Linux Mint: How to Rebind System Shortcuts
There are often multiple ways to perform a certain action on a computer. Generally, there are menus where you can click on a certain button, or you can search for a specific function or group in which it is located. You can also often use keyboard shortcuts to perform an action.
A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keys that is configured by a program or operating system to perform an action. Most keyboard shortcuts are specific to a certain operating system or program, but some have become almost universal. For example, using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V to copy and paste and Alt + F4 to close a window works on almost any operating system.
Linux Mint comes with many configurable keyboard shortcuts; however, you can rebind these hotkeys to a different key combination if you wish.
Tip: The Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste are actually unbounceable in Linux Mint.
Keyboard shortcuts in Linux Mint can be managed using the keyboard settings. To access them, press the Super key, type “Keyboard” and press Enter.
Tip: The “Super” key is the name many Linux distributions use to refer to the Windows key or the Apple “Command” key, avoiding any risk of trademark issues.
Press the Super key, type “Keyboard” and press Enter.
Once in the keyboard settings, switch to the “Shortcuts” tab. Here you can see a list of all configurable keyboard shortcuts. The left column contains a list of proxy categories, some of which can be expanded into subcategories. Click on a category or subcategory to see the actions they contain in the “Shortcut Keys” box at the top right.
Note: The subcategories contain options that cannot be displayed by simply clicking on the main category, you will need to open the subcategories to see all the configurable shortcuts.
To see the current keyboard shortcuts for a shortcut action, select the action from the “Keyboard Shortcuts” box at the top right, then look at the “Keyboard Bindings” box at the bottom right. You can configure up to three key combinations for one hotkey. By default, most Linux Mint hotkeys have only one key combination bound, or no key combination bound at all.
To rebind a key combination, click the currently assigned combination and then press the new combination. Alternatively, if you click one of the “unassigned” key combination slots, you can configure a secondary or tertiary key combination. To delete a key combination, click it, then press Backspace.
Tip: To enter a new hotkey, make sure the slot you clicked on says “Select Accelerator”, which means Mint is waiting for a new key combination.
To rebind a shortcut, select the category, then the shortcut, then click the existing shortcut and press the new key combination you want to use.
If you try to assign a key combination that is already in use, Linux Mint will warn you and allow you to cancel the change or continue with it. If you click “Yes”, the keyboard shortcut associated with the old shortcut will be overwritten and remain unassigned.
To rebind a shortcut, select the category, then the shortcut, then click the existing shortcut and press the new key combination you want to use.