How can I use the keyboard to focus on the git commit message input in VS Code?

Question

Is there any way to focus to this input by keyboard rather than mouse click in Visual Studio Code?

Answer 1

While certainly not ideal, I've found the following will focus the Source Control Message input field:

• ctrl shift G
• then, ESC
• then, Tab

Now when you repeat ctrl shift G it seems to focus the input directly.

Answer 2

As a workaround, we can use the extension multi.

Define shortcut like:

    {
        "key": "escape",
        "command": "extension.multiCommand.execute",
        "args": {
            "sequence": [
                "list.focusFirst",
                "list.select",
            ]
        },
        "when": "listFocus && workbench.scm.active",
    },

Answer 3

For users of GitLens extension with the default "gitlens.keymap": "chorded" setting:

If you are in any section in the left menu other than Source Control (e.g. Explorer or Extensions, then use Ctrl+Shift+G then press G again

If you are already in the Source Control section of the left menu, then use Tab or Shift+Tab to move focus forward or backward (respectively)

Answer 4

Apparently, according a VS Code maintainer, Ladislou Szomoru (source), ctrl+shift+g (workbench.view.scm) should open the Source Control View and focus the commit message input, but there's a known bug that prevents that from happening which should be fixed in the September 2023 release. See regression: ctrl+shift+g doesn't focus source control anymore when invoked for the first time #184155 (should be fixed in the May 2024 release).

---

For versions of VS Code affected by the above mentioned bug, I have an improved version of Mark's single-keyboard-shortcut answer that also supports when there are multiple open repositories and uses the new runCommands feature instead of the multi-command extension:

{
    "key": "", // TODO
    "command": "runCommands",
    "args": {
        "commands": [
            "workbench.scm.focus",
            "list.focusFirst",
            "list.focusDown",
            // ^ with multiple repositories, there is an additional level of
            //   list nesting for separating by repository. this is to skip
            //   that collapse handle / parent list item
            "list.select",
        ],
    },
    "when": "gitOpenRepositoryCount >= 1",
},
{
    "key": "", // TODO can put the same thing as above
    "command": "runCommands",
    "args": {
        "commands": [
            "workbench.scm.focus",
            "list.focusFirst",
            "list.select",
        ],
    },
    "when": "gitOpenRepositoryCount == 1",
},

Answer 5

UPDATE: There are two new commands which should be in vscode v1.90 early June 2024:

workbench.scm.action.focusNextInput

workbench.scm.action.focusPreviousInput

See Commit. They appear to be unbound to any keybinding by default and they don't show up in the Command Palette for me but they are in the Keyboard Shortcuts editor so you can make keybindings for them there.

workbench.scm.action.focusNextInput will work if there is only one commit message box as well as there are more than one.

Both commands will loop through multiple repositories in the same workspace.

---

Okay, adding my answer found in the following issue, slightly modified:

Ensure that scm.focus command works in all cases

Use this keybinding:

{
  "key": "alt+e",             // whatever keybinding you want
  "command": "extension.multiCommand.execute",
  "args": {
    "sequence": [
      "workbench.scm.focus",
      "list.focusFirst",
      "list.select"
    ]
  },
}

and the macro extension multi-command.

This works whether the scm view is open or not, whether something is already focussed in the scm view or whether a text editor is focussed.

So just the one keybinding, no need to Home and Enter whether a scm file has focus or not.

Answer 6

First, if needed, focus Source Control with Ctrl+Shift+G.

Press Home to focus the message box and Enter or Tab or Space to start typing in it.

_{Thanks to yellowtailfan for bringing this up on GitHub. They specifically said "if one of the changed files has focus", but I don't think that's crucial for Home Enter to work.}

---

Overall, you can navigate the whole Source Control panel like this using direction keys (Up, Down, etc.), which means you can select files, use Left/Right to show/hide sections like "Staged Changes", and access more commit options by highlighting that box then using Tab to move inside it.

Answer 7

You can use TAB/SHIFT+TAB key to move focus in left SOURCE CONTROL panel.

For some color theme you can easily notice where the focus is.

Most of the time the focus is located on the file names in Changes pane(?). In that case press SHIFT+TAB key to move focus to Message field.

Answer 8

Keyboard Shortcuts: "Source control:Focus on Source Control View"