Keyboard shortcuts of the window (`mm -tui`)

Every key the window (mm -tui) understands, grouped by what you are doing. F1 shows a short version inside the window. The status bar at the bottom always shows F1 help · Ctrl-Y copy · F2 mouse · Ctrl-C quit.

The window in two parts

The window has two places that can take the keys: the box at the bottom, where you type, and the conversation above it. Tab moves the focus from one to the other. At start-up the focus is on the box. While the focus is on the conversation, letters do nothing: press Tab to type again.

Type and send

Key	What it does
`Enter`	Sends what is in the box. An empty box sends nothing.
`Ctrl-J` or `Alt-Enter`	A new line in the box, without sending. `Shift-Enter` cannot be told apart from `Enter` by a terminal, so it sends.
`←` `→`	Move the cursor; at the start or end of a line, go to the previous or next line.
`↑` `↓`	Move to the row above or below in the box — a long line wraps over several rows. On the first row, `↑` recalls your previous question (see below).
`Home` `End`	Start or end of the line.
`Backspace` `Delete`	Delete the character before or under the cursor. A collapsed paste (`[Pasted #1 · …]`) is deleted whole.
`Esc`	When nothing is running: clears the box.

While the agent is working

Key	What it does
`Esc`	Stops the answer in progress (same as `/abort`) and says `🛑 Aborting…`. Pressed again when the turn does not stop, it tells you to use Ctrl-C.
`Ctrl-C`	Stops the answer in progress. If it has already been asked to stop and has not, `Ctrl-C` closes mm.
`Enter`	Stops the answer in progress and sends what you typed once it has stopped: you can change your mind without waiting.

Recall an earlier question

Needs sessions.enabled: true in the agent's YAML.

Key	What it does
`↑` (first row of the box)	Puts your previous question in the box; again for the one before — this session first, then the project's earlier sessions.
`↓` (last row of the box)	Goes back towards the newest question; past it, gives back what you were typing.
`Esc`	Clears the recalled question, to type something else.

A recalled question can be edited before you send it. With nothing to recall, ↑ and ↓ scroll the conversation instead.

Move through the conversation

Key	What it does
`PgUp` `PgDn`	One page up or down, wherever the focus is.
`↑` `↓`	One line, when the focus is on the conversation (`Tab`).
`Home` `End`	Top or bottom of the conversation, when the focus is on it. `End` also follows the answer again as it is written.
Mouse wheel	Three lines up or down — only after `F2` (see below).
`Ctrl-L`	Clears the displayed conversation. What the agent remembers is not touched: `/new` does that.

Complete a command, a file or a skill

Typing / at the start of the box, @ or $ anywhere opens a list of choices above the box: commands, files and folders, skills.

Key	What it does
`↑` `↓`	Move in the list.
`Tab`	Completes with the highlighted choice.
`Enter`	Sends when what you typed is already complete; otherwise completes, like `Tab`.
`Esc`	Closes the list until you type something else.

Paste long text

Paste as usual with your terminal (Cmd-V, Ctrl-Shift-V, the right click…). A paste never sends anything, even when it holds line breaks. Longer than 3 lines or 200 characters, it shows as one token, [Pasted #1 · 42 lines · 1.2k chars]; the agent receives the whole text. Backspace or Delete removes the token, and the text with it.

Answer a permission

With yolo: false (or an MCP tool marked ask), the box is replaced by a question such as ? bash: rm -rf build. Only these keys work until you answer:

Key	Answer
`a`	Allow this call, once.
`s`	Allow this tool for the rest of the session.
`r` or `Esc`	Refuse this call.
`n`	Never allow this tool in this session.

Answer the agent's questions

When the agent asks you something (its ask_user tool), a small form replaces the box. The line under the question reminds you of the keys.

Kind of question	Keys
Pick one	`↑` `↓` (or `Tab`) to move, `Enter` to choose — or `1` to `9` to choose directly.
Pick several	`↑` `↓` to move, `Space` to tick or untick, `Enter` to send (at least one ticked).
Yes or no	`y` (or `o`) yes, `n` no — or `←` `→` then `Enter`.
Free text	Type, `Backspace` to correct, `Enter` to send.
Any	`Esc` declines to answer.

