Insert mode
Editor
A modal editor starts here.
With MacKeys
i
Without MacKeys
i
High frequency
Programming shortcut guide
Neovim shortcuts for Mac-native people on Windows
Neovim is almost definitionally keyboard-driven, which makes it a great fit for the programming category. MacKeys can still help on the host level by keeping surrounding app shortcuts, terminal movement, and OS-level translation out of the way while you stay in flow.
With MacKeys
Command-first shortcuts stay readable and familiar.
The goal is not to make Figma different. It is to remove the modifier translation layer so common actions still feel like the Mac workflow your hands already know.
Without MacKeys
The work is the same, but the keyboard language keeps shifting.
Native Windows shortcuts usually ask for `Ctrl` and `Alt` translations. In dense design sessions, that adds up as hesitation, extra reach, and slower recovery when you are moving quickly.
Shortcut rows
7
Workflow actions covered on this page.
Translated shortcuts
0
Rows where MacKeys removes the Windows modifier translation.
High-gain actions
0
6 of these are high-frequency shortcuts.
Workflow sections
Jump to the part of Figma where shortcut translation matters most.
Modes
Modes shortcuts
Core modal editing controls.
Normal mode
Editor
The core return-to-navigation control.
With MacKeys
Esc
Without MacKeys
Esc
High frequency
Windows
Windows shortcuts
Split and tab navigation.
Split vertically
Windows
Useful in terminal-first code navigation.
With MacKeys
Ctrl + w + v
Without MacKeys
Ctrl + w + v
Medium frequency
Next window
Windows
Moves across splits without leaving the keyboard.
With MacKeys
Ctrl + w + w
Without MacKeys
Ctrl + w + w
High frequency
Reading the gain labels
A shortcut gets a higher estimated gain when it combines three things: frequent use, more awkward native Windows modifiers, and a higher likelihood of breaking Mac muscle memory in the middle of focused work.
High gain
Medium gain
Low gain
Why this matters in Neovim
Neovim rewards fast repetition. Duplicate, group, frame, zoom, and property-copy actions are not isolated commands. They are part of the rhythm. The closer that rhythm stays to Mac muscle memory, the less time gets lost to tiny modifier decisions.
FAQ
Why include Neovim if the shortcuts are already platform-neutral? +
Because the category is about programming workflows as a whole, and Neovim is a key tool in that ecosystem.