctrl + T : New tab

​
Power User Combos

  1. Cmd+O - Open game
  2. A - Switch to analysis
  3. Ctrl+A - Enable all engines
  4. → - Step through moves
  5. 1-6 - Annotate mistakes
  6. Cmd+S - Save annotated game
  1. Cmd+O - Open repertoire
  2. P - Switch to practice
  3. Click “Start Practice”
  4. Make moves on board
  5. 1-4 - Rate difficulty after correct
  6. Space - Next after incorrect
  1. Navigate to Databases
  2. Open database
  3. Cmd+F - Search player/opening
  4. ↑/↓ - Browse results
  5. Double-click - Open game
  6. A - Analyze with engine

​
Platform-Specific Notes

​
macOS

  • Cmd is used for most shortcuts (instead of Ctrl)
  • Some shortcuts may conflict with system features (Mission Control, Spotlight)
  • Customize system shortcuts in System Preferences if needed

​
Windows/Linux

  • Ctrl is the primary modifier key
  • Alt may be used for some secondary shortcuts
  • Window managers may intercept some key combinations
Print this page or keep it open in a second window while learning the shortcuts. You’ll memorize the most important ones within a few days of regular use.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us