Copy, mouse, help, quit

Key	What it does
`Ctrl-Y`	Copies the last answer to the clipboard, as plain text (same as `/copy`; `/copy 2` the one before, `/copy all` the whole conversation).
`F2`	Turns mouse capture on or off. Off (the default): select text with the mouse as in any terminal. On: the wheel scrolls the conversation, and `Shift`+drag selects. The status bar says which.
`F1`	The commands and the main keys, in the conversation (same as `/help`).
`Ctrl-C`	Closes mm when nothing is running. `/quit` does the same.

The `mm init` window

mm init opens a window of its own, in the same style, to write a new agent.yaml (see Create an agent with mm init).

Key	What it does
`↑` `↓` `Home` `End`	Move through the choices; the preview on the right follows the highlighted one.
`Enter`	Answer and go to the next question; on the last screen, write the file.
`y` `n`	Answer the yes-or-no question.
`Esc`	Go back one question, taking its answer back.
`PgUp` `PgDn`	Scroll the preview.
`Tab`	On a screen narrower than 100 columns: show the preview in place of the question, and back.
`Ctrl-U`	Clear a text answer (the name, the file).
`Ctrl-C`	Quit without writing anything.

Good to know

Keys depend on the terminal. Alt-Enter, Home, End and the function keys depend on how the terminal reports them; on a Mac laptop, Fn is often needed for F1, F2, Home and End. Ctrl-J always works for a new line.
The window needs a real terminal. mm -tui | tee log.txt, or any run where the input or the output is not a terminal, falls back to the line mode, where none of these keys apply.

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# Keyboard shortcuts of the window (`mm -tui`)

*[Version française](raccourcis-clavier-tui.md)*

> Every key the window (`mm -tui`) understands, grouped by what you are doing. **F1** shows a short version inside the window. The status bar at the bottom always shows `F1 help · Ctrl-Y copy · F2 mouse · Ctrl-C quit`.

## The window in two parts

The window has two places that can take the keys: the **box** at the bottom, where you type, and the **conversation** above it. **Tab** moves the focus from one to the other. At start-up the focus is on the box. While the focus is on the conversation, letters do nothing: press Tab to type again.

## Type and send

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `Enter` | Sends what is in the box. An empty box sends nothing. |
| `Ctrl-J` or `Alt-Enter` | A new line in the box, without sending. `Shift-Enter` cannot be told apart from `Enter` by a terminal, so it sends. |
| `←` `→` | Move the cursor; at the start or end of a line, go to the previous or next line. |
| `↑` `↓` | Move to the row above or below in the box — a long line wraps over several rows. On the first row, `↑` recalls your previous question (see below). |
| `Home` `End` | Start or end of the line. |
| `Backspace` `Delete` | Delete the character before or under the cursor. A collapsed paste (`[Pasted #1 · …]`) is deleted whole. |
| `Esc` | When nothing is running: clears the box. |

## While the agent is working

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `Esc` | Stops the answer in progress (same as `/abort`) and says `🛑 Aborting…`. Pressed again when the turn does not stop, it tells you to use Ctrl-C. |
| `Ctrl-C` | Stops the answer in progress. If it has already been asked to stop and has not, `Ctrl-C` closes mm. |
| `Enter` | Stops the answer in progress and sends what you typed once it has stopped: you can change your mind without waiting. |

## Recall an earlier question

Needs `sessions.enabled: true` in the agent's YAML.

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `↑` (first row of the box) | Puts your previous question in the box; again for the one before — this session first, then the project's earlier sessions. |
| `↓` (last row of the box) | Goes back towards the newest question; past it, gives back what you were typing. |
| `Esc` | Clears the recalled question, to type something else. |

A recalled question can be edited before you send it. With nothing to recall, `↑` and `↓` scroll the conversation instead.

## Move through the conversation

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `PgUp` `PgDn` | One page up or down, wherever the focus is. |
| `↑` `↓` | One line, when the focus is on the conversation (`Tab`). |
| `Home` `End` | Top or bottom of the conversation, when the focus is on it. `End` also follows the answer again as it is written. |
| Mouse wheel | Three lines up or down — only after `F2` (see below). |
| `Ctrl-L` | Clears the displayed conversation. What the agent remembers is not touched: `/new` does that. |

## Complete a command, a file or a skill

Typing `/` at the start of the box, `@` or `$` anywhere opens a list of choices above the box: commands, files and folders, skills.

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `↑` `↓` | Move in the list. |
| `Tab` | Completes with the highlighted choice. |
| `Enter` | Sends when what you typed is already complete; otherwise completes, like `Tab`. |
| `Esc` | Closes the list until you type something else. |

## Paste long text

Paste as usual with your terminal (`Cmd-V`, `Ctrl-Shift-V`, the right click…). A paste never sends anything, even when it holds line breaks. Longer than 3 lines or 200 characters, it shows as one token, `[Pasted #1 · 42 lines · 1.2k chars]`; the agent receives the whole text. `Backspace` or `Delete` removes the token, and the text with it.

## Answer a permission

With `yolo: false` (or an MCP tool marked `ask`), the box is replaced by a question such as `? bash: rm -rf build`. Only these keys work until you answer:

| Key | Answer |
|---|---|
| `a` | Allow this call, once. |
| `s` | Allow this tool for the rest of the session. |
| `r` or `Esc` | Refuse this call. |
| `n` | Never allow this tool in this session. |

## Answer the agent's questions

When the agent asks you something (its `ask_user` tool), a small form replaces the box. The line under the question reminds you of the keys.

| Kind of question | Keys |
|---|---|
| Pick one | `↑` `↓` (or `Tab`) to move, `Enter` to choose — or `1` to `9` to choose directly. |
| Pick several | `↑` `↓` to move, `Space` to tick or untick, `Enter` to send (at least one ticked). |
| Yes or no | `y` (or `o`) yes, `n` no — or `←` `→` then `Enter`. |
| Free text | Type, `Backspace` to correct, `Enter` to send. |
| Any | `Esc` declines to answer. |

## Copy, mouse, help, quit

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `Ctrl-Y` | Copies the last answer to the clipboard, as plain text (same as `/copy`; `/copy 2` the one before, `/copy all` the whole conversation). |
| `F2` | Turns mouse capture on or off. **Off** (the default): select text with the mouse as in any terminal. **On**: the wheel scrolls the conversation, and `Shift`+drag selects. The status bar says which. |
| `F1` | The commands and the main keys, in the conversation (same as `/help`). |
| `Ctrl-C` | Closes mm when nothing is running. `/quit` does the same. |

## The `mm init` window

`mm init` opens a window of its own, in the same style, to write a new agent.yaml (see [Create an agent with `mm init`](../docs/en/how-to/create-an-agent.md)).

| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| `↑` `↓` `Home` `End` | Move through the choices; the preview on the right follows the highlighted one. |
| `Enter` | Answer and go to the next question; on the last screen, write the file. |
| `y` `n` | Answer the yes-or-no question. |
| `Esc` | Go back one question, taking its answer back. |
| `PgUp` `PgDn` | Scroll the preview. |
| `Tab` | On a screen narrower than 100 columns: show the preview in place of the question, and back. |
| `Ctrl-U` | Clear a text answer (the name, the file). |
| `Ctrl-C` | Quit without writing anything. |

## Good to know

- **Keys depend on the terminal.** `Alt-Enter`, `Home`, `End` and the function keys depend on how the terminal reports them; on a Mac laptop, `Fn` is often needed for `F1`, `F2`, `Home` and `End`. `Ctrl-J` always works for a new line.
- **The window needs a real terminal.** `mm -tui | tee log.txt`, or any run where the input or the output is not a terminal, falls back to the line mode, where none of these keys apply.

See also: [How to use the window mode](../docs/en/how-to/use-the-window-mode.md), [Slash commands and keys (reference)](../docs/en/reference/slash-commands.md).

Keyboard shortcuts of the window (mm -tui)