# How to Use Retool's Command Palette

- Tool: Retool
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Time required: 10 min
- Compatibility: Retool Cloud and Self-hosted
- Last updated: March 2026

## TL;DR

Retool's command palette opens with Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) and gives you access to 90+ editor actions through a searchable interface. Type any action name — create query, go to component, toggle preview — to find and execute it instantly. It is the fastest way to navigate large apps and access features without hunting through menus.

## Keyboard-Driven Development with Retool's Command Palette

Retool's command palette is a searchable overlay that gives you instant access to the most common editor actions without using the mouse. It is inspired by VS Code's Cmd+K interface and works similarly — you type a few characters of any action or resource name to filter results and press Enter to execute.

The command palette is especially valuable in large apps where you might have dozens of queries, multiple pages, and many components to navigate between. Instead of scrolling through the Code panel to find a query named 'fetchUserProfileAndRecentOrders', just press Cmd+K and type 'fetch' to jump to it immediately.

This tutorial covers opening the palette, the categories of available actions, practical workflow patterns, and how the command palette compares to Retool's full keyboard shortcut system.

## Before you start

- A Retool account (Cloud or Self-hosted)
- Access to a Retool app in edit mode
- No technical prerequisites — this is a UI navigation tutorial

## Step-by-step guide

### 1. Open the command palette

Press Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux while in the Retool editor. A search overlay appears in the center of the screen with a text input and a list of recently used or suggested commands. You can also open it by clicking the search/magnifying glass icon in the top toolbar. The palette closes when you press Escape or click outside it.

**Expected result:** A search overlay appears in the center of the editor with an input field and a list of available commands.

### 2. Search for and execute an editor action

Start typing any action name in the search field. The palette filters results in real time. Use arrow keys to navigate results and Enter to execute. Examples of commonly searched actions: 'preview' (toggle preview mode), 'new query' (create a new query), 'save' (save the app), 'duplicate' (duplicate a component), 'undo' (undo last change), 'settings' (open app settings).

```
// Command palette search examples:
// Type: 'prev'       → Toggle preview mode
// Type: 'new query'  → Create new query
// Type: 'save'       → Save app
// Type: 'dup'        → Duplicate selected component
// Type: 'dark'       → Enable/disable dark mode
// Type: 'settings'   → Open app settings
// Type: 'keyboard'   → View all keyboard shortcuts
// Type: 'perf'       → Open performance monitor
```

**Expected result:** Matching commands appear filtered in the palette. Pressing Enter on a command executes it immediately.

### 3. Navigate to a specific query by name

Type the name of any query in the command palette to jump directly to it in the Code panel. This is one of the most useful features in large apps with many queries. Start typing 'get', 'update', 'fetch', or any word from the query name — the palette shows matching queries. Press Enter to select the query and Retool opens it in the Code panel with the query editor focused.

**Expected result:** The target query opens in the Code panel, selected and ready to edit.

### 4. Navigate to a specific component by name

In apps with many components, finding a specific one on the canvas can be tedious — especially in containers nested several levels deep. Type the component name in the command palette (e.g., 'table1', 'submitButton', 'orderStatusSelect') to select it on the canvas instantly. The canvas scrolls to the component and it appears selected with its Inspector properties showing on the right.

**Expected result:** The named component is selected on the canvas and its Inspector panel opens on the right.

### 5. Switch between pages in a multipage app

In multipage Retool apps, type the page name in the command palette to navigate to it quickly. This is faster than clicking the page tabs at the top of the editor, especially when you have many pages. Type the first few characters of any page name and press Enter to switch to it.

**Expected result:** The editor switches to the target page. The canvas shows the selected page's components.

### 6. Use the command palette for common editor operations

Several frequently used editor operations are fastest via the command palette. Here is a reference of the most useful commands organized by category: app management, component operations, view and layout, and debugging tools.

```
// === App Management ===
// 'Save'              → Save app (also Cmd+S)
// 'App settings'      → Open gear/settings panel
// 'Share'             → Open sharing settings
// 'Deploy' / 'Release'→ Deploy/release the app

// === View & Layout ===
// 'Preview'           → Toggle preview mode (Cmd+P)
// 'Dark mode'         → Toggle editor dark mode
// 'Zoom in/out'       → Canvas zoom controls
// 'Grid'              → Toggle canvas grid

// === Component Operations ===
// 'Duplicate'         → Duplicate selected component
// 'Delete'            → Delete selected component
// 'Align'             → Alignment options
// 'Group'             → Group selected components

// === Debugging ===
// 'Debug panel'       → Open/close debug panel
// 'Performance'       → Open performance monitor
// 'State inspector'   → Open state inspector
```

**Expected result:** Common operations are accessible in under 2 seconds via keyboard, without navigating menus.

## Complete code example

File: `Command Palette Reference`

```javascript
// Retool Command Palette — Essential Commands Reference
// Open with: Cmd+K (Mac) | Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)

// === Navigation ===
// [query name]          → Jump to and select a query in Code panel
// [component name]      → Select component on canvas
// [page name]           → Switch to page (multipage apps)

// === App Operations ===
// 'Save'                → Save current app (shortcut: Cmd+S)
// 'Preview'             → Toggle preview mode (shortcut: Cmd+P)
// 'Settings'            → Open App Settings
// 'Release' / 'Deploy'  → Open release/deploy panel
// 'Share'               → Open app sharing settings

// === Component Commands ===
// 'New component'       → Open component picker to add new component
// 'Duplicate'           → Duplicate currently selected component
// 'Delete'              → Delete currently selected component
// 'Select all'          → Select all components on canvas

// === Query Commands ===
// 'New query'           → Create new query
// 'New JS query'        → Create new JavaScript query
// 'New transformer'     → Create new transformer

// === View Commands ===
// 'Dark mode'           → Toggle editor dark/light mode
// 'Grid'                → Toggle alignment grid on canvas
// 'Zoom in'             → Zoom canvas in
// 'Zoom out'            → Zoom canvas out
// 'Fit to screen'       → Reset canvas zoom to fit

// === Debug Commands ===
// 'Debug'               → Open Debug Panel
// 'State inspector'     → Open State Inspector
// 'Performance'         → Open Performance tab
// 'Keyboard shortcuts'  → View all keyboard shortcuts
```

## Common mistakes

- **Pressing Cmd+K inside a text input or code editor and it does not open the palette** — undefined Fix: Press Escape first to deselect the focused input, then press Cmd+K. The palette cannot open when a text field has focus because the keyboard shortcut is intercepted by the input.
- **Confusing the command palette with the full keyboard shortcuts list** — undefined Fix: The command palette (Cmd+K) is an interactive search UI for executing actions. The keyboard shortcuts list (accessible via command palette → 'keyboard shortcuts') shows all direct key combinations for actions that do not require the palette overlay.
- **Searching for a component by its label text instead of its component name** — undefined Fix: The command palette searches by component name (as shown in the component tree), not by the text label displayed on screen. A button labeled 'Submit Order' is found by searching its component name like 'submitOrderButton', not 'Submit Order'.

## Best practices

- Use the command palette as your primary navigation tool in apps with 20+ queries — searching is faster than scrolling the Code panel.
- Learn 3-5 core commands by heart (save, preview, new query, debug panel) to build muscle memory for daily operations.
- Name queries and components descriptively so command palette search returns unambiguous results (e.g., getOrdersByStatus, not query1).
- Use the command palette to access rarely used settings (app settings, sharing) rather than hunting through menus.
- The command palette is always available regardless of what panel or modal is open — press Cmd+K from anywhere in the editor.
- Combine the command palette with keyboard shortcuts for maximum speed: Cmd+S to save, Cmd+P to preview, Cmd+K for everything else.

## Frequently asked questions

### What keyboard shortcut opens the Retool command palette?

Cmd+K on Mac and Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux. Make sure focus is not inside a text input or code editor when you press it — if it is, press Escape first to deselect, then press Cmd+K.

### Can the command palette be used in preview mode (when the app is viewed by end users)?

No. The command palette is an editor-only tool. End users viewing the published or previewed app do not have access to it. It is exclusively for Retool app builders during development.

### How many commands are available in Retool's command palette?

Retool's command palette provides access to 90+ editor actions covering app management, component operations, query navigation, view controls, and debugging tools. The exact number varies by plan and Retool version. Type anything into the search field to see all results matching your query.

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Source: https://www.rapidevelopers.com/retool-tutorial/how-to-use-retool-s-command-palette
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