Most Popular Visual Studio Shortcut Keys

If a developer saves a small fraction of time in each of these activities, then it can improve productivity significantly. Using shortcut keys and commands can help to save time and result in considerable improvement as well as productivity.

In this article, I will share the most useful and trendy shortcut keys for visual studio which apply globally if it is not specified or altered. These shortcut keys are available for general or every profile for visual studio installed.

We can categorize these shortcut keys based on activities like to build, debug, Code Editor, File, Project, refactor, tools, and so on.

Build: popular shortcuts

BUILD: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts	Command ID
Build solution	Ctrl+Shift+B	Build.BuildSolution
Cancel	Ctrl+Break	Build.Cancel
Compile	Ctrl+F7	Build.Compile
Run code analysis on solution	Alt+F11	Build.RunCodeAnalysisonSolution

 

Debug: popular shortcuts

DEBUG: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts [Special contexts]	Command ID
Break at function	Ctrl+B	Debug.BreakatFunction
Break all	Ctrl+Alt+Break	Debug.BreakAll
Delete all breakpoints	Ctrl+Shift+F9	Debug.DeleteAllBreakpoints
Exceptions	Ctrl+Alt+E	Debug.Exceptions
Quick watch	Ctrl+Alt+Q or Shift+F9	Debug.QuickWatch
Restart	Ctrl+Shift+F5	Debug.Restart
Run to cursor	Ctrl+F10	Debug.RunToCursor
Set next statement	Ctrl+Shift+F10	Debug.SetNextStatement
Start	F5	Debug.Start
Start without debugging	Ctrl+F5	Debug.StartWithoutDebugging
Step into	F11	Debug.StepInto
Step out	Shift+F11	Debug.StepOut
Step over	F10	Debug.StepOver
Stop debugging	Shift+F5	Debug.StopDebugging
Toggle breakpoint	F9	Debug.ToggleBreakpoint

 

 

