> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.handless.elwin.cc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Keyboard Shortcuts

> Default keyboard shortcuts, activation modes, and customization.

Handless is controlled via global keyboard shortcuts that work system-wide — no need to focus the app window.

## Default Shortcuts

| Action                  | macOS                                                   | Windows / Linux                                       |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| **Transcribe**          | <kbd>Fn</kbd>                                           | <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Space</kbd>                    |
| **Transcribe + Polish** | <kbd>Option</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Space</kbd> | <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Space</kbd> |
| **Cancel**              | <kbd>Escape</kbd>                                       | <kbd>Escape</kbd>                                     |

## Activation Modes

Choose how the recording shortcut behaves:

* **Hold or Toggle** (default) — press once to start, again to stop. Or hold to record, release to stop.
* **Toggle** — press once to start, press again to stop.
* **Hold** — hold the key to record, release to stop. Classic push-to-talk.

## Customizing Shortcuts

1. Open **Settings → Shortcuts**
2. Click on a shortcut binding to edit it
3. Press your desired key combination
4. The new binding is saved immediately

You can add multiple shortcuts, each linked to a specific post-processing prompt. See [Polish → Shortcut Binding](/polish#shortcut-binding).

## Keyboard Implementation

Handless offers two keyboard backends:

* **HandyKeys** (default on macOS) — custom keyboard library, more robust, supports the <kbd>Fn</kbd> key.
* **Tauri** (default on Windows/Linux) — cross-platform global shortcut plugin.

Switch between them in **Settings → General → Keyboard Implementation** if you experience shortcut issues.