How do you add tasks and subtasks with the keyboard in Quire?

Press Enter to add a task, Tab to add a subtask under it, and Shift+Tab to add a task after a subtask. Press Esc to finish adding. You can edit a task name with F2, complete a task with Cmd+/ (Ctrl+/ on Windows), and delete one with Cmd+Delete (Ctrl+Backspace on Windows). The whole task-building loop works without touching the mouse.

What keyboard shortcuts add details to a Quire task?

Single keys trigger the common fields. Press the left-angle key for a due date, the at sign for an assignee, the hash key for a tag, the exclamation mark for priority, and the forward slash to change status. Press d to add or edit a description and c to comment. These inline keys mean you can fill in a task fully while your hands stay on the keyboard.

Where can you find the full Quire keyboard shortcut list?

Quire has a complete keyboard cheat sheet in its guide, and you can open the in-app shortcut list by pressing F1 (Fn+F1 on Mac) or clicking Keyboard Shortcuts under the Help icon. Start with the handful you use most, like Enter, Tab, and the inline detail keys, then add more as they become muscle memory.

Are keyboard shortcuts available on every Quire plan?

Yes. Keyboard shortcuts are part of the core Quire experience on every plan including free. There is nothing to enable and no tier to upgrade to. They work the same whether you are on the free plan or an Enterprise one, so anyone can run their whole workspace hands-on-keys.

features · May 7, 2019

Never leave your keyboard - Shortcuts that actually make your life easier

Q: Can you manage the Kanban Board with the keyboard?

Yes. You can move tasks up or down within a column with Alt and the up or down arrow (Ctrl on Windows), and move tasks across columns with Alt and the left or right arrow (Ctrl on Windows). You can also quickly add a task from the list to a sublist. The board is fully drivable from the keyboard, not just the list view.

Keyboard shortcuts

Last updated: May 29, 2026

TL;DR: Quire's keyboard shortcuts let you run a whole project without the mouse: build a task list, add due dates and assignees, reorder tasks, drive the Kanban Board, and jump around the workspace. Press F1 (Fn+F1 on Mac) any time for the in-app list. Free on every plan.

You're busy. We know. And the trip your hand keeps making from keyboard to mouse and back is a tiny tax you pay hundreds of times a day. Quire has a full set of shortcut keys so you can do most of what you need without ever reaching over.

This isn't just a comfort thing. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, accelerators like keyboard shortcuts speed up the interaction for experienced users, which is why "flexibility and efficiency of use" is one of the ten classic usability heuristics. Shortcuts feel slower while you're learning them and then quietly make you faster forever after. Get your keyboard ready.

Which Quire keyboard shortcuts should you learn first?

If you only memorize five, make it these. They cover the motions you'll repeat all day.

Action	Mac	Windows
Add a task	`Enter`	`Enter`
Add a subtask	`Tab`	`Tab`
Complete a task	`⌘` + `/`	`Ctrl` + `/`
Add an assignee	`@`	`@`
Add a due date	`<`	`<`

Once those are muscle memory, the rest below stops feeling like a list to study and starts feeling like reach.

How do you build a task list with the keyboard?

First things first: you need tasks before you have a project.

Add a task - Press Enter
Add a subtask - Press Tab
Add a task after a subtask - Press Shift + Tab
Finish adding task - Press Esc
Edit a task name - Press F2 or ⌥ + ↵ for Mac (F2 or Alt + ↵ for Windows)
Delete a task - Press ⌘ + Delete for Mac (Ctrl + Backspace/Delete for Windows)
Complete a task - Press ⌘ + / for Mac (Ctrl + / for Windows)

How do you add details and reorder tasks by keyboard?

Once the tasks exist, you'll want to give them detail and shuffle them into the right order. Single keys handle the common fields.

Add due date - Press <
Add assignee - Press @
Self-assign selected task - Press Ctrl + M
Assign a tag - Press #
Set priority - Press !
Change status - Press /

And to move tasks around or copy them:

Show/Hide breadcrumbs - Press ⌥ for Mac (Ctrl for Windows)
Move task(s) up or down - Press ⌥ + ↑ or ⌥ + ↓ (Ctrl + ↑ or Ctrl + ↓ for Windows)
Cut selected task(s) - Press ⌘ + X for Mac (Ctrl + X for Windows)
Copy selected task(s) - Press ⌘ + C for Mac (Ctrl + C for Windows)
Paste selected task(s) - Press ⌘ + P for Mac (Ctrl + P for Windows)
Select all the relevant subtasks under one parent task - Press ⌘ + E for Mac (Ctrl + E for Windows)

How do you move around the board and workspace?

The keyboard doesn't stop at the list. You can drive the Kanban Board and hop around the workspace too.

Quickly add a task from list to sublist - Press ^
Move task(s) up or down in a column - Press ⌥ + ↑ or ⌥ + ↓ (Ctrl + ↑ or Ctrl + ↓ for Windows)
Move task(s) across columns in board view - Press ⌥ + ← or ⌥ + → for Mac (Ctrl + ← or Ctrl + → for Windows)

To add description, comment, or mention people:

Add or edit task description - Press d
Comment on a selected task - Press c
Mention a member in description or comment - Press @
Refer a task in description or comment - Press #

And to move through the panels and the filter bar:

Jump to filter from tasks - Press Shift + Tab
Navigate around the workspace - Press Tab to move forward or Shift + Tab to move backward, then ← or → to move around
Jump to bottom menu bar (after multi-selecting tasks) - Press Tab
Select different option on the bottom menu bar - Press ← or →

Ready to ditch the mouse?

Pick three shortcuts from the "learn first" table and use only those for one work session. Don't try to memorize the whole sheet at once; that's the fast way to use none of them. Add a new one each day and within a week your hands stop wandering.

If you want the complete reference, here's the cheat sheet 😆. Stay tuned for more on Quire.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you add tasks and subtasks with the keyboard?

Press Enter for a task, Tab for a subtask, Shift+Tab for a task after a subtask, and Esc to finish.

What shortcuts add details to a task?

Single keys: < for a due date, @ for an assignee, # for a tag, ! for priority, / for status, d for description, c to comment.

Can you manage the Kanban Board with the keyboard?

Yes. Move cards within a column with Alt + up/down and across columns with Alt + left/right (Ctrl on Windows).

Where is the full shortcut list?

Press F1 (Fn+F1 on Mac), or open Keyboard Shortcuts under the Help icon. The full cheat sheet is in the Quire guide.

Are shortcuts available on every plan?

Yes. They're part of core Quire on every plan including free, with nothing to enable.