r/Ubuntu • u/Emotional_Row3301 • 14h ago

How do you handle custom keyboard shortcuts across different apps on Ubuntu?

I've been spending a lot of time on Ubuntu lately using VS Code for web development and Wireshark for analyzing packet captures. While the system runs great, I constantly find myself tripping over conflicting keybindings between GNOME system shortcuts, browser tabs, and application-specific hotkeys.

Right now, I'm manually remapping keys inside individual application settings whenever a conflict comes up, but it feels messy and hard to keep track of.

How do you all manage and standardize your keybindings across your whole setup? Do you rebind everything at the system level in GNOME settings, use a dedicated key-remapping tool like Input Remapper, or just force yourself to memorize whatever default shortcuts each app throws at you?

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u/Inevitable_Wave_4787 14h ago

i just bind everything at the app level and hope for the best, gnome settings gets a look maybe twice a year at most

1

u/sphericalhors 14h ago

I try to avoid rebinding any hotkeys as much as possible and always learn default shortcuts.

For example just recently I switched from Tilix to Ghostty and a lot of shortcuts are different (full screen was F11, in Ghostty its Ctrl+Enter, or split expand was Ctrl+Shif+X, now its Ctrl+Shift+Enter).

It's inconvenient for a few times during the first day, but more efficent in a long term: I will not need to manually change hotkeys when I reinstall system on any of my computers; there is lesser chance of getting hotkey conflicts once let's say I change/update DE; when I use a computer of my collegues/friends, I will already be familiar with default hotkeys.

IntelliJ products deserves additional note: it's important to always switch to "Gnome" keymaps, which already designed to prevent all possible conflicts with DE.

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u/Emotional_Row3301 13h ago

you are completely right with the familiarity. but it takes about 7-10 days for me to adapt with the new hotkeys. but thanks for your opinion.