Keyboard Shortcuts

Control VoxWrite faster with customizable keyboard shortcuts. Work hands-free and boost your productivity without touching your mouse.

Default Keyboard Shortcuts

VoxWrite comes with pre-configured shortcuts that work out of the box:

Note: Mac users see ⌃ (Control), ⌘ (Command), ⇧ (Shift), ⌥ (Option) symbols.

How to Customize Shortcuts

Step 1: Open Keyboard Shortcuts Settings

Three ways to access:

1. From Chrome toolbar:

• Click the VoxWrite icon
• Go to "Settings". To do this, click the VoxWrite extension icon in your browser toolbar, then click the gear icon in the top-right corner.

• Select "Keyboard Shortcuts" from the sidebar

2. Using default shortcut:

• Press Ctrl + O (Windows/Linux) or ⌃ + O (Mac)
• Navigate to "Keyboard Shortcuts"

3. From extension settings:

• Right-click VoxWrite icon
• Navigate "VoxWrite" => "Settings"

• Choose "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab

Step 2: Click the Shortcut You Want to Change

You'll see the Keyboard Shortcuts interface:

Each shortcut has:

• Action name (left side) - What the shortcut does
• Current shortcut (center) - The key combination currently assigned
• Delete button (🗑️) - Remove the shortcut
• Reset button (↻) - Restore default shortcut

Step 3: Press Your New Key Combination

1. Click on the shortcut button you want to change (e.g., the button showing ⌃ + R)
2. The button will show "Press keys..."
3. Press the key combination you want to use (e.g., Ctrl + Shift + M)
4. Your new shortcut is saved automatically

That's it! Your custom shortcut is now active.

Creating Custom Shortcuts

Best Practices for Choosing Shortcuts

✅ Do:

• Use modifier keys - Combine Ctrl, Shift, Alt to avoid conflicts
• Keep it memorable - Choose combinations that make sense to you
• Test immediately - Try your new shortcut right after setting it
• Use similar patterns - Group related actions (e.g., all recording shortcuts use R)
• Consider one-handed use - Shortcuts you can press with left hand while using mouse

❌ Don't:

• Override browser shortcuts - Avoid Ctrl + T, Ctrl + W, Ctrl + N (browser uses these)
• Use single keys - Always include at least one modifier (Ctrl, Shift, Alt)
• Make it too complex - Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F12 is hard to remember and press
• Conflict with other extensions - Check your other extensions' shortcuts
• Use function keys alone - Some keyboards require Fn key, making it awkward

Troubleshooting Shortcuts

Problem: "My shortcut doesn't work"

Solutions:

1. Check for conflicts:

• Go to chrome://extensions/shortcuts
• Look for duplicate shortcuts
• Change conflicting ones

2. Verify shortcut is set:

• Open VoxWrite Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts
• Confirm the shortcut shows correctly
• Try resetting to default

3. Test in different context:

• Try on different websites
• Test in a text field vs. empty page
• Check if extension is enabled

4. Restart browser:

• Close all Chrome windows
• Reopen and test again

Problem: "Shortcut works sometimes but not always"

Possible causes:

• Text field not focused - Some shortcuts require active text field
• Website blocks shortcuts - Some sites capture keyboard events
• Extension permissions - Check if VoxWrite has access to current site
• Conflicting page shortcuts - Website's own shortcuts override VoxWrite

Solutions:

• Click into a text field first
• Try a different shortcut combination
• Check extension permissions for that site

Problem: "I accidentally removed a shortcut"

Solution:

1. Click the empty shortcut field
2. Press your desired key combination
3. Or click the reset button (↻) to restore default

Problem: "Shortcut triggers wrong action"

Solution:

1. Go to Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts
2. Check which action is assigned to that shortcut
3. Delete or reassign the conflicting shortcut
4. Set your intended shortcut correctly

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