App and command keyboard shortcuts

Sliprail lets you assign global keyboard shortcuts to apps and frequently used commands. Instead of opening the launcher, searching, and pressing Enter each time, you can open an app or run an action directly with your chosen key combination.

This feature is available in the Windows and macOS desktop apps. Sliprail must be running, but the launcher does not need to be in the foreground. Sliprail Web does not provide the desktop global shortcut bindings described here.

App and command shortcuts open a specific app or run an action directly. They are separate from the launcher shortcut, which opens Sliprail so you can search for apps, windows, or commands before choosing what to run.

Bind an app shortcut

Open the Sliprail launcher and search for the app. For example, enter #chrome to show only app results with the # filter
Right-click the app and select Bind keyboard shortcut
Click Click to record a shortcut, press your chosen combination, then release the keys
Check the displayed combination and click Save
Switch to another app and press your new shortcut to open the target app directly

For example, you could try Ctrl + Alt + C on Windows or Command + Option + C on macOS. These are not default bindings. Avoid shortcuts already used by your operating system or other apps. A successfully saved binding takes effect immediately without restarting Sliprail.

Bind a command shortcut

Try opening Usage Statistics with a dedicated shortcut.

Open the Sliprail launcher
Search for UsageStatistics and right-click the command in the results
Select Bind keyboard shortcut to open the binding window
Click Click to record a shortcut. When you see Press a key combination, press your chosen combination, then release the keys
Check the displayed combination and click Save
Switch to another app and press your new shortcut to confirm that the Usage Statistics panel opens

For example, you could try Ctrl + Alt + U on Windows or Command + Option + U on macOS. These are examples, not default Sliprail bindings, and they may conflict with other software.

A successfully saved binding takes effect without restarting Sliprail. You can use the same process for Clipboard History, built-in system commands, or frequently used actions provided by extensions.

Which items can be bound

App results found in the launcher, including Windows and macOS apps
Top-level commands with an executable action
Subcommands with an executable action. Expand the subcommand list, then right-click the specific item
Built-in commands and commands provided by enabled extensions, as long as the command is currently available

Window search results do not have a Bind keyboard shortcut menu item. To bind an app, use its app result rather than one of its currently open windows.

Some top-level commands only display subcommands and have no default action. Select the parent command in the launcher, press Space to expand its list, and bind a specific subcommand instead. The subcommand must also be discoverable and executable without a search parameter.

Record and choose a key combination

Press the keys directly while recording. You do not need to type the shortcut name.

Ordinary keys require at least one Ctrl, Alt, Option, Win, or Command modifier. You can also add Shift
A letter, number, or modifier on its own cannot complete a valid recording. Neither can a combination such as Shift + A
Function keys can be recorded alone or with modifiers. Whether a combination can be saved and used still depends on the operating system accepting it
Press Esc to end recording. Click Cancel to close the binding window without saving changes

Start with two or three frequent actions and choose combinations that are easy to remember without disrupting other apps. Global shortcuts work while another app is in the foreground, so avoid combinations you commonly use in those apps.

Change and remove shortcuts

Change an app or command shortcut

Right-click the same app or command in the launcher and select Bind keyboard shortcut again. The window displays its current binding. Click the recording area, record a new combination, and click Save.

Each app, command, or subcommand can have one key combination. A successfully saved replacement removes the old binding. If the new combination conflicts and cannot be saved, the previous binding is not removed.

Remove a shortcut

Click Remove shortcut in the app or command's binding window, then click Save. Clicking remove without saving does not change the active binding.

View and manage all bindings

Open Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts to view bound app and command names and key combinations. Clicking Remove shortcut in a row removes that binding directly, with no additional Save step.

This list is for viewing and removing bindings. To add or change one, return to the app or command's context menu in the launcher. Removing a shortcut does not uninstall the app or delete the command. You can still search for and run it in the launcher.

Conflicts and troubleshooting

The shortcut is already in use

The message This shortcut is already in use. Try another combination. can mean another Sliprail app or command already has that binding, or the operating system or another app is using it. Apps and commands share the same shortcut pool, so one combination cannot be bound to two items at once.

Check existing bindings in Keyboard shortcuts in Settings. To reuse a combination, remove its previous binding or change the shortcut in the other app that uses it, then record and save again. Alternatively, choose a different combination.

The shortcut cannot be used

This shortcut cannot be used. Try another combination. means the combination is invalid or reserved by Sliprail. The following combinations cannot be assigned to apps or individual commands, even when the related feature is turned off.

Purpose	Reserved on Windows	Reserved on macOS
Open the launcher	`Win + Space`, `Alt + Space`, `Ctrl + Space`	`Command + Space`, `Option + Space`, `Ctrl + Space`
Window actions	`Win + Left`, `Win + Right`, `Win + Up`, `Win + M`	`Command + Left`, `Command + Right`, `Command + Up`, `Command + M`
Quit an app	`Win + Q`	None
Find in page	`Ctrl + F`	`Command + F`

On macOS, Option and Alt refer to the same modifier. This table only lists Sliprail's reserved combinations. Your operating system and other software may use additional combinations. To configure the launcher shortcut, see the launcher shortcut guide.

The app or command is unavailable

When the message This app is currently unavailable. appears, make sure the app is still installed on the current device and can be found in the launcher's app list. Refresh the app cache and try again. If the app has been uninstalled, you can remove its old binding in Settings.

When the message This command is currently unavailable. appears, make sure its extension is enabled and not restricted. Check that the command or subcommand still exists and has an executable action. For a top-level command without a default action, bind a specific subcommand instead.

The message Could not set the shortcut. Please try again. means the setting did not succeed. Try saving again.

Nothing happens after saving

Make sure Sliprail is still running, then try opening the target app or running the target command manually in the launcher to check its availability. Check whether the operating system or another app is using the combination. If necessary, save a different combination.

Scope and storage

A binding targets an app or command, not a saved line of launcher input. Triggering it does not pass the launcher's current parameters or attached files
App shortcuts use the same opening behavior as the launcher. They do not target a particular running window. Use window search to switch to a specific window
To supply search terms, questions, or other parameters, use the launcher's parameter mode. Each command determines what happens when it runs without parameters
Bindings are stored locally on the current device. Sliprail attempts to activate them again after restarting. They are not included in cloud sync, so configure them separately on each device
If an app is no longer in the app list, its shortcut does not execute, but its binding remains available to view and remove in Settings. If a shortcut does not recover after moving or reinstalling an app, refresh the app cache and bind the app again
Hiding an app from search results does not remove its shortcut. Remove the binding separately if you no longer need it
Command shortcuts do not execute while their extension is disabled or restricted. Sliprail attempts to activate them again when the extension becomes available. Uninstalling an extension removes its command bindings without affecting app shortcuts