Edit: popular shortcuts

EDIT: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts [Special contexts]	Command ID
Break line	Enter [Text Editor, Report Designer, Windows Forms Designer] or Shift+Enter [Text Editor]	Edit.BreakLine
Collapse to definitions	Ctrl+M, Ctrl+O [Text Editor]	Edit.CollapseToDefinitions
Comment selection	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+C [Text Editor]	Edit.CommentSelection
Complete word	Alt+Right Arrow [Text Editor, Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+Spacebar [Text Editor, Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, W [Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, Ctrl+W [Workflow Designer]	Edit.CompleteWord
Copy	Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Insert	Edit.Copy
Cut	Ctrl+X or Shift+Delete	Edit.Cut
Delete	Delete [Team Explorer] or Shift+Delete [Sequence Diagram, UML Activity Diagram, Layer Diagram] or Ctrl+Delete [Class Diagram]	Edit.Delete
Find	Ctrl+F	Edit.Find
Find all references	Shift+F12	Edit.FindAllReferences
Find in files	Ctrl+Shift+F	Edit.FindinFiles
Find next	F3	Edit.FindNext
Find next selected	Ctrl+F3	Edit.FindNextSelected
Format document	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D [Text Editor]	Edit.FormatDocument
Format selection	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+F [Text Editor]	Edit.FormatSelection
Go to	Ctrl+G	Edit.GoTo
Go to declaration	Ctrl+F12	Edit.GoToDeclaration
Go to definition	F12	Edit.GoToDefinition
Go to find combo	Ctrl+D	Edit.GoToFindCombo
Go to next location	F8	Edit.GoToNextLocation
Insert snippet	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+X	Edit.InsertSnippet
Insert tab	Tab [Report Designer, Windows Forms Designer, Text Editor]	Edit.InsertTab
Line cut	Ctrl+L [Text Editor]	Edit.LineCut
Line down extend column	Shift+Alt+Down Arrow [Text Editor]	Edit.LineDownExtendColumn
Line open above	Ctrl+Enter [Text Editor]	Edit.LineOpenAbove
List members	Ctrl+J [Text Editor, Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, Ctrl+L [Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, L [Workflow Designer]	Edit.ListMembers
Navigate to	Ctrl+,	Edit.NavigateTo
Open file	Ctrl+Shift+G	Edit.OpenFile
Overtype mode	Insert [Text Editor]	Edit.OvertypeMode
Parameter info	Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar [Text Editor, Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, Ctrl+P [Workflow Designer] or Ctrl+K, P [Workflow Designer]	Edit.ParameterInfo
Paste	Ctrl+V or Shift+Insert	Edit.Paste
Peek definition	Alt+F12 [Text Editor]	Edit.PeekDefinition
Redo	Ctrl+Y or Shift+Alt+Backspace or Ctrl+Shift+Z	Edit.Redo
Replace	Ctrl+H	Edit.Replace
Select all	Ctrl+A	Edit.SelectAll
Select current word	Ctrl+W [Text Editor]	Edit.SelectCurrentWord
Selection cancel	Esc [Text Editor, Report Designer, Settings Designer, Windows Forms Designer, Managed Resources Editor]	Edit.SelectionCancel
Surround with	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+S (available only in Visual Studio 2019 and earlier)	Edit.SurroundWith
Tab left	Shift+Tab [Text Editor, Report Designer, Windows Forms Editor]	Edit.TabLeft
Toggle all outlining	Ctrl+M, Ctrl+L [Text Editor]	Edit.ToggleAllOutlining
Toggle bookmark	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+K [Text Editor]	Edit.ToggleBookmark
Toggle completion mode	Ctrl+Alt+Space [Text Editor]	Edit.ToggleCompletionMode
Toggle outlining expansion	Ctrl+M, Ctrl+M [Text Editor]	Edit.ToggleOutliningExpansion
Uncomment selection	Ctrl+K, Ctrl+U [Text Editor]	Edit.UncommentSelection
Undo	Ctrl+Z or Alt+Backspace	Edit.Undo
Word delete to end	Ctrl+Delete [Text Editor]	Edit.WordDeleteToEnd
Word delete to start	Ctrl+Backspace [Text Editor]	Edit.WordDeleteToStart

 

File: popular shortcuts

FILE: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts [Special contexts]	Command ID
Exit	Alt+F4	File.Exit
New file	Ctrl+N	File.NewFile
New project	Ctrl+Shift+N	File.NewProject
New web site	Shift+Alt+N	File.NewWebSite
Open file	Ctrl+O	File.OpenFile
Open project	Ctrl+Shift+O	File.OpenProject
Open web site	Shift+Alt+O	File.OpenWebSite
Rename	F2 [Team Explorer]	File.Rename
Save all	Ctrl+Shift+S	File.SaveAll
Save selected items	Ctrl+S	File.SaveSelectedItems
View in browser	Ctrl+Shift+W	File.ViewinBrowser

Project: popular shortcuts

PROJECT: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts [Special contexts]	Command ID
Add existing item	Shift+Alt+A	Project.AddExistingItem
Add new item	Ctrl+Shift+A	Project.AddNewItem

Refactor: popular shortcuts

REFACTOR: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Command	Keyboard shortcut [Special contexts]	Command ID
Extract method	Ctrl+R, Ctrl+M	Refactor.ExtractMethod

Tools: popular shortcuts

TOOLS: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Command	Keyboard shortcut [Special contexts]	Command ID
Attach to process	Ctrl+Alt+P	Tools.AttachtoProcess

View: popular shortcuts

VIEW: POPULAR SHORTCUTS
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts [Special contexts]	Command ID
Class view	Ctrl+Shift+C	View.ClassView
Edit label	F2	View.EditLabel
Error list	Ctrl+\, Ctrl+E or Ctrl+\, E	View.ErrorList
Navigate backward	Ctrl+-	View.NavigateBackward
Navigate forward	Ctrl+Shift+-	View.NavigateForward
Object browser	Ctrl+Alt+J	View.ObjectBrowser
Output	Ctrl+Alt+O	View.Output
Properties window	F4	View.PropertiesWindow
Refresh	F5 [Team Explorer]	View.Refresh
Server explorer	Ctrl+Alt+S	View.ServerExplorer
Show smart tag	Ctrl+. or Shift+Alt+F10 [HTML Editor Design View]	View.ShowSmartTag
Solution explorer	Ctrl+Alt+L	View.SolutionExplorer
TFS Team explorer	Ctrl+\, Ctrl+M	View.TfsTeamExplorer
Toolbox	Ctrl+Alt+X	View.Toolbox
View code	Enter [Class Diagram] or F7 [Settings Designer]	View.ViewCode
View designer	Shift+F7 [HTML Editor Source View	View.ViewDesigner

 

Visual Studio Shortcuts for Developers

1. While code review I found scattered and unaligned code many time which we all hate. I used CTRL+K+D for aligning it. The left side of my code is scattered, so first I selected the area of code and then applied CTRL+K+D.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Use F12 to go to definition of class. Use CTRL- to go back.
3. Resolve the classes and use CTRL+.
4. Refactoring is very important. Use CTRL+R+M for extracting a method.
5. Want to put few lines of code in try block. Try Ctrl + K + S.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   It provides a lot of options.
   
   
6. Ever tried selecting a rectangle code. Use ALT click drag.
7. Lots of code in a single file. Use CTRL + M + O and CTRL + M + X in collapse/expand code groups like regions, methods.
8. Lots of code and there are no groups. Use CTRL+M+H/CTRL+M+U.
9. Create new Class using CLS and press TAB twice, or
10. Create constructor using CTOR and press TAB twice.
11. Create properties using PROP and press TAB twice.
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Create for loop using CTRL+K+S, then go to foreach and press Enter or TAB.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Write full property definition that we used in earlier to C# 3.0, then use propfull, press TAB twice.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. Create switch block, use switch, press TAB twice
    
    
    
    
    
    
15. Write our own custom exception class that should inherit from Exception class.
    
    Exception press TAB twice.
    
    
16. Write console.writeline, use cw, press TAB twice.
17. Show the horizantal space by dot  use  CTRL+R, CTRL+W
18.  Remove the Horizontal space , CTRL+ K  ,CTRL+ \
19.  Shifting the code  left side  use Shift +Tab
20. Shifting  code right side use  , select the code and use Tab

Another Visual Studio Shortcuts for Developers

1. For creating an MVC [HttpGet] action method use mvc4 and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. For creating MVC [HttpPost] action method, use mvcp and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. For creating unit test class in MVC application, use test and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. For creating Unit test method, use testm and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. For creating a region, use reg and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. For creating static int Main (string[] args), use sim and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Create auto implemented properties with 'get' accessor and private 'set' accessor using propg and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. For creating void main method use svm and press TAB twice.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Create try finally block using tryf and press TAB twice.
   
   
10. Create MessageBox.show(“”) using mbox  andpress TAB twice.
    
    
11. Create Interface using int and press TAB twice.
    
    
12. Create foreach() loop using fore and press TAB twice.
    
    
13. Create do while loop using do and press TAB twice.
    
    
14. Create for loop using for and press TAB twice.
    
    
15. Create while loop using wh and press TAB twice.

Some other tips and tricks:

• Open Package Manager Console using ALT + T + N and press Enter key.
  
  
• Build the project using CTRL + SHIFT + B.
  
  
• Open Solution Explorer using CTRL + ALT + L.
  
  
• Open Server Explorer using CTRL + ALT + S.
  
  
• Find the location of project, right click on project and go to open folder in file explorer, then press enter or click.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Start Visual Studio from “Run” command prompt using devenv, then click ok.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• See all errors in your document, project, or solution by using  CTRL+\,E    or       Ctrl+W,E 
• Navigate to any file/type/member/symbol declaration by using   CTRL+T

 

 Reference

• Microsoft
• Visual Studio

Author : Dotnet Office | https://www.youtube.com/TheDotNetOffice